Evening star., 1901-02-26
BILLS OF LOCAL INTEREST
A NUMBER TAKEN BP-AND PASSED
y1G
BY .TIeRiiHOUSE.
Tax Collection, Mtns Affecting Real
Estate and fO$ker Measures
x3Hli
AdDofed.
N.R

ab-It
7fza7Ir---
Chairman Babcoak, -pf the District COM
mittee who had bseasawaiing opportunity
in the House yesterdayfto get up some Dis
trict legislation, foufd' 7ris patience reward
ed late in the afternoon, and in a brief
time managed to pass number of bills OF
local Importance.
The first measure called up was the bill
relating to the Potomac flats cases 1t au-
thorizes the District Supreme Court. In the
adjudication OF the cases. to also ascertain
and determine the values Of the portions
Of wharf structures and other improve
ments used In connection Herewith which
are upon the adjoining land of the United
States but not in or over the waters of the
Potomac river and shall also ascertain,
declare, adjudge and award to whom the
values so determined are justly payable.
The bill was passed.
A Senate bill was passed providing that
whenever the Bunker Hill road or Wiscon-
sin avenue is improved by the Commission
ers of the District OF Columbia the Com
mIssioners are authorized to permit the
street railroad tracks upon the highways
to be located in the middle of the roadway,
should such location be considered for the
best interests Of the public.
The tax collection bill was passed 1t pro-
vides that beginning with the fiscal year
commencing July 1, 1901, the whole tax on
of Columbia shall be payable in the month
of May of each year: Provided, however,
| That on and after the list of November OF
each year the tax may be paid In two equal
installments the first in November and the
second in May, but that no penalty shall
| accrue for delinquency until the following
June, as hereinafter provided: and If the
whole or any part of the tax upon real and
personal property shall not be paid before
the 1st day Of June in each year the same
shall thereafter be In arrears and delin-
uuent and there shall then be added. to be
collected with the tax, penalty of 1 per
cent per month upon the amount thereof,
and like penalty on the lst day of each
succeeding month until payment of the tax
and penalty, and the whole together shall
constitute the delinquent tax. to be dealt
with in the manner now provided by law.
Inconsistent laws are repealed.
The Commissioners bill relating to the
commitment of INDECENT insane persons to
the asylum was passed without amend
ment. 1nis bill has been published in The
Star heretofore.
The Senate joint resolution was passed ex-
tending for two years the time within which
the Washington and Gettysburg Railway
| Company of Maryland is allowed to extend
it's lines into and within the District OF Co
Iumbia and extended for two years the
time within which the Columbia railway IS
to construct an extension on the Anacostia
road to Its intersection with the eastern
boundary line of the District Of Columbia.
Wills Affecting Real Estate.
The bill relating to the proof Of execution
of wills affecting rhal Estate was passed. AS
amended. the bill provides that In all cases
where 1t is made td4appear to the satisfac-
ton of the courtsshat all or any of the
next of kin or heirs at law of the deceased
are unknown. such unknown next kin or
heirs at law may be proceeded against and
"the unknown nekt of kim or 1.-The un-
known heirs at lawsy as the case may be,
of the deceased. and by such publication
such unknown next Of kin and heirs at law
shall be as effectually bound and concluded
as if known and their names were specif-
cally set forth In said order of publication.
In case any will shall have been hereto
fore admitted to probate upon publication
person interested nay file a petition for fur
ther probate of such will alleging that the
heirs at law or neYtsQf, kin of the deceased,
or some of them. as the case may be. are
unknown, and upon satisfactory showing
being made to the court publication of no
tice may be made against the unknown next
of kin or heirs at law of the deceased, and
upon such publication being made. as re-
Quired by the court, a decree may be made
confirming such previous probate, and such
decree so made shall be as effectual as If
the said heirs at law or next of kin were
named in the order of publication.
If any will be hereafter held invalid In
any action begun after distribution made of
the property by the executor or executrx
in good faith, with the approval Of the
court, without knowledge on his or her part
Of such invalidity and without notice that
such action was intended, the distributes
OF the property, and not such executor or
executrix. shall be answerable for the prop
erty or its value to the person or persons
entitled thereto -..r.-
A bill was passed.to relieve the estate of
Carper Barber from the operations Of the
allen ownership act.e
A bill was also passed to waive and re-
lease all claims Of the United States by way
OF escheat to the real estate Of which Pat
rick kavanagh or his sons died seized.
The first debate on the District business
was occasioned by the bill to permit the
Episcopal Cathedral Foundation to bury the
dead In its grounds.
Will Be Like Westminster Abbey.
MI Cowherd of Missouri opposed the bill.
1T seems to me that this is a bill that
ought not to pass he said. "If We grant
this right to the church, as 1t Is In the resi-
dentlal portion of the city and they propose
10 build there cathedral and establish
something after the manner, as 1 under
stand II, or the Westminster Abbey and
Dury the1r distinguished dead there, 1t will
pe bad precedent. Naturally, it will be
opposed. and opposed more strongly when
the District Is settled around it, and If we
grant this legislation to this church there
VIII come the same applications from other
denominations in the city that they may
bury their distinguished dead in their
church, ana think It will be a bad prece-
dent, and the bill should be defeated"
Mr; Babcock replied to Mr.. Cowherd.
rms organization has about thirty-one
acres there which they are improving for
a school: and the improvements are mag
n'ncent. he said "It provides limit to
the burial OF four each year and not more
than four. There have been several per-
sons who have contributed very largely to
the establishment of this church and edu-
catfonai institution. and it is proposed to be
d second w eStmnStpr AhhaV n nfb
words, an honorable burial place for those
VINO nave distinguished themselves in the
estaollshment of the Institution. That Is all
there IS OF it. The Commissioners have
recommended the bill, and so have all those
connected with It,"
vote. e
The Commissioners Substitute for the Sem
ate resolution relating to theater licenses
1t provides that anyIhcense issued by the
assessor OF the Dissrice of Columbia to the
proprietor OF thsateEsor other public place