The Washington herald., 1908-02-29
SCHOOL BILL DOOMED
Has No Chance of Passage,
Senators Declare.
OPPONENTS WILLING FOR VOTE
Have Enough Strength, They Say,
to ReIeEate IL Finally to the Scrap
Heap-SenaIe District Committee
Favors Allowing Takoma Park
Traction Line To Enter District.

The DOllivcr school bill. proposing TO
reorganize the administration of the pub
lie schools of the District will prob
ably be called up for consideration dur
ing the coming week by Senator Burkett
who is in charge of the bill: but the con-
sensus Of opinion among Senators is
that while vote on the, bill may Se Sc
cured. it will be simply through the de-
sire of those who oppose the bill TO give
it a permanent quietus. which they have
no doubt they are sufficient in numbers
TO do.
While il has been discovered that the
Chair erred in sustaining Senator Mel
sons point Of order against the bill on
Thursday. and that therefore there is
nothing TO deter Senator Burkett from
securing a vote on the question OF taking
up the bin for consideration, the Sena-
tors who are most violently opposed 10
the measure declar that 70 take ad-
vantage OF this right Will simply be 10
opinion of many Senator's who are not
personally favoring OF opposing the bill
that il has absolutely no chance of pass
ing the present Congress-
Report Two district Bills.
Tie Senate Committee on the District Of
Columbia yesterday. at its regular weekly
meeting, voted to favorably report two
bills which have been pending before that
committee, and TO refer another bill 10 a
subcommittee for investigation.
As result OF tho meeting, Senator
Whyte later in the day reported TO the
Senate. with a recommendation that II
pass. his bill proposing to authorize the
Baltimore and Washington Transit Com
pany To enter the District OF Columbia.
The report accompanying the bin states
that a similar measure passed the House
in the Fifty-niHth Congress. and that il
is considered OF Importance that the bill
be finally acted upon The proposed ex-
tension. il IS stated viii not only secure
more direct communication with Takoma
Park. but il win build up and improve
the section through which 1t will pass.
The bill has the Endorsement of the Com
mlssioners. and also OF che Takoma Park.
Brightwood. and Woodburn Citizens as
sOciatfOns.
To DeRne Cord of Wood.
N~N-t'NNf- ReAAAAAA-fA ANRNs w. Win n
similar recommendation. the House bill
proposing 10 define the legal size OF a
cord OF wood in the District, the proposed
legal size To be l2S cubic feet. which the
report states is the standard recognized
in most OF the States. This bill has passed
the House.
The bin proposing 10 authorize the Dis
trict Commissioners to issue duplicates
OF official papers which have been lost
or destroyed was referred 10 a subcom-
mittee composed OF Senators Gamble. and
Burkett for investigation and report.
Limits Price of Gas.
Representative Cary yesterday intro
duced a bin in the House providing that
the price Of gas in the District OF Colum-
bia shall not exceed NJ cents per thou
sand cubic feet The bill provides that
this provision is 20 take effect on and
after May l. 1905
a bin to amend the act relating to the
erection Of fire escapes on buildings in
the District was introduced by Repre-
sentative Caulfeld by request. II pro-
vides that each elevator shaft and stair
way extending to the basement OF the
building mentioned in section five Of the
present law. shall terminate in a fire.
proof compartment or inclOsure. sep
arating the elevator shaft and the stairs
from the other parts Of the building. and
no opening shall be made in such CON-
partment unless it be provided with self
closing fireproof doors; and that the ele-
vatOr shaft shall extend TO and above
the roof and terminate with the sky
light window, doors. or means os ven
tilatiOn.
Except stores and warehouses. those
buildings which are defined under the
building regulations Of the District to bt
fireproof. are exempts from the require
ments OF this act as to fire escapes, guide
signs, lights. and alarm gOngs.