Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-01-01
District in Congress.

! AIthough strenuous endeavors were made
by the Commissioners of the District. with
the unanimous Endorsement of all the cit
tYens, Congress failed this year to enact
the necessary legislation whereby federal
loan of 100000 would be made to the
District for the purpose Of carrying for.
ward the various monumental projects or
public improvement. such as the sewerage
System. the filtration plant, the new munic-
3pal building, the municipal hospital. the
Highway bridge across the Potomac ana
meeting the District share IN the expense
Of the elimination OF grade crossings. The
District committee In Congress also indors-
ed and strongly urged the Legislation, Dot
the House appropriations committee under
the Craftsmanship Of joseph q. Cannon, now
request and the business-like arguments
presented in favor Of the measure. The
committee declined to recommend the s1O-
100000 loan BILL and accordingly cut down
the Commissioners estimates for the ordf-
nary running expenses of the government
30 as to make the available funds meet
both the ordinary and extraordinary eS-
penses. The appropriations committee ao-
hered to the makeshift policy Of allowing
Understanding advances from the treas
ury to meet any deficit during the year.
The Commissioners will undoubtedly renew
their efforts to have the loan bill taken UP
this spring. Every one believes that the
wise policy OF municipal administrators Is
to construct the permanent WORKS or I'M
provement on long-term loan bases, In or
der that future generations may snare IN
the cost of works that will beneLt them.
AS matters now stand the present genera
ton of tax payers is not only paying cur
rent expenses, but is providing great works
for the generations to come. Meantime
the current needs of the District suffer in
proportion to the big amounts annually
taken from the revenues TO carry on the
permanent projects.
The street improvements authorized by
y
propriations were made for carrying for
ward the work on the sewage disposal sys-
tenn and the filtration plant. In fact, the
appropriations for these works fully met the
estimates OF the engineers to the amount
which could be used during the year.
The appropriations committee, without
warning OF any character. or consulting the
Commissioners, placed a proviso in the new
District appropriation act which legislated
Chief Engineer Robert w. Dutton Of the
fire department out Of office. Mr.. Dutton
retired July / and accepted appointment as
deputy recorder OF deeds for the District.
The proviso was that the salary appropriat-
ed for chief engineer should not be paid
to any one who had not had at least five
years experience in some regularly organ
lied municipal fire department. Mr. Dutton
had not 80 served. The Commissioners have
recommended TO Congress that the office of
superintendent Of the fire department be
created. with a salary of S.. coo year. 1t
was with the idea Of making the head OF the
department an executive officer that the
Commissioners appointed Mr.. Dutton.
Liberal provisions were made for new
buildings at Providence, Garfield and the
Homeopathic hospitals, but nothing was ap-
propriated for beginning work on the
municipal hospital. which has been au-
thorized ard for which plans have been &C
cepted.
Congress adopted the recommendations of
the Commissioners. the school authorities
and physicians. that twelve medical inspec-
tors be appointed to serve in the public
schools Much heupAt Is pYnapta6 m
their work.
The Senate District committee made IN
quiry into the coal famine situation, but
no action resulted.
Two hundred and forty District bills were
presented in the House and only forty-six
were passed. Three were defeated. the
Others not being reported or called up. The
defeated measures were the $40 600 600 loan
bill. bill authorizing the Washington Gas
Light Company 10 purchase the Georgetown
Gas Light Company. and a bill for the re-
lief OF street railway crossing policemen.
District Supreme Court.
A glance at the figures denoting the mum.
Der OF new causes instituted In the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia since Jan
uary I. 1903. would indicate that litigation
ia steadily on the increase at the national
capital. During 1908. a few more than 7O(
new cases were fled on the equity side OF
the court. the record for the year 1909 bens
6l5 new cases. There were about 7SO new
actions at law instituted, as against III
during the preceding year. Marriage license.
were issued to about $3.50 applicants The
number issued during 1902 was 1926 Fifty
hve bankruptcy proceedings were begun.
Several changes of marked Importance Ii
the personnel of the bench occurred durinl
las. Ashley NJ Gould subscribed to tn,
oath of office an associate justice Janu
AIRY H. The fact that Chief Justice Bling
ham had decided to retire was announced
March 13. He stepped down April 80, ant
was succeeded AZ CHIEF justice by Associate