Evening Star Newspaper, January 5, 1898, Page 11

—=— THE EVENING STAR. gees PUBLISHED DAILY EXCEPT SUNDAY. AT THE STAR BUILDINGS, 1101 Pennsylvania Avozs, Jor. 11ta 3t, by The Evening Star Newspaper Com; 8. H. UFFMANN 1 ee aa ——— Few York Office, 49 Potter oS Building, ‘The Evening Star Is served te subscribers 12 the city by carriers, ob their own a-count. at 10 cents per week, o- 44 certs per month. Coples at the counter 2 cents each. By mail—answhere in the United States or Canada—postage prepald—50 cents per month. Saturday Qcintuple Sheet Star, $1 per year, with forcien postage added. $3.CO. «Entered at the Post Office at Washingtyn, D. C. 1s. s mail matter.) must be patd In advance. Rates of advertising made known on application. Part 2. Gh '¢ Fy ening Sia Pages 1 1-14. Cd WASHINGTON, D. ©, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1898—F OURTEEN PAGES. UNWRITTEN LAWS! Customs of U. 8, Senate Discussed by Mr. Gorham. —— ENTERTAINING INCIDENTS RECALLED ——- + Comment Upon So-Called Secret Sessions of Upper House. ed ADDRESS BEFORE MEN’S CLUB ae “Unwritten Laws of the United States Senate” was the subject of a paper of great interest read by George C. Gorham, last evening, to a large assemblage at the New York Avenue Presbyterian Church. The occasion was the meeting of the Men's Club of that church. There were present many men distinguished In public Ife. The strictest attention was given the reading of the paper, which was filled with terse com- ments on the customs of the Senate, of which Mr. Gorham was the secretary from 4868 to 187 The meeting last evening was the first since the organization of the Men's Club, which now contains a membership of about one hundred. Mr. Charles Moore, as ch man of the committee on program, w called upon to preside during the evening. Mr. Gorhem’s Address. After Rev. Wallace Radcliffe had made several announcements regarding the bu: ness of the club, Mr. Gorham was intro- duced. He said “The Constitution provides that eac.. House shall make the rules to govern its proceedings. but the Senate is governed al- mest as much by usage as by written rules. said Mr. Gorham, “one of its unbending rules is to do nothing it has never done before, and in what it does, to ver deviate from previous methods. Upon the opening of a session the sev- eral_resolutions to notify the House and the President of its organization. and rea’ ness to proceed to busine: nd to fix the of daily meetings, are prepared in advance in the secretary's office, and the langu: of precedents is followed with minute precision. If any incident occurs which is out of the common, it is not dealt with in an off-hand manner. in accordance with the judzment of those present, but the journal is searched until a similar case is fou nd whatever course was then pur- sued is copied. “The > would be scandalized to see a mallet with a handle in the hands of its presiding officer, the instrument used for a gavel, instead, from time immemorial, % a piece of ivory something like a small mailet without a handle. Senate chamber is very sparsely ed during the first few minutes of y session, which are commenced pre. it noon with a prayer by the chap- One morning only one senator ap- peared in his t at the appointed hour, whereupon the pres.dent pro tem. (then Mr. Ingalls) struck the desk with his and, with the utmost gravity, said: senator frem Vermont will come to order.” he senator obeyed and the prayer went on, “During the presidency pro tem. of Mr. vade, a new and bashful senator told him red very much to obtain th K unanimous consent to pass a ¢ e bill. ‘Oh, bring it right up after prayer,’ said the old’ gentleman. st rate time to pass your bill when no senators are about.’ “It is needless to say that the advice of the experienced old stager was taken, and with the desired result. It should be said that it a bill to which none would have objected, for a more honest man never sat in a publie body than the rugged old senator from Ohio. Debate ix Free. “Debate in the Senate Is enurely free and unlimited. Every senator may speak as leng as he chooses upon ail debatable questions. He is the sole judge of the per- tinency of his remarks to the question be- fore the body. “There is a rule of the Senate, which commands every senator to vote, when his name is called for that purpose, uni pecial re he is excused by the Se but this rule is a dead letter; nless he chooses to do so. or’s refusal to vote is critic: lain. Ss helplessness ts disclosed, and no attempt is made to enforce the rule. So with the exercise of the constitutional pow- er of a minority to ‘compel the attendance nt members.’ They may be notified, but no sergeant-at-arms has yet been found who would violent hands upon a truant senator, and compel his attendance in the Senate chamber.” The Party Caucus. Mr. Gorham spoke of the important part played by the party ca in the Senate. Of the binding effect of a party caucus he said: “A request was once made to Mr. Henry B. Anthony of Rhode Island, whose author- storial and party laws and usages regarded as very high, to give his nin writing as to the binding obliga- tion of a caucus upon members who attend it. Some were contending t these con- ations were mere conferences for an in- terchange of opinion, and mutual enlighten- but not conclusive of the action of attendance. His reply was, sub- that it must be left for each decide for himself what had d understanding of the meet- yielding of ail to its expressed that it rested entrely with t of honor, to do whateve sald was that understand- pied rule is that, except as to some action which would really be re- -d by him as wrong, each member who 4 caucus is bound to act as its ma- ty directs.” Mr. Gorham spoke of the great influ wiel: by conference committees. an item of any size,” he sa propriation bill in the House, secure an amendment to it in the Senate and four men can do pretty much as they please as to the amount.” to been the imp ing op e et “Inte an ap- The Secret Session. The executive session received considera- attention at the hands of Mr. Gorham. He “Perhaps the feature of the Senate by which it is best known to the most people ts the secrecy of its executive sessions, which is at ence an offense and a delixh It offend American sense of oiliclal ccuntability to the people and it de- lights the love of mystery, which is one of the strongest of human tendencies. It is ician. t was my fortune for eleven years to have admission to the Senate in s sion, as secretary of that body the s in changing, I saw a hundred different men sit as Senators dur- ing that time. When I left it, to make way for one of the opposite party, then domi- Bant, it contained but four who had been members when I entered its service. I never saw more human nature per capita than among those two hundred, and, mark you, this is not said disparagingly. I am a great believer in human nature; but we all Know that, with the exception of ourselves, it has its weaknesses and peculiarities. My observation of these in the executive sessions of the Senate lead me to the opin- jon that the average man, like the average boy, behaves himself better before folks than he dces in private groups. Not that anything goes on behind the closed doors of {an unseemly character. The proceedings are as orderly as at other times, barring a little relaxation in the way of moving about and smoking. But men do not always vote as they would under the public eye. Scenes from the Schooi for Scandal are sometimes enacted by the picking to pieces of privaie character, and, on the other hand, unsav- ory reputations are sometimes mended by = partiality of strong personal friend- ship. Propounds a Query. “There is no reason on earth why presi- dential nominations should be considered in seeret session. We are told that it is done to enable sengtors freely to discuss the fitness of the nominees. But how does this aid them? Were these same senators at all squeamish in any political campaign about discussing the character of men who had been proposed for office? * * * I am glad to observe a tendency to abol- this relic of the distrust our first legis- lators iad for the people, and which long manifested itself by excluding the public from all sessions of the Senate. act which is not generally known, 1 times with closed six years after our ment went into operation under the Not ‘he members of the of Repre. es were permitted de its hiding place. A resolution that ‘the doors of the Senate chamber shall be o Senate is sitting in their > end that such of d States as may s of this hou! of so doing’ was just one year inauguration, and as rejected at the On the 18th of and _venturesome to admit the mem- ntatives to at- the y have an opportunit voted down after Was the same prop two following April, 1792, som senator made a mot bers of the House of @ the det of Senate, when sit- its legislative capacity. It recei affirmative votes against sixteen E oth of December, bold oncluding, Mr. Gorham said: “The Se is a grand body; these nine- men, the choice of forty-five states. It the con 1 wisdom, folly and indif- . with their te did not ty peoph If any Go the hest it could have done, it did the best it cared to do,.and is accountable, for the result to no earthly power. This makes the bo: fairly repr tive. The Senate is good as the s from which comes. A representative government can- be be: ter than the peeple who make It. y man reaches the Senate. the re also choice. ed, in vain, to n indifferent nt to the Senate have se who hav ched the old croak: are, who © republic,’ before great had gone out of fashio! FI critics can demon- ces nd all who fail. But men of ‘ho lock in upon the n to its cebates, sean the re- is committees, and witness the ral bearing and conduct of senator: fied with the result of their ol rare servatiol speak di gingly of our highest parlia- menta: into which no man enters hereditary right, nor upon any other ‘arrant than the command of the people of a state of the Union spoken by its legisla- ture. “I institute no comparisons between the present and the past. I believe our Senate equal to its day and its duties. We have no issues like those which thirty-five rs ago made the earth to quake in their discussion and settlement, but unsettled questions, which have no pity for the re- pose of nations, still stimulate human en- deavor in our own, as well as in other ds. No fear need be entertained that he Senate of the great republic will come short of its share in the Work of progres- sive civilization.” Refreshments Served. After the reading of the paper by Mr. Gorham refreshments were served and a sociable time was enjoyed by the club. Chairmen of standing committees were an- nounced as follows: Reception, Lee Lati- mer; program, Charles