Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-05
Utility Measures Not Acted on
by Senate Committee.
CITIZENS WILL BE HEARD
Arguments on Transfer Law to BE
Made Next Friday.
FOR FISH WHARF ABOLITION
Favorable Report Also Ordered on
Other Bills Affecting
the District.

the District.
Contrary to expectations. the Senate
District committee at it's meeting this
morning did not order favorable reports
on the Gallinger bills for a public utili-
ties commission and for universal trans
fers throughout the District. Discussion
IN the committee today, however indi-
Gated that both viii be reported. prac-
tically unchanged. at an early date.
The universal transfer measure was not
acted upon because the committee de-
cided to grant a public hearing on tie
bill next Friday morning at 10 o'clock In
room Ala, Senate office building.
Especially invited to address the com.
mittee at that time will be Charles W..
Darr, chairman of the citizens committee
on universal transfers: William NICK.
Clayton, president of the Federation Of
Citizens Associations: c. p. King. vice
president of the Washington Railway and
Electric Company: George f. Hamilton,
president of the Capital Traction Com.
pany; the District Commissioners, and
probably the representatives Of other cleo
trio suburban lines that penetrate the Ma
tional Capital
To Discuss Relative Merits.
At the hearing, it is expected. the
relative merits of the Gallinger or
Commissioners bill for universal trans
fers and the bill drafted by the citi-
zens committee will be fully discussed.
They differ in important particulars,
about which the Commissioners and the
citizens committee, after several con-
ferences. have been unable to agree.
Senator Works presented a copy OF the
citizens committee bill to the COM
mittee this morning, and there was
some discussion of the differences.
The public utilities bill was not acted
upon today, because several senators re-
Quested more time in which to read the
provisions of its sixty-four pages. As has
exists in the committee whether the Dis
trict Commissioners should be gwen the
powers Of a public utility commission, or
a separate commission should be estab-
lished. During today's session Senator
Works of California indicated a prefer
ence for a separate comm. ssion. Senator
Gallnger's bill would give the power to
the Commissioners and several members
Of the committee expressed the opinion
this morning that they did not object to
that feature.
May Act Next Friday.
Unless the hearing on the universal
transfer bill is not too protracted. the
committee will hold an executive meeting
next Friday. and, at that time. act on the
utility measure. Assuredly by the week
following, 1t is predicted, the committee
Will take favorable action on 1t. There is
general approval in the committee Of the
general principles of the bill; but there
may be some discussion over some fea-
lures besides the personnel Of the COM
mission.
Approval of the bill to terminate the
lease of William w. Riley for the FISH
wharf was expressed by the Senate Dis
trict committee today. Senator Gal
linger will report 1t to the Senate Mon
day, with the committees recommended
tion that it pass.
The preamble of the bill recites that
Congress believes 1t Ito be to the best
interests of the United States and the
District of Columbia that said lease
be terminated" and the bill itself de-
clares simply that the lease OF Mr.. Riley
is terminated by its enactment.
Favor McCumber Bill.
A favorable report also was ordered
by the committee upon the McCumber
bill, proposing to pay the remainder of
claims found due by the auditor Of the
Supreme Court of the District as a re-
suit of the destruction of the Northern
Liberty market some years ago. BY pre-
vious enactments of Congress, 5000 or
about 81 per cent of the claims were
paid. This bill proposes to pay the bal
ance, $I,S4O14. The Commissioners have
approved the measure.
Approval also was given by the COM
mittee, after it had made several amend
ments, to a bill passed by the House to
compel the fathers of illegitimate chill
dren to support them. similar bill, In
troduced In the Senate by Senator Pome-
rene, had been approved by the committee
and is still pending in the Senate. The
committee, by approving the House bill
today, accepted amendments made by the
House and made others, and the amended
bill will be substituted for the measure
now pending in the Senate. The present
non-support law has been held by the
courts to apply only to legitimate chill
dren, and the proposed law will extend It
to illegitimate children and will give the
Juvenile Court jurisdiction in such cases
as it now has in cases OF non-support OF
legitimate children.
Approve Insurance Measures.
The committee also put it's o. X. on the
BILL already passed by the House. en-
larging the powers of the superintendent
of insurance of the District in requiring
information from insurance companies do
ing business in the District. The present
law sets forth specifically the information
he may ask. and the bill would allow him
to call for such other information as
said superintendent may require"
senator Gallinger was instructed TO
report favorably for the committee a
bill allowing Clara Dougherty, Ernest
kubel and other owners Of prem
Uses at 1913, 325. 327. 800 and 337 LIST
street northeast, to file claims for
damages arising from the Union sta
ton Improvement. The time allowed
by the general law for the Ming or the
claims has expired, and the owners in
question appealed to Congress to be
allowed to file their claims now, on the
ground they did not see printed notices
of filing such claims.