Evening star., 1904-04-28
LOCAL LEGISLATION
What Has Been Accomplished
This Session.
AMOUNT OF MONEY
A GREATER SUM THAN EVER BE-
ToRN APPROPRIATED.
Review Of Acts Passed by Congress-,
Those Still on Calendar and
Those in COMMITTEES.
AMOUNT OF MONEY

Those in Committee.
The second session of the Fifty eighth
Congress has set g. pace in the enactment
Of legislation for the District OF Columbia,
which II continued will result In the build
ing up OF the capital on lines OF pro-
gress that will in the near future place
beyond question the claim Of Its admirers
that is the most beautiful capital Of the
world.
In the laying out of the city President
Washington made plan which can only
be developed to Its fullest extent by a
broad and liberal policy under which the
United States government will pay its
proper share toward the improvements in
which 1t has so vital an interest
With some exceptions the legislation Of
this session of Congress has shown that
the national legislators have come to fully
realize the task Of capital building that is
so heartily approved by people all over
the country They have shown their
conviction that to make really great and
beautiful city the best In municipal i'm
provement must be provided. and that IN
the long run the best is the cheapest.
Only in the case of a few street extern
sion bills, which in themselves are Of minor
importance, has there been a tendency to
violate the pledges made the District OF
Columbia In the organic act of 1873 which
stipulated that the expenses of the munici-
pal government and upbuilding of the
District chould be equally divided. This
violation of the agreement has largely been
the result OF eagerness on the part OF
some people to secure extensions greatly
needed and long sought But while this
temporary setting aside Of the pledge Con-
gress gave the people of the District has
served desired ends, its danger lies In
the precedent 1t may tend to establish.
The Appropriation Bill.
The larger part Of the legislation for the
District is, as usual, contained in the ap-
preparation bill in which local needs are
cared for. This bill is the largest in the
amount Of money appropriated that has
been passed at any session Of Congress.
1t provides for the completion Of public
works and for the proper conduct of the
municipal government. The schools are
more fully recognized than has been usual
by the more liberal compensation of some
of the teachers who have been underpaid
in the past
The completion of the filtration plant and
the system of sewers is now almost ac-
complished, while the police department
and all branches Of the government have
been provided for on scale more COM
mensurate with their needs than has been
usual. The estimates for the expenses of
the District were made intelligently, and
the House of Representatives passed bill
with larger appropriations than usual this
good beginning being followed by added
appropriations when the measure reached
the Senate
The estimates of the Commissioners, ex-
elusive of the water department, aggre-
gated $12, ,SS4, ,S25.
The total amount carried by the bill when
passed by the House was SO, 1884, AIT.
Amendments of the Senate added 81, 1885,
427 to the bill, the conferees finally agree
ing to $S27 ,20S of that amount. That made
the total amount carried by the bill N1.-
021 740. which is $2,3S3. .643 more than the
bill carried for the current year.
The bill repealed the statutory rates for
telephones in the District, and provided
that for telephones In residences with one
telephone on wire not more than $50
shall be charged and with two telephones
on wire not more than $4s. No provision
was made for business telephones. An
nual reports to Congress were provided
for, which will show the main facts in re-
lation to the cost Of the telephone service
Opening Of 14th Street.
An appropriation Of $4,000 for the open
ing of 14th street from its present
terminus at Lydecker avenue to Piny
Branch road near Brightwood was made.
SO that not only will that street be opened
for thoroughfare. making accessible a
large area of desirable land on which
homes may be built, but 1t will make Dos
sible improvements in the car service on
14th street With the present ia acilties
of the Capital Traction company 1t
has not been possible to run on closer
schedule than one minute in order to take
care Of the large traffic that come to that
road. The company has long sought to
secure an extention of the street SO that
1t could establish a loop beyond Lydecker
avenue to allow the turning Of care radidly
and the running Of more frequent trains
mill hn l.
future.
The attitude Of the Senate on the three
department bill, which included the bloca 6
about Lafayette Square among those that
building, indicated to a large degree the
feeling Of senators in respect to the future
location Of public buildings. Many senators
were opposed to allowing the building to
site on the south side Of Pennsylvania ave
nue.. The fact that the specialization OF
sentiment In favor OF using the south side
of the avenue for public building sites has
ly during the debates in the Senate.
For continuing the construction of Rock
Creek bridge on the line of Connecticut
avenue extended 100000 II appropriated.
Fortunately the House proposition for
the placing Of the Police Court and the
offices Of the register OF Wills and recorder
of deeds in the municipal building was
abandoned. SO that under the present plan
tQ0 DullQln8 VIII D6 Q6YOleQ TO OrQlndfy
municipal purposes. For continuing work
on the municipal building $500. 900 was ap-
propriated.
Provision was made for purchasing ad-
ditional ground adjacent to the present site
Of the police court house at q cost OF
$4,000. so that an adequate and suitable
site will be secured for a building sufl-
ciently large to care for the needs Of the
court Plans for such a building are pro-
vided for.
An appropriation Is made Of $42S for
continuing the construction of the high.
way bridge across the Potomac, the total
cost of the bridge and approaches being
limited to 81, 1876, 600.
For the reconstruction of the Anacostia
bridge 100000 10 appropriated, and the
Commissioners are authorized to enter Into
a contract for the reconstruction of that
bridge, to be completed within two years
from July next. at cost not to ex-
ceed s250,O00.
Extension Of Sewer System.
The provisions made for the extension of
| the sewer system are very extensive.