Moore; strangers, A. J. Halford; Sunday evening, Charles Gurley; Bible study (to be nominated by the young men’s class); membership, S. 1. Irvine. The officers of the club are: Presi- cent, George C. vice president, Wm. B. Gurl secrctary, Walter C. Cle- phane; treasurer, Philip B. Larner. The chairmen cf standing committees, together with the president, pastor and pastor's as- sistant, constitute the executive commit- tee of the club. The club will have a lec- ture and sociable once a month. > ENTERTAINED BY JOHN L. Gorham; Famous Fighter Gives Sparring Match Before Insane Patients. A special to the New York World from Middletown, N. Y., says John L. Sullivan and his theatrical company gave a per- formance yesterday afternoon for the en- tertainment of the inmates of the State Hospital fcr the Insan> in that city. The audience was most appreciative. Sul- livan gave a short sparring exhibition and was madly applauded. Every lead, every counter of Sullivan’s was wildly cheered, and when at last he knocked down his box- ing partner the spectators howled and howled again. The man from Boston, much gratified, bowed again and again. Yr’ “Speech!” echoed all over the the former champion. “I hope you will all soon be well and able to get out of here, and I remain yours very truly, John L. Sullivan.’ Even these few choice remarks did not dampen the enthusiasm. For on the way back to their quarters several of the in- mates tried to knock out their keepers. soo ——__ INVENTS A PERPETUAL LIGHT. Indiana Man Perfects It After Seven Years’ Lubor. A special to the Philadelphia Press from Logansport, Ind., says: S. B. Nickum, who has for seven years kept himself in a tightly locked laboratory, has at last satisfied public curiosity by announcing that he has invented a perpetual light. The light, he says, is sealed in a glass globe and will last as long as the globe remains whole. The globes can be made in any size and may be carried around as lanterns. Nickum has allowed no one but his at- torneys and a few friends to see his inven- tion. Those who have seen it say that all that Nickum claims for it is true. Nickum predicts that stock in electric light plants will become worthless when his light is manufactured in sufficient quantities. He promises a public exhibition this week. aie nel gs ENTHUSIASM FOR W. J. BRYAN. A Dinner in His Honor on His Return to Lincoln, Neb, W. J. Bryan’s home-coming from his Mexican trip was the occasion of a marked display of enthusiasm*on the part of his political and social friends in Lincoln, Neb. Last night a complimentary dinner was tendered him by the Bryan Traveling Men's Club, a number of men who participated in that affair being on hand at the station to greet him. Mr. Bryan said that he was not yet ready to express his impressions of Mexico, and that his speech would be ex- temperaneous. The dinner was at the Lin- coin Hotel. Covers were laid for 200 guests. Mr. Bryan responded to the toast “Our Guest.” THE HIGHWAY ACT It Is Discussed by East Washington Citizens. MR DODGE BECOMES CRITICAL A Lively Debate Occupies the En- tire Session. THE ACTION TAKEN The first business transacted by the East Washingten Citizers’ Association at its meeting last night was to listen to the re- port of the executive committee on the highway act, which was as follows: The executive committee nave fuily con- sidered the resolutions referred to them by tLe association at its last meeting in ref- «rence to the highway act, and in leu therecf they reccmmend the adoption of the following: “First. That tke should be repealed. “Second. That we are opposed to the issue of bonds for any purpose other than the completion of the sewer system. “Third. That bends for any purpose shovid receive the sanction of the citizens of the District, expressed by popular vote. “Fourth. That we favor such legislation 2s will provide a general system of streets and avenues for all that portion of the Dis- trict of Columbia not at present included in the city of W ston and existing subdivisions, such system to correspond a8 nearly as practicabie the plan of streets and avenues of said city and subdivisions, the plan of such system to be placed on record, and all stréets and avenues here- after opered and improved to conform to said plan; also that all costs hereby in- curred should be borne as provided in the organic act of 1878." present highway act Mr. Jefiord’s Review. Mr. M. I. Weiler opened the discussion by moving the adoption of the report. This brought Mr. Tracy L. Jeffords to his feet, th a rehearsal of the previsions of the highway act, as well as a statement of what had already been don “With the record of five years’ experience with the law,” Mr. Jeffords id, “it was a factory. ‘The whole question resolved itself into this: Whether at this time it is expedient to expend three or four millions of dollars for the purpose of straightening out the streets in certain subdivisions.” Presents an Amendment. Mr. W. C. Dodge was in sympathy with the report of the executive committee, but desired to present an amendment, which, in a series of whereases, set forth the local financial conditions which made street ex- tension at this time inadvisable, and which concluded by proposing the repeal of the highway act. Calls It a Steal. Mr. Dodge said that in his opinion the highway act was the most gigantic steal ever perpetrated, and the