Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-04-06
PASSED BY THE HOUSE
Action Taken on Seventeen
Local Bills.
STREET EXTENSIONS
WHOLE COST Is PLACED UPON
THE DISTRICT.
Carnegie Institution Incorporation
Branch Notwithstanding
the Divorce Law.
) sTREET EXTENSIONS

Today was a field day in the House OF
Representatives for the committee on the
District of Columbia. No less than seven
teen District bills were reported by the COM
mittee, and all were favorably acted upon.
In addition to a number of street extension
and improvement bills the measures adopt
ed included the bill Incorporating the Car
Hegie Institution. the bills authorizing the
Commissioners to accept donations of land
and money for branch public libraries:
amending the code with regard to divorce
proceedings; amending the code with
gard to the removal of property bought on
the installment plan from the District;
closing certain places of business on Sun
day; enlarging the scope of the highway
act and various other measures of minor
Importance.
There was very little discussion on any of
the bills, although the democrats demanded
a division when vote reached the
divorce amendment doing away with the
necessity of summoniug correspondents into
courts when it is shown the names of such
persons cannot be 2scertained.
Seven street extension and improvement
bills were passed. Five of these came
from the Senate, with the approval of that
body, and founded upon the principle urged
by the Commissioners that the United
States should share equally with the Dis
trict of Columbia the cost of street OPEN
ings. The House District committee pre-
pared substitutes for all the Senate meas
ures. placing the whole cost upon the abut-
ting property owners and the District of
Columbia. The action of the committee I'm
changing the plan of paying the cost was
not questioned on the floor
When Mr.. Babcock, chairman of the Dis
trict committee, called up Senate bill 12I.
for the joining of Kalorama avenue, Rep
resentative Mann of Illinois objected to a
method of condemnation and assessment
should not be read. Mr. Babcock had made
such a request coupled with the statement
that the sections referred to were but
repetition of the paragraph In the existing
law, known the Columbia road act. Mr..
Mann said he thought 1t was an abominable
practice to do away with the reading of
bills. The measure was then read and
adopted without further discussion
Wyoming Avenue Extension.
2 Mr.. Babcoek then called up House bill
14424. for the extension of Wyoming ave-
nue. to 23d street west. This bill differed
from the others reported today In that IL
provides that the whole cost of the inn
provement shall be borne by the abutting
property owners, whereas the others pro-
vidsd that one-half of the cost of improves
ment should be assessed against the abut-
ting property owners and the other half
wholly. from the revenues of the District
of Columbia. When MIR. Babcock asked
unanimous consent that the reading of the
sections of this bill covering the methods
of condemnation should be dispensed with.
Mr.. Mann again arose and inquired:
This is practically local improvement
ordinance, is it nOtg'
1T is," replied Mr., Babcock.
THAT would be passed BY city council
anywhere eIse?"
Yes"
Els it to be paid for by special assess
ment?' further inquired Mr.. Mann.
ut is very trifing natter said Mr..
Babcock, raised by special assessment on
the property holders instead of the Dis
trict"
Mr.. Mann objected no further, and the re-
naming five street bills were read only in
part. The committee report on the Wyom-
ing avenue bill, which was the subject of
the above colloquy, is as follows:
This substitute measure reported by your
committee differs only from H. II. $3.50 in
that it provides that the entire amount
awarded damages shall be assessed as
benefits, so that the only ultimate expense
to the District of Columbia will be the
amount necessary for condemnation pro-
ceedngs''
On all the other bills the reports read as
follows:
."The matter inserted in the nature of a
substitute differs only from the Senate bill
IN that 1t provides that the cost of con-
demnation proceedings and the amount
awarded as damages shall be paid wholly
by the District of Columbia instead of one
United States The Senate bill also pro-
vided that the proceedings necessary for
the extension of this street should be un-
der certain sections of the act for the cx-
tension of Columbia road. and of the act
making appropriations for the District of
Columbia for the fiscal year end ng June
80, 1908. Your committee has Incorporated
these various sections in the amendment TO
the Senate BILL making the bill as reported
TO the House complete in itself"
Unlawful Wearing of Badges.
The first bill PASSED was H. r. 1l2s8, TO
prevent the unlawful wearing of the badge
or insignia of the Grand Army of the Re
public and other soldier organiza tions. The
measure was prepared by the committee on
legislation, Grand Army of tine Republic,
Department of the Potomac. Under the
provisions of the bill as adopted 1t is un-
lawful for any person not being a member
or the Military Order of the Loyal Legion,
of the Grand Army of the Republic, of the
Sens of Veterans, of the Woman's Relief
Corps, of the Union Veterans Union, Union
Veteran Legion, Military and Naval Order
of the Spanish American War or the Legion
of Spanish War Veterans. to wear or use
the insignia. distinctive ribbon or badge of
membership, rosette or button. for the pur-
pose of representing that he or she is
member thereof. Violations are to call for
punishment by fine of not more than SO
or Imprisonment for not more than thirty
days, or both
Incorporating Carnegie INSTITUTION.
The House next took up the bill prepared
b. former Secretary of War Root and in
troduced by Speaker Cannon. Incorporating
the Carnegie Institution. The purport OF
the bill is explained in a letter submitted
by Mr.. Root. who stated
There is Carnegie Institution now ex-
isting which was Incorporated under the
general laws of the District of Columbia
This bill is for the purpose practically of re-
incorporating that institution. The reason
for ii is that there are some limitations In
the general statute which viii Interfere
seriously with the operations of the iHsu-
tuition and are Liable TO breed trouble and
litigation in the future Mr.. Carnegie gave
us SO, 900, 600 of securities. the main income
of which we are expending in the promo
ton of scientific investigation In widely
scattered parts of the country, and We are
also accommodating reserve fund. which Is
now $500 eco.
..The general statute of the District APP
pears to limit the property which can be
held to an annual income of not to exceed
$25, 600. The statute also requires that the
trustees shall be elected, and requires that
q majority OF the incorporators shall ba