Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-11-21
Work Before the Senate Committee in
Charge Of Local Affairs.
CHAIRMAN M'MILLAN' SPECIFICATIONS
Matters Demanding Attention at
the Coming Session.
PROSPECTIVE LEGISLATION

Senator Mcmillan, chairman of the SEN
ate committee on the District Of Columbia,
will not arrive here before about December
1. Mr. Moore, clerk of the committee, has
come here, however and is making some
arrangements for the work of the commit
tee, which will be taken up promptly upon
the meeting of Congress. Before leaving
Detroit Mr.. Mcmillan talked of the work
In relation to matters local to the Dis
trict of Columbia, and in a general way
indicated what he desired to see accom-
plished during the short session. Through
out the late campaign Mr.. Moore was
prominently identified with the work Of the
republican organization of Michigan, and
soon as that was completed he turned his
attention to legislative matters in which
the Senate committee with which he Is
connected is interested. Senator Mcmillan
is extremely DESTROYS that many legislative
matters started in the last session shall be
completed before Congress adjourns, and
that other matters may be taken UP and
put through
THE code for the District of Columbia
will probably be the first thing taken up
after Congress meets" said Mr.. Moore to-
day in reviewing the prospective work OF
the committee. There is no indication that
any serious obstacle will be met to inter-
fere with the enactment of this proposed
code into law, it is the result of the
great experience on the part of Justice Cox,
who was eminently fitted for such diff
cult work. Such changes, II any, as are
made in it are likely to be of a minor char
acter. But in order to get it through both
houses 1t will be necessary to start the
reading of 1t at once.
TT has been understood that the bill to
incorporate new telephone company In
the District of Columbia will be again
brought up. In pursuance OF an under
standing, it is likely the Commissioners
oh1 eri, fhn mi toe on q n
preparations definite information in regard
to the amount of appropriation that can be
expended for the completion of the general
sewer system for the District that that
work may be carried on on a scale large
enough to insure its completion in a rea-
sonable time. The general sentiment in and
out of Congress against the issuance Of
bonds for this purpose shows that 1t Is alb
solutely necessary to carry that work to
completion on some other plan, and doubt
less a liberal annual appropriation for 1t
will have to be depended on.
The Filtration Project.
''At the last session of Congress 500, 900
was appropriated to purchase land for
filtration plant to supply pure water to the
District. The question is yet to be deter
mined whether the American mechanical or
the English slow sand filtration system will
be adopted 1t has not yet been settled
which system will be the better one for the
District. The main object of filtration is
not to get water that appears clear and
pure to the eye alone. The more important
purpose Is to obtain water that IS free from
any form of disease germ especially to
guard against spreading typhoid fever
through such means. The experience in
other countries has been that typhoid fever
has almost entirely disappeared after the
of the slow sand filtration sys-
TEN. whereas the experience in this country
with mechanical filtration has been that it
does aTeCt tVnhOH faver
that Is prevalent. This question Is one that
must be settled by expert medical testi-
mony, and not because of engineering fea-
lures. The chief difference in the cost of
the two features will be the amount of land
necessary, the slow sand filtration process
requiring a great deal more land to carry
it into execution than the other system 1t
has been claimed that the nature of Poto-
mac water is such that slow sand filtration
will not take out the bacteria, but that is
still an open question.
A Municipal Hospital
THE purchase Of a site for a municipal
hospital for the District of Columbia at a
price that leaves balance of over $50 900
is especially fortunate, as there is no doubt
that Congress will readily authorize the
expenditure of this balance in beginning
the construction of the necessary buildings
The plans for these buildings will be sub
ject to the approval of the board Of char
tiles. There have been great many ru-
mors that the establishment of this munich
pal hospital means a consolidation Of pub
lie hospitals in the District. This was never
contemplated when the appropriation was
made. The municipal hospital was intend
ed for the care of chronic cases, leaving to
the other hospitals with more elaborate
plants the treatment of acute cases. There
was no intention to build up great institu-
ton within the District at the present time
Sufficient facilities for the present will be
provided and ample ground has been OBJ
tanned to enlarge the building to be put up
by the addition of wings or for new build
ings.
The Parks.
THE question of the care of the parks is
one that will receive the attention of the
committee. Congress will consider some
legislation looking toward the improve
ment of the Mall and for the connection Of
the river parks with the Rock Creek Park,
and reports on this subject should be ready
for Congress during the coming session.
The American Architects Association
meets in this city December IA, and almost
Its entire attention will be devoted to the
question of the grouping of public buildings
and the arrangement of parks in this city.
Some of the leading architects and land
scape architects in the country will read
papers on these subjects, and it is expected
that from this discussion valuable ideas
will be presented for the consideration of
the District and Congress.
Steam Railway Bills.
The steam railroad bills were passed
through the Senate at the last session and
are now in the House. Just what will be
done with them is uncertain. but 1t is ex-
pected that in some shape these bills will
be passed at the coming session. This prob
lem has 30 long been before Congress that
1t would seem to be folly to let the present
excellent opportunity for securing such
legislation pass.
Street Extension.
THE feeling In the District committee OF
the Senate is that with the opening grad
Ing and improving Of 10Th and the other
streets provided for 1t will not be necessary
to make any extensive provision for fur
Their extensive opening of other streets for
some years to come. The opening of 18th
street will bring about the opening Of a
great many streets in that neighborhood.
I'm connection with the work Of improv-
ing the parks there are within the bound
aries Of the old city q great many parks
and small public spaces that have been
neglected and are now in a sQuaHd condi-
ton. Col. Bingham has taken up the SUBJ
ject of improving these parks and has al
ready made a very considerable beginning
in East Washington. Congress will be
urged to grant larger appropriations for this