stealings of the Tweed ring in New York was as nothing in comparison. To carry out its provisions would place a per capita tax of $879.43 upon each person in the District of Columbia. He saw nothing in this highway scheme but a steal to benefit sub- urban property. He referred to the estab- lishment of the Rock Creek Park, and characterized it as a similar scheme to benefit certain property. With our sewer system in its present condition, we are not in a position, he said, to expend such a large sum of money in the extension of streets. It would cost $10,000,000 to extend the streets according to’ the plans, taking: as a basis the present assessments on the subdivisions which have already been ad- judicated. There was room, Mr. Dodge declared, right here in the city limits for a million inhabitants. In concluding, he said: “Gentlemen, this is a gigantic steal. have fought it from the beginning and re- signed my position on the board of trade b ecause of the position of the beard on the ject. The Commissioners are attempt- ing now to do by installments what the failed to do in a lump because of the gi- gantic cost. I repeat, it is a steal pure and simple. If these owners of outlying dis- tricts wanted the streets extended why not donate the land, as the original proprietors did? I am heartily in favor of submitting the whole question to a vote of the people.” Mr. M. I. Weller spoke at length in sup- port of the report of the executive com- mittee. A Dissenting View. Mr. J. D. Croissant said it was with much timidity he addressed the associa- tion, in view of the evident feeling. The past history of the city was sufficient argument for the extension of the streets. He denied that any jobbery exisftd in the matter of street extension. The Commis- sioners would not lend themselves to any scheme of Jobbery, nor would the members of the honorable board of trade lend their influence to any scheme of fraud. But neltaer needed defense at his hands. He remembered the struggling village of Washington of the past, and recalled how a system of street extension was forced upon the people, and the people now rose up and, in one voice, called the great head, the big man who did it all, blessed. ( voice: “Alexander Shepherd.” “Yes, sir,” responded Mr. Croissant; “but what does the opposition mean? It weak- ens the position of those opposed to the street extension and hurts the city.” Concerning the proposition to put the subject to a vote, he said he was opposed to it. Our experience in the primaries to select delegates in the past has proved this method to be impolitic. Such a thing would be dangerous in view of the lack of information upon this subject of a large class of people, and if the real voters here were to vote they would be disfranchised in their votes at home. ‘The Spenker Arraigned. Mr. W. C. Dodge replied that the gentle- man who had just spoken was evidently an owner of some suburban property. The property owners of Washington were as intelligent a set of people as could be found in the world, and it was ridiculous to say that the voting of the people upon such 2 question would disfranchise them. He scored the board of trade, which again he characterized as an organization formed te put through certain schemes, and assist advocates to office. It meets now and then, he said, to discuss home rule, with speak- ers and speeches selected beforehand. Mr. A. E. Leckie made a stirring speéth in favor of home rule, and believs the right of the people to vote upon thé high- way act to be supreme. Mr. M. I. Weller deprecated that personalities should have been indulged In. He did not believe that the advocates of the highway aet were part of any scheme of jobbers. Mr. W. C. Dodge responded to this that he had not intended to indulge in person- alities. The jobbery he referred to was used in its broadest sense to mean the people who sought to benefit their proper- ty at the expense of the District. Upon invitation Mr. Warder Voorhees of special counsel for the District in this street extension matter rehearsed late pro- ceedings in the court, and explained what was being done. The plan, to his mind, was a perfectly feasible one, and wherever it had been adopted was universally admitted to be proper, after trial. He defended the bill: at length and said now was the time, while tion. Upon the statement that he offered his resolution merely to bring out the discus- sion, Mr. Dodge withdrew his amendment, and the previous question being ordered the motion of Mr. Weller to adopt the re- port of the executive committee was unan- imously carried. An Invitation for, Conference. President Smith read the account of an informal meeting held at the office of Mr. M. A. Ballinger some days ago, inviting the association to appoint thfee delegates to meet delegates from gther associations at 610 14th street, January 14, to consider matters of interest to the city. Mr. J. W. Babson thought, ip view of the fact that no specific business to be dis- cussed had been mentioned ip the invita- tion, the matter should be referred to the executive committee. This was agreed to. Dr. Robert Reyburn, before the meeting closed, spoke in favor pf submitting the highway extension mattér to the people by popular vote.. Personally he was opposed to the act, because he thought the exten- sion of streets should be subordinated to the health of the city, and