Smyrna times., 1901-02-13
LIGHT HOUSE FOR GRUBB'S LANDING
Congressman HOffeeker Writes of His Eff.
forts in Getting TIE Bill Passed BY
Both Houses of Congress.

In our last issue we referred to the
effort of Congressman HOffecker to
have a lighthouse placed at Grubb's
Landing below Claymont. The bill
has since passed both Houses of Con-
gress and has become a law. As it
may be a matter of interest to our
readers how lie e5islation is done in
Congress, we give the following in a
letter written on Saturday to a gentle
man here explaining the way in which
the act was passed.
''The bill introduced in the Hopsa
recently to establish a lighthouse at
Grubbs Landing on the Delaware
River, passed the House last evening
Just before adjournment. In order to
make sure OF getting this bill through
both Houses L had Senator Penrose in
Senator kenney's absense. to intro.
duce the bill III the Senate, aud as the
SENATE is much smaller body than
the House, they can work much faster
when they want to. Senator Kenney
telephone me Thursday night at NV
hotel that my bill had passed tue Sen
ate that evening just before adjourn
ment. Yesterday morning as soon as
feached the House | procured COPY
OF the Senate Bill and had the passage
OF this bill promptly certified to the
House, so as to get it on the Speakers
table, giving me an opportunity to call
1t up at any time l could get recogni-
ton from the Speaker. yesterday was
Pension day in the House, but Just be-
fore we adjourned at six O'Clock last
evening the Speaker sent messenger
to my desk t. say if L could secure the
moor, he would recognize me to call up
my lighthouse bill. L was not expect,
ing this at all; nevertheless [ had
everything In shape, ready at moments 5
notice to take it up, and | immediately
took my bill and all necessary papers
accompanying 1t, and moved nv seat
down Immediately i'll front of the
Speakers desk where could not fail to
hear and see me when | called for
recognition. l had no difficulty in at
tracting his attention, and having taken
the precautiOn to get the Senate Bill
certified to the House promptly, 1 was
thus able to call up the Senate Bill, as
1t was identified with the bill I had
over In the House, and the same bill.
to become law, must pass both
Houses, and as this bill had already
passed the Senate the evening before
l called this bill instead of the House
Bill so as to make it law at once with
out any further delay. ] had inter-
viewed all the Democratic leaders of
the House, as well as the Republican
leaders, in the interest of of my House
Bill, and when | called up the Senate
Bill they of course wanted to know if
1t was the same bill that had pre-
sented in the House. Richards. of
Tennessee, the Democratic leader.
asked me several questions regarding
1t, which l was able to answer readily
and satisfactorily, and my bill went
through without any trouble. But [
tell you 1T requires quick work and is
a very rare Occurrance, to get bill
through both Houses within "a hours.
aud if L had not taken the precaution-
airy steps It could not have been done.
but as l was ready at a moments no.
tlce, for there was not the least init
nation given me in any way that |
would have the opportunity to offer
my bill last evening, but | lust got
myself ready yesterday morning as
soon as l reached the House, SO that
the moment the opportunity came |
would be ready, and in this wav cot
my bill through. There is now moth
ing to do but for the Appropriation
Committee to set aside the money and
authorize the Treasury Department to
submit bids for this work. OF course
l cannot say how soon this will be
done, but my work is done. The rest
is with the Treasury Department.