Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-02-24
NEW DISTRICT BILL
May Come Up in the House
Saturday or Monday.
FOLLOWS NAVAL BILL
MEMBERS OF coMMITTEE PLEAS
ED WITH THEIR WORK.
Believe That It Will Meet With Gen
eral Favor-some Of Their De-
cisions Explained.

IT was announced today that the District
of Columbia appropriation bill would be
called IN for consideration in the House
Immediately after tie disposition of the
naval BILL which Is now under discussion
The reading of the naval bill by para
sraphs for amendment and debate under
the five-minuts dule was begun Monday
and was continued throughout yesterday
and today. Owing to {. multiplicity OF
amendments offered b. members, progress
on the bill has been unusually slow, and no
one will predict just when vote Will be
reached 1t will surely be some time this
week, however. according to the general
impression at the House. so the District
bill may get the attention of the body
Saturday or Monday next.
Feeling Of the Committee.
The new bill is replete with items of in
terest, and the committee members are con-
graduating themselves on having framed
a measure which seems likely to meet with
general favor in most of its particulars.
The committee believes the decision to in
clude the Police Court within the new Dis
trct building will ultimately be looked
upon as a wise step. The construction of
the municipal home in the shape of a
square, instead of leaving an Open front
to the south, will give the necessary room
for the Police Court and the offices in con-
junction Herewith, and also for the offices
of the recorder of deeds and register of
wills. BY taking these two laettr offices
from the old city hall building and placing
them in the new District building the val
liable records which are part of each
will be in fireDroof surroundings, with all
modern equipments for their protection.
While the members of the committee
realize. that ii is true the register of wills
office Is the place of holding the Probate
Court, which must be presided over by one
of the justices of the District Supreme
Court, they contend it will not be too great
an inconvenience for the judge to walk a
few squares the one afternoon of each week
that the Probate Court sits.
Room for the Police Court.
The Police Court it is proposed, shall be
located in the rear of the new building,
with separate entrances, so as to completely
isolate 1t from the remainder of the struc-
ture. This court will thus be placed in i'm
mediate touch with police headquarters in
the new building, and also In close proxim-
ity to the first precinct police station, on
18th street opposite the post Office. 1t is
from this precinct that most of the cases
come.
The committee has also directed that
room be provided in the basement of the
new building for 4 repair shop for the D,s-
trict. This shop is much needed for use
by the fire department especially. To pur-
chase separate piece of ground at high
rate and then appropriate for q new build
ing would have required more money than
the committee thought advisable TO put
into the shop. :
| The committee also thought that to enter
upon the project of a new Police Court
building would result in too large an OK
penditure for the character of the build
ing. They did not believe that the citizens
OF tie District would be pleased with n
cheap, barn-like structure of common
brick for the court. such as would be OBJ
tained ii q moderate estimate were fol-
lowed out. At the same time the commit
tee did not think it advisable to sink a
half million dollars in building for the
trial of Migrants and disorderely persons.
The committee thought the greatest conve-
nience to the greatest number of people
could be obtained by concentrating as many
branches of the local government under
one roof as possible.
Water Used in the Departments.
The question of the waste Of Potomac
water was taken up by the committee dur
ing the hearings granted the Comm s5:on-
ers. and the question was asked as to why
tine consumption per capita in this city
was larger than in almost any municipality
in the country.
The Commissioners replied that il was
their belief the greatest waste is in the
government departments. These depart
ments are not mctered. pay no water rent,
and there is absolutely 70 check upon them.
The government departments secure their
water service at the expense of the private
consumers.
The memters of the committee We're evil
IDENTIFY impressed by this statement for
they have written into the new bill the
following provision:
For the purpose of ascertain ng the
amount of Potomac water used by the de-
partments and offices of the United States
government in the District of Columbia,
by meter or otherwise. $1,000"
This will authorize the Commissioners 10
meter all department service pipes and in
this way the amount used can be salts
factorfly measured. it Is believed
In the list of school officials whose saiar-
ies are raised by the bill there was omitted
in yesterdays Star the provision that the
principals of the two Normal schools be in
creased from 81 600 to 800 each.
Workhouse and Almshouse.
The bill contains an appropriation os
$4,000 for continuing the erection OF tine
workhouse for males. The Commissioners
are authorized to enter a contract for the
whole work at cost not to exceed Si00.-
0oo This is the first appropriation for
the workhouse buildings since 1902.
Toward the erection OF the new municipal
almshouse including water supply, heat
ing, ventilating and lighting apparatus. the
almshouse is not to exceed 100000, and "A
contract to that amount is authorized
This is the first appropriation for be-
Gin inU on he Inns hs