the sewerage system should be the first improvement or- dered. Teal estate was low, to make the condemna- | Railway Matters. Mr. J. D. Croissant,:from the committee on railroads, rehearsed what had been done in the way of securing the extension of the Capital Traction railway into East Wash- ington to the Pennsylvania avenue bridge. This included a call on the District Com- missioners, the Senate committee and Chairman Babcock. The committee learned the East Washington Heights railroad had a better chance of getting a charter to serve the people of East Washington than the present bili afforded. Chairman Bab- cock expressed the belief that this East Washington Helghts railroad bill would cer- tainly pass, but the association committee, Mr. Croissant sald, hesitated to indorse the Washington Heights bill because of the death of the principal backer of the pro- posed "railroad. Mr. Weller hoped the extension of the Capital Traction Company's tracks would be insisted upon. He did not think it wise to wait for an indefinite time to get relief when the Traction Company could give the service almost immediately. He sug- gested that the extension of the Traction Company’s tracks should be the bill in- sisted upon. Upon suggestion, the motion was with- drawn and sent to the executive commit- tee, with instructions to hear the railroad committee upon the subject. Committee on Schools. A. Patten of the committce Dr. on schools reported progress in the matter of obtaining signatures upon the memorial for the opening of the library at night. A large number of signatures had been re- ceived. About 500 memorials were sent out and, by special arrangement with Librarian Young, the memorials were to be sent di- rectly to Mr. Young. President Smith reported the completion of the committee on property rights and titles by the appointment of Tracey L. Jeifords, O. B, Hallam, R. W. Blair and Oscar Luckett. eee STEEL WIRE TRUST FORMED. Has Capital of $57,000,000 and Will Control Entire Output. The incorporation of the steel wire trust was completed in Chicago yesterday after- recon. The company has a capital of $87,000,000. The incorporatérs are John W. Gates, Isaac L. Elwood jand Elbert H. Gary, all of Chicago. The main office of the company will be in Chicago. The ob- ject, as stated in the application for a ll- cense, is the manufacturing of steel wire and all business relating, thereto, avowed object of largely increasing the ex- port trade in wire, wire and othe: products, and materially reducing the cost intention of the capitalists béhind the en- terprise to acquire by purchage the proper- ties of the leading manufacturers of wire pert brainwork. : “Many are literally starving. The uni- versity is turning out men, of strong intel- ligence, but weak bodied. Some of them are mcral and intelectual dyspeptics. It can- not be expected that they will be of much The company has been formed with the of their manufacture and sale. It is the threughout the United State: A large part of the capital stock has been subscribed by those now a ile t engaged in the business, and who will be personally connected with the managemebt of the new trust. “J. Pierpont Morgan is attending to the financing of the new company. ——---- +0 STUDENTS STARV TO DEATH. Distressing Poverty Depicted as Ex- isting at Chicago University. A special to the Baltimore Sun from Chi- cago, Ill, says: President Harper of the University of Chicago, at thé twenty-first convocation of the university, held at the Auditorium Monday night, made the as- teunding assertion that of five deaths which had occurred at the university in the last five years, three may be attributed directly to starvation. His address has created a sensation here. The president stands by his declaration, although he re- fuses to give any names. Investigation at the university today de- veloped the fact that among the 1,200 stu- dents enrolled’ there, scores are compelled to struggle along on the gcantiest food to pay their way. This applies not only to young men, but to young women as well. “The question of providing nutritious food for the great body of students of the uni- versity is an important one,” said President Harper, “and it has been forced upon our attention more than once in a painful way. I did not overstate the question in my ad- dress last night, when I said that hundreds of students in the university are living upon a diet which does not properly sup- use in the world. If the body is not prop- erly nourished, the mind will refuse to act as it should, and I therefore hold that it is ag necessary to take care of and cultivate the one as the otber. “This is a subject upon which I have thought Geeply,.and nothing but the lack of funds has prevented me from carrying out some of my ideas...What ls needed is a place where the stud@ts cam get good fcod cheaply. By good food I mean whole- acme fcod that is welt and properly cooked. Seme of them board in restaurants, which is not so bad; others live the fraternity houses, where the food is excellent, but others ‘batch’ tt and liye on the smalles! sum with which they can get along.” GOLD FOUND IN LABRADOR. Deposits Said to Equal im Richness ‘Those of Klondike. A dispatch from Halifax, N. &, says: Representatives of a Canadian and Ameri- can company, who visited Labrador for the purpose of erecting saw mills, report that that country contains deposits