Evening star., 1914-08-07
Hurried Adjournment After
Death of Presidents Wife
0efers Alley Action.
DISTRICT COMMITTEE HAS
APPROVED THE MEASURE
That Passed by Senate Unllkef That
in Lower Body-Pur-
poses the Same.

The senate having acted yesterday aft
ernoon on the so-called alley hill, for the
passage of which Mrs Wilson. wife of
the President expressed a wish 4 few
hours before her death. it remains for the
House 10 put the measure through. Al
though the House District committee on
dered a favorable report on the bill yes
terday morning. il was not reported by
Representative Ben johnson. chairman
of the committee, before the House hur-
of the death of Mrs. Wilson. The House
may act upon II today.
The bill was called UP by Senator Pom
creme of Ohio, the ranking democrat OF
the District committee in the absence of
Senator John Walter Smith. chairman,
.,bout TWO hours before Mrs Wilson's
death and was passed unanimously with
ont debate. Consideration of the bill adj
mittinS foreign built ships to American
registry was temporarily laid aside so
that the alley bill might be passed
Mrs Wilson's Keen Interest in Bill.
Mrs. Wilson had taken the keenest In
terest in this legislation. which is de-
signed to eliminate the Inhabited alleys
and slums of the National Capital. Sem
at0r POnerene mdde no IItentlOn OF the
wishes of the dying wife of the President
when he asked unanimous consent to take
NJ the hill Yesterday. but the report that
Mr0 Wilson had made the request that
the hill be passed had been whispered
about the chamber.
The bill passed by the Senate is not the
same as the measure ordered reported by
the House committee yesterday. though
the general purposes of the two bills are
the same. The Senate bill was intro
duced last April by Senator John Walter
Smith of Maryland. The bill as as fol-
lows:
Text of Bill.
THAT from and after the passage of
this act 1t shall be unlawful in the Dis
trict of Columbia to erect. place, or con-
struct any dwelling. on any lot or parcel
of ground fronting on an alley where
such alley is less than thirty feet wide
throughout its entire length and which
does not run straight to and open on two
of the streets bordering the square, and
is not supplied with sewer, water mains
and gas or electric light: and in this
act the term ALLEY shall include any and
all courts, passages and oroughfares. |
whether public or private, and any
ground intended for or used as a high.
way other than the public streets or ave-d
ntaes: and any dwelling house now front-sl
ing an alley less than thirty feet wide
and not extending straight to the streetsal
and provided with sewer. water main andia
GgfE. as aforesaid. which has depreciatedj
or be en- damaged more than one-half itsl
original value shall not be repaired or
reconstructed as dwelling or for use
as such. and no permit shall be issued
for the alteration. repair or reconstruc,-
ZION OF such a building when the plarrs
Indicate any provision for dwelling rur-
poses.
Provid ed. That rooms for grooms; or
S-ablemen to be employed in the brhld-
ing to be erected. repaired, or recon
structed miGy be allowed over stables
when the m cans of exit and safeguards
against fire IRE sufficient in the opinion
~ the inspector of buildings. subj ect to
he approval OF the Commissiont,rs of
the District OF Columbia: and no build
ing now or hereafter erected fronting
on an alley or ON any parcel of ground
fronting on an alley less than thirty feet
vide and not otherwise in accordance
With this act shall be altered or Convert
I'd to the uses of a dwelling. Any such
alley house deprec lated or damaged more
than one-half of its original value shall
the removal of dangerous or unsafe
buildings and part:; thereof and for other
purposes.
Thirty-Foot Roadway Enforced.
No dwelling house hereafter erected
or placed along any alley and fronting
or facing thereon shall in any case be
located less than twenty feet back clear
OF the center line of such alley SO as to
give at least a tlirty-foot roadway and
i've feet on each side of such roadway
clear for a walk or footway and any
stable other building hereafter placed.
located altered. or erected on or along
such an alley upon which a dwelling
faces or fronts shall bs set back clear of
the walk or footway the same the
dwelling or dwellings, but the fact that
dwellings are located in such alleys shall
not effect the location of stables other
buildings otherwise. The use or occalpa-
tiou of any building or other structure
erected or placed on or along such alley
as a dwelling or rCsidcnce or place of
abode by any person or persons is hereby
declared injurious TO life. public
health. morals. safety and welfare of
said District. and such use or occupation
of any such building or other structure
on from and after the LIST day of July,
l9lS. shall he unlawful.
Sec. 2 That any person or persons.