Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-29
LOCAL CIVIL SERVICE
Bill to Regulate It to Be Re-
ported Adversely.
COMMITTEES DECISION
ACTION BASED ON DECLARATION
OF COMMISSIONERS.
Proposition to Have Fire Department
Superintendent Negatived-Reg
ulating Electric Wiring.
COMMITTEES DECISION


There will be no civil service reform law
ing's meeting of the Senate committee on
the District, at which Senator Gallinger and
nearly all the members of the committee
were present, 1t was decided to report adj
versely the Commissioners bill for this pur-
pose.
The Commissioners recently sent to the
Senate bill to regulate appointments and
promotions in the municipal government of
the District of Columbia The bill was one
framed by the Commissioners, and provided
that after the expiration of three months
from the passage of the act no person
should be employed to enter or be promoted
in the service of the District government
except upon competitive examinations as
provided and required for entrance to the
service of the United States, classified under
the provisions of the act of January 49, 1893.
The bill provided that the President of the
United States. make such exemption from
the competitive examinations as he deemed
necessary and proper. The passage of such
bill would have placed the District gov
eminent under the regulations that control
in all the executive departments.
Members of the committee manifested a
great deal of interest in this bill. 1t was
placed in the hands of Senator Stewart to
examine into the subject and to report to
the full committee, which he did today
Senator Stewart announced that the Dis
trict Commissioners had told him that no
civil service could be superior to the service
already in force in the District government.
AS the committee regarded that declarati On
as meaning that the District municip ii
service is as near perfect as 1t can be made,
SO far as both requirements for entrance
and promotions within the service are con-
cerned. IT decided, when Senator Stewart
made his report, to make no change, and 1t
promptly ordered an adverse report ON the
Commissioners bill.
No Fire Department Superintendent.
The committee also ordered an adverse
report on Senate bill 2434, providing for a
superintendent of the fire department In
the District of Columbia. This bill is prac-
tically the same as the item in the District
appropriation billlwhich was rejected by
the House committee on appropriations last
year, and there was no disposition on the
part of the committee to revive it from the
north end of the Capitol.
An adverse report was also ordered on
Senate bill 1925 to acquire by condemna-
ton, for the purpose of providing govern
ment reservation, the ground within the
triangle between 18th street extended, Mt.
tanning p 45O square feet, for which the
bill carried appropriation of $4,000.
The committee ordered a favorable re-
port on Senate bill 1856 to facilitate the
the county of Washington by the adop-
ton of the system provided in the bill for
designating subdivisions, blocks, lots and
parcels of land in the county. The bill
was reported as sent to the committee by
the Commissioners.
A favorable report was made on Senate
bill 1884 to amend the code of the Dis
trict of Columbia providing that vessels
the District shall be moored under the
direction of the harbormaster or the pilot
of the police boat, SO as not to obstruct
the channel.
The bill for the relief of Vincenzo Cher
ardi, providing that the law against the
ownership of real estate In the District by
aliens be not applicable to the case of
Gherardi. was ordered favorably reported.
Regulating Electric Wiring.
The committee also discussed Senate bill
No. 3, for the regulation of electric wiring
in the District. This bill has been the sub
Ject of considerable discussion on the part
Of various interests affected by it and many
minor amendments have been adopted. 1t
was amended at the last meeting of the
committee and again today other changes
were decided upon. At the close of the
the National Electric Supply Company, and
Mr.. John r. Galloway, president of the
Electrical Contractors Association, appear
ed in behalf of amendments to the bill.
Mr.. Graham addressed the committee and
suggested several minor amendments One
amendment suggested by him, which was
adopted, provides that of the three mem
bers of the electrical board authorized by
the bill, two shall be skilled in electrical
matters instead of only one, as In the
original draft of the bill
This measure was regarded as of such
Importance by the committee that 1t was
decided to allow it to go over until the next
meeting, when 1t will again be considered
The following bills were referred to sub
committees for reports at the next meeting
of the full committee, as indicated:
Referred to subcommittee.
Senate bill 24O2, to secure sanitary dairy
products In the District, to Senators Stew
art, Hansbrough and Mallory
Senate bills 2131, to provide for the abate-
ment of nuisances in the District, and 1855,
to create board for the condemnation of
unsanitary buildings were both referred to
committee consisting of Senators Stewart,
Mallory and German.