of gold of great richness and is destined to become a great mining country: There exists strong evidence that gol & to.be obtained in quantities equaled omly;by the deposits of the Klondike. In fact, it ig asserted that the deposits in Labrador are on the same range as those ee Ss Roe y ement = inition which is to start b; Pveasel in the spring, have already been made. ——e. ‘Two Duels at it. Count Btefati Tisza Herr Lua- wig Olay.. and Herr. Edmund Gajary wounded ete, geree oypky in duels at Budapest, ary; iterday. In-both cases the wounds we lous. Herren Tisza ‘and Gajary ih wounds. ‘The duels grew out oft) it disturb- ances in the Hungaria’ jam< ent, STREET EXTENSION es Bill Prepared by the Board of Trade Committee, SENT 10 BOTH HOUSES TODAY Letter to Senator McMillan Ac- companying It. | TEXT OF THE MEASURE ee The special committee of the board of trade, composed of Messrs. R. Ross Perry, A. 8. Worthington, William F. Mattingly, Joseph Paul, James B. Wimer, Chapin Brown and A. T. Britton (the last named co-operating as general counsel of the board of trade), has today addressed the following letter to Senator McMillan, chairman of the Senate committee on the District of Columbia, transmitting a draft of the highway act approved by the board: Sir: The undersigned, a special committee appointed for the purpose by the board of trade of this city, have prepared and in- close herewith a bill to amend the act of Congress approved March 2, 1893, relating to the extension of the plan of the city ot Washington over the District of Colum! In preparing it we have conferred at € step with the Comm: ot Columbia. The principat ‘changes which this bill, if adopted, would make in existing law, and the reasons for such changes, we proceed briefly to state: 1. The expense of carrying into effect that part of the original act relating to changes in existing subdivisions will be greatly duced. The main purpose of the “highway act,” as the act of March 2, 1893, is commonly called, was to autherize the preparation and recording of authentic plans in con- formity to which new highways should be opened in the District outside of the city cf Washington, whether by voluntary dedi- cation of the owners of the land or by con- very ‘ioners cf the District demnation proceedings. Neither that act nor the amendments which we submit gon- template any expenditures on account of the improvement of any highw Such improvements the highway act leaves in the future, as in the past, to ‘the action ot Congress from time to time. That act would therefore have involved but a small expenditure of money, but for the on account ef the absence of an: plan, a number of subdivisions principaily in the territory y north of the city prope imme- which did not conform to the city plan or to each other. Some change are absolutely necessary. To what extent suc changes shovld gi was left by the highw act, to the ticn of the Commissione of the I and the highway cemmissicn, compos the Secretary of War, the’ Secretary of the Interior and the chief of engineer: But that act provided that after the ex- pense of correctirg these subdivisions should hav@gbeen ascertained, the question vf payracnt should be submitted to Con- gress, and that, as to any subdivisions for which no appropriation should be made within the time limited by the act, the ccrdemhation proceedings should he dis- continued. On the 3ist day of August, 1895, the first of the maps authorized by the highway act was filed in the surveyor's office of the District. It comprised the territory lying north of the city ketween Rock creck on the west and Lincoln avenue on the east, and embraced nearly all the misfitting sub- divisicns in question. The condemnation proceedings relating to the correction of the subdivisions lying in the territory cov- ered by it have proceeded far enough to show chat if that map be no: changed the expense of correcting the subdivisio: affected by it will amount to from $$,000,- 600 to $10,000,000, Other maps are in prep- aration, and they will require some changes in a few subdivisions; but in our judgment, and, as we are advised, in the opinion cf the Commissioners, the cost of effecting the ckanges in the subdivisions to be covered by the other maps will not exceed $250,000 or $300,000, Ry e first section of the amendatory act which we submit ,a number of chanzes are made in the map of section one—mainly in those parts of the map which «affect cx- isting subdivisions—which, in our opinion, will reduce tie expense of correcting the subdivisions affected by that map to not exceeding $3,500,000 2. Provision is made for the issue of Dis- trict of Columbia 3 per cent bonds, on the same basis as the existing 3.65 bonds, to the amount of $4,000,000, to pay for land taken in existing subdivisions in all parts of the District in making the required changes in those subdivisions. It is provided that when the proceedings as to any subdivision have been concluded in the court, the judgments for land con- demned in that subdivision shall be submit- ted to the President of the United States. if in his opinion the awards ure reason- able, he so signifies in writing; the United States takes the land for public use, and the landowner is paid the amount found to be due him. But if the President does not, within thirty days after the judgment is submitted to him, approve the same, the judgments are to be set aside and the pro- ceedings discontinued. The reason for this change ig obvious. The owncrs of these lands have all been in court for over two years, and justice re- quires that the United States should now in a short time either take their land and pay for it, or release their tracts from the incubus of condemnation proceedings. While such proceedings are pending the right to use their property for building and many other purposes is suspended, and their right to sell it or borrow money on it is practically destroyed. 