Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-08
FIRE-POL|CE PENSION FUND
House District Committee Unani.
nous for Redfeld Bill.
PROVIDES FOR SPECIAL LEVY
Commissioners Oppose the Measure.
Hearing on Universal Trans
fers Wednesday.

|
the general government is supposed to
| bear one-half the expense of the govern
| ment of the District of Columbia when
| the House District committee today
unanimously agreed to authorize favor
| able report on the bill fathered by Rep
resentative Redfield of New York which
provides for deficiencies in the police and
| firemen's pension fund.
| The feature of the bill is the provision
directing the Commissioners to levy a tax
upon all property, real and personal. in
the District of Columbia, sufficient to
meet the present deficiency in the fund
and provide for deficiencies in the future.
Cost Put on the District.
| Mr.. Redfield and Chairman johnson
| were authorized to amend this section of
the measure so as to make more specific
the direction that the entire cost of main
tanning the pension system shall be borne
by the District alone.
On suggestion of Representative Kahn
| or California the committee also author
| lied Mr.. Redfield and Chairman Johnson
to prepare an amendment which shall
make Immediately available from the
District treasury sum sufficient to meet
| the existing deficiency in the fund and to
| make 1t possible Immediately after the
passage of the act to pay all pensioners
on the police and fire department rolls
In full.
Representative Prouty of Iowa. who has
| been a member of the District COMMITTEES
only a feW weeks, having succeeded ].
Hampton Moore of Pennsylvania upon the
| latter's resignation, offered the motion
| that the bill should be amended so as to
provide that the District should bear the
| entire expense Of maintaining the fund
Twelve members of the District COM
| mittee. just one more than a quorum,
| were present at today's session.
Special Tax Levy Proposed.
The Redfield bill in its present form
the two amendments authorized by
| the committee not yet having been
ldrafted-provides:
THAT the Commissioners of the Dis
| trict Of Columbia are hereby authorized
and directed hereafter ts cause. to be
annually levied upon al property in the
District Of Columbia which Is now or
which mey hereafter become .subject to
general TAXATION. such a rate OF taxation
and will be sufhcient to meet any
present or future deficiency in the
fund now set aside hy law for
the payment Of police and firemen's
Columbia. provided that the tax so
| levied shall be collected by the COL
lector OF taxes in and for the said Dis
trfct of Columbia, and the proceeds
thereof shall by him be deposited in
the Treasury of the United States to
the credit of the said fund or funds for
| the payment of the police and firemen's
pensions and relief provided by law"
Sergt Edward Curry of No. precinct,
J. 6: Wilson, retired member OF the
fire department.; Representative Carlin of
Virginia and Walter Brown. chairman of
the public order committee OF the Board
OF Trade. addressed the committee on the
pension fund measure Mr.. Carlin. who
urged immediate action. said it was his
understanding that the people of the Dis
trfct Of Columbia were willing to pay the
entire expense of the pension fund. He
urged that they be permitted to do so.
There is possibility that Mr.. Redfield
| and Chairman Johnson will Immediately
get to work on the two amendments. so
that the bill may be brought upon the
| floor Of the House next Monday, which is
| District day.
| Service on Herdic Line.
Several other matters were considered
by the committee today, although final
action was taken only on the Redfield bill.
1t has been intended to devote a portion
of today's session to a continuation of the
| hearing on the universal transfer ques-
tion. Charles w. Darr. chairman Of the
|
fers, urged that the committee hold a spe-
| ciai hearing on this subject next Wednes-
day morning at 10 o'clock. The commit
| tee decided to grant Mr.. Darr's request.
Fred 8. Bright. attorney for the Metro
politan Coach Company, which owns and
| operates the motor herdic line on 18th
| street, spoke briefly on the bill which pro-
poses to give the District Commissioners
| enlarged authority over the operation of
the. herdics. He did not finish. and at the
| regular meeting of the committee next
Friday morning Mr.. Bright will close his
| remarks, and residents of 18th street will
| also be given a chance to express their
| views.
Mr.. Bright was examined by Represent
| ative Anderson of Ohio. Mr.. Bright ad-
| mitted that the herdic line Is giving 1.-The
| worst imaginable service at the present
time He suggested that the committee
amend the bill so as to fix the proposed
| route which the vehicles Of the company
shall observe, instead Of leaving this to
the authority of the Commissioners. He
suggested. too, that that part of the
route extending from 18th street along
| Pennsylvania avenue and G street to 22d
| street be eliminated.
/ A transfer arrangement with the Capt.
tai Traction Company at 18th street and
New York avenue should be also provided
for. he declared Mr.. Bright didn't think
/ there was much prospect of the Capital
Traction Company agreeing to a transfer
arrangement with the herdic line, and
suggested that the company be permitted
to extend Its line to the Center Market.
His company was willing. Mr.. Bright
said. to give the best sort Of service with
a thoroughly modern equipment II the
bill in question. with the amendments
suggested by him, was enacted into law.
The bill introduced by Representative
Rothermel Of Pennsylvania, a democratic
member Of the committee, proposing the
erection of hospital for inebriates in the
District. will also be the subject of a
lhearing at next Fridays meeting.
Sufficient Revenue on Hand.
Opposition to the bill Of Representative
lRedfield Of New York. providing for de-
lficiencies in the fund for police and fire.