Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-31
SITES FOR LIBRARIES
Bill Authorizing Acceptance
Iayorablv Considered.
PROPOSED BRANCHES
ACTION By THE HOUSE DISTRICT
coMMITTEE.
Measure to Incorporate Carnegie Insti-
tuition to Be Reported-Amending
the Divorce Law.

Columbia this morning considered a number
of the most important bills which have
been brought before it at this session of
Congress. Favorable reports were author
lied on an amendment to the District code
regarding divorce proceedings, on the bill
to enable the Commissioners to accept do
nations of land, etc., for the construction
of branch public libraries under the Car
negie offer, for the Sunday closing of gro
Gerry stores and for the incorporation of
the Carnegie institution. Bills of minor inn
portance were also taken up and acted
upon.
Before going into executive session the
committee granted a hearing to Mr.. B. III.
Warner, vice president of the board of trus-
tees of the public library. regarding the bill
authorizing the Commissioners to accept
sites for branch libraries. The bill recites
the fact that in addition to his gift Of the
present public library building in this city
Mr.. Andrew Carnegie has offered to give
the necessary money to build branch library
buildings in the District of Columbia from
time to time, when called upon by the board
of trustees of the public library. The do
nations proposed are conditioned upon the
same terms in respect to suitable municipal
maintenance as were attached to the gift of
money for the erection of the main public
library building. The trustees and the Com
missfoners have received various offers Of
ground for sites of such branch buildings.
Provisions Of the Bill.
The Commissioners are authorized to ac-
cept the donations from Mr. Carnegie from
time to time, and also to accept the c5n-
veyance of unincumbered real estate as
sites. The Commissioners are further au-
thoriZed to serve as three members of a
commission of five, of which the president
OF the library trustees and the librarian of
the Public Library shall be additional
members. to supervise the erection of all
branches
Mr.. Warner. in urging the necessity for
immediate action, stated to the committee
that the Young Mems Christian Association
has offered a site near its proposed new
buildings. This site is estimated as being
worth $4,000. The association has fur
Their agreed to furnish the necessary at
tendance and care for the branch library.
A branch on the site indicated Mr.. Warner
said. would serve a large number of resi-
dents in the northwestern section of the
city, who are now quite remote from the
main library. 1t would also serve large
number OF government employees in the
State. War and Navy building and other
departments in the vicinity The commit
tee agreed to report the bill without amend
ment. and it will probably be called up in
the House next Monday. when District
business will be considered.
Carnegie Institution Incorporation.
The bill to incorporate the Carnegie In
stitution was introduced two weeks ago by
Speaker Cannon and referred to the COM
mittee on the District of Columbia. The
committee this morning agreed to report
the measure introduced. Its provisions
have heretofore been published and are in
accord with the terms Of the S1O.OOO.0OO do
nation made by Mr. Carnegie to improve
and extend opportunities for study and re-
search in the United States, land for the
nf fo,, t.
ington an institution, which, with the CO.
operation of other institutions SHALL In the
broadest and most liberal manner, encour-
age investigation. research and discovery
and the application of knowledge to the
Improvement of mankind, and secure, if
possible, for the United States leadership in
the domain of discovery and the utiliza ton
of new forces for the benefit Of man." -
The incorporators of the institution, as
named in the bill, are: Alexander Agassiz,
John s. Billings, John L. Cadwalader,
Cleveland D. Dodge. William N Frew Ly-
man ]. Gage, Daniel C. Gilman, John Hay,
Henry L. Higginson. William Writ Howe.
Charles L. Hutchinson, William Lindsay,
Seth Low, Wayne MacVeagh, Darius o.
Mills. s. Weir Mitchell. William W. Nor
row. Elihu Root, John c. Spooner Andrew
u. White, Charles D. Walcott and Carroll
D. Wright
Grocery Closing on Sunday.
The proposed new Sunday law as repre-
sented in the bill reported by the District
committee today was drawn up in accord
arcc with the request of various grocers
who have deplored the growth of Sunday
trading in household supplies, but who have
beer unable to stem the tide. The bill was
lnu 0duced by Representative Wadsworth
OF New York. a member of the District
committee. and he has been intrusted with
the duty OF drawing up the committee re-
pert 1t was represented to the committee
a a 10 rcyn .tx<r of<
men in the District who are anxious to
close their places Sunday. but who cannot
do so If they hope to successfully compete
with their less scrupulous neighbors
AS introduced the bill provided that it
shall hereafter be unlawful for any person
to SELL or to keep open any place OF BUSH
ness for the sale or delivery of any gro
ceries, fruits, meats or vegetables or other
provisions on Sunday. except that from
June 1 to October ] meats sold prior to
Sunday might be delivered at any time be-
fore 10 O'Clock Sunday morning. Fines
ranging from $25 to $50 or Imprisonment in
Jail from one to three months are the PEN
alties prescribed The committee amended
the bill by striking out the word fruits
and reported the remainder favorably. 1t
was said the fruit stands are a great con-
venience and should be allowed to remain
open.
- To Amend Divorce Law. q
The divorce bill acted upon by the COM
1925. to amend section 9S3 of chapter % of
the District code. This section as now writ
ten upon the statute books reads: 'Tn all
cases where adultery is charged the person
or persons with whom the adultery is
charged to have been committed shall be
made defendant or defendants and brought
in by personal service of process or by pub
ication as in other cases" The bill to
amend. favorably reported today, adds the
proviso:
Provided. however that where II shall
appear by the allegations of the petition
that the name of any such correspondent is
unknown or cannot be ascertained and the
proofs sustain such allegations, the court
may hear and determine the petition for ii-
vorce without any such correspondent hav-
ing been made a party defendant or served
personally with process or by publication
as In other cases. and enter decree accord
ingly.r
The committee struck out the final clause
of the original bill which made the amend
ment applicable to pending cases.
Unlawful Wearing of Insignia.
A favorable report was authorized on
House bill 112s6, to prevent the unlawful