3. A single assessment upon lands bene- fited by the establishment of highways in all the existing subdivisions covered by any map ts provided for, instead of a sep- arate assessment for each subdivision. The highway act provided the machinery for an assessment for benefits not differing substantially from the system employed in many other cities. But the act has been found impracticable in its operation, so far as it relates to assessments based upon condemnations in existing subdivisions. There are forty-seven of these subdivisions in the area covered by the map of section 1. ‘They are nearly all in the same vicinity. ‘The benefit to land in the neighborhood from the Proceedings Is more a benent from the carrying out of the general scheme than from a change in any particular sub- division. In some instances the same parcel of land would be Hable to be assessed over and over again for different subdivisions. In some of the larger subdivisions the ex- perse of the condemnation is out of all proportion to the benefits to neighboring property. It has been thought best, there- fore, so far as these subdivisions are con- cerned, to wait until the condemnation pro- ceedings are all finished, and then to have an assessment made on each parcel or tract in the territory embraced by the map for the benefit resulting to that parcel from all the condemnations in subdivis- fons in that territory. It is. provided that the amount of the as- sesement shall not exceed the total amount pajd for.the land in the subdivisions, and that the amounts cvllected from the as- sessments shall be applied to the creation of a sinking fund to meet the bonds at maturity. 4. That clause of the highway act which imposed the whole cost of carrying it irto effect upon the District of Columbia is re- pealed, and it is provided that so much of that expense as is not borne by the land owners shall be equally divided between the United States and the District of Co- lvmbia. ‘The highway act, as it originally passed the Senate, provided that one-third of the in thes subdivisions cost of carrying it into effect should be as- | sessed upon the lands benefited, and that the remaining two-thirds should be paid | by the United States and the District cf | Columba, respectively, in equal parts. The bill passed the Senate in that form, and, as We are advised, without objection. In the sume form it was favorably reported to the House of Representatives by the conmit- tee on the District of Columbia of that body. But in the last days of the session of Congress at which the bill was passed it was atiended in the House so as to throw the whole burden on the land own- ers and the District, and in that form, and afler going to a conference committee, it finally passed. The amended bill which we submit con- tains provisions as stringent as justice to the land-owners permits for assessing upon lands benetited their fair share of the dam- ages allowed for land taken for highways, whether in existing subdivisions or out- side of them; and as to the remainder of the damages; we leave them to be met un- der the organls act of the District, of IS7S, by the joint and equal contribution of the United States and the Dgtrict. So far as we know, no one connect@d with the board of trade of this city. and no one assuming te represent any considerabie body of citi- zens ¢f the District, has ever urged street extension on any cther basis, Much as the cerrection of the disjointed and insufli- cient subdivisions made prior to the act « ISSS is needed, we think it is practically th universal wish of the people of the D:s- trict that if they cannot be corrected ur less the District e entire cost the: of, the project ing them shou! be given up alto; They grew up their pr-sent shape because when they were laid out no general plan had been proy r the ‘und owners to follow. They have been corrected twelve ye the attentton of Congress Wa The regular permanent family circulation of The Evening Star is more than double that of any .other paper in Washington, whether published in the morn- ing or in the afternoon. As a medium for unobjec- tionable advertisements it there- fore stands unequaled and un- approachable SEWAGE DISPOSAL inamels Draft of Bill to Be Submitted to Congress, > AN ISSUE OF BONDS PROVIDED FOR Reasons Given by Commissioners in Support of Measure. AGGREGATE <p OF — THE LOAN The District Commiss and submitted to the Secretar Treasury the draft of a bill pr ance by the District of U SM for the ners have cpared of the ssing the nds amount- pro- purpose of © obt ot sh: is in ted to corre Congress, In the opinion of the Cor sewage disposal is ets the heaith and wei the second to none re of the to the subject, for one-third or less of what J“? tHe District. Tocy re ognae, however, it will ccst to rectify them now. That no [Mal this scheme ana thac of the extension plan wai tion of this }of the highways are appermos: in the fficuliy, and that th bdivisons riinds of people of the Di but crmed at an earlier date wh i fact that the ama would have been inc ome = y mot the fault of tiem year to year will its peoplc,and it 1s not just t (remove the eviis whi : from en be required to pay the expense umplete sysicm of se The an evil which they had no power M1UORS Cx jay, they vent, and the growth of which, for rs, they unavailingly called uf Ss to stop. point out, but t at the pre system = wil lomorrow, ropriauon A number of other amenémexts are sug- 1 Uhen. gested, but they are elther of minor im- earnestiy shall or are made to remove © authorize, the pro- ticns by incorporating in the act in x ul faciiilies as s What is all ady in it by legal ix the Work at once cation. riy compiction, On behalf of the board of trade we re- anenbty. that you will introduce this bill in ae ee oe es and that if any objection should | AS Posterity will enjoy the fits of a S provisions, | Complete system of sew al, such 4S 18 proposed, the Comm believe ded at opportunt At posterity Should Lear ats part of the mittee to meet the went eXpens But ii s letter was sent to Babcock of the House I ‘he burden will nut be great. ‘The in The tull text of i s © Act. An act to amend an aet of Ce Mare! Ise ntitled * stem rict of Columbia and for other ere An act of highy ing outside ef ci poses: Le it enacted ntative United Sia in Cong assembled: That for se of reducing the expense of ca nto effect an act of Congress entitled “An act to provide a permanent system ot vs in that part of the District of |. puro 1, Columbia lying outside of cities,” the Com- a missioners of the District of Columbia are will be but $105,000 an whieh amount will b nual sinking fund of, annual tax of #20: that the Uniteu touch beneiteu Ais propertiona would, ihereiore, to be paid by s102,500, AL that amouat, sinkin, the € would wistrict, The Commis ‘ly on the bonas, ea an- a total is is proposed the pe the exo ation throug i i, Would the hereby authorized to alter the map known | (Re making as section 1, which was filed by them in | 7). eo. Deg rar Oe the office of the surveyor of the District of | OtGpriatione tional meee Columbia on the 31st day of August, 185, | Propriatlons. 4. seap hegered aegis A by omitting therefrom all changes pro- | for naterac, ae tte Mae eben markets posed within the existing subdivisions, and | ciher by contin soe be as Sork done also in the unsubdivided Tand south of (ee Cea! OF 1s day Lawor Piney branch, Spring road and Rock Creck | 3°" acthsrainorig 1 Church road, and substituting therefor the following changes, to wit: North Capitol street, extend from T sireet to Prespect Hill cemetery; U, Vand W streets, extend to North c: Street anc Le Droit avenue; Albany street, extend t authoriiy joners be. resuiting trom the District t made imposstu are of will t eve that ine i A sutlered, and comin. oul OC nee in such works, : lies oon “vented. 1, t00, the Comm Capitol street; Le Droit avenue,cxtend from | Sunere Prey entes 5 : * sioners beveve e sort ” ” Le Droit avenue; Rhode Island avenue, ex- | The Distriey wall ae (ie, [ewwhing people of tend between Florida avenue and North | granting of such east, — Capitol stret; Le Droit avenue, extend from # ised Elms treet to Trumbull! street; Trumbull and College streets, extend through reservoir grounds; Elm and Wilson streets, extend to th street; 6th street, extend from Spruce street to Pomeroy street; New Je hue, extend from 6th street to Kenesaw street; Grant street, widen and extend from Florida avenue to 6th street; Vermont av. nue, extend from Florida avenue to Gran: street; Sherman avenue, widen and exter from Florida avenue to Whitney avenu llth street, extend from Florida avenue tc New Jersey avenue extended; Columbia and Steuben streets, extend from i3th street to Soldiers’ Home grounds; Sheridan streei, extend and widen from 13th street to Sol. diers’ Home grounds; reservation, at Sher: dan street, Whitney avenue and Sherman avenue; New Hampshire avenue, extend from Rock Creek Church road to Whitney avenue; Warder avenue, extend to Steuben street and connect with Sth street; Cam- mack and Ludlow avenues, extend to 7th street; Reck Creek Church road, widen and extend to Spring road, Parkway (Spring road), from New Hampshire avenue to Rock Creek Park; Kansas avenue, extend from Spring road to 14th street; Lydecker avenue, widen and extend from Sherman avenue to 14th street; Whitney avenue, widen from Sherman avenue to 14th street, 13th street, widen from Whitney avenue to Spring road; 14th street, extend to Spring road; lith Street road, wideh to Spring + Howard avenue, widen and extend from lith to 18th streets; Park street, wid- en from 14th to 17th streets; Kenesaw ave- nue, widen between 14ih street and Zoolog- ical Park; Columbia street, locate from 18th to 18th streets; School street, widen and ex- tend from Park street to Kenesaw avenu: Bacon and Binney streets, extend we: ward sixty feet in wilth to Columbia ave- nue; Euclid place, connect seventy-five feet in width with Erie street; Columbia road, widen and extend from 18th street to 14th street; vation, at 14th and Columbia streets; Erie street, widen and extend from 18th street to Columbia avenue; Chapin street, widen to 65 feet; Superior street, widen and extend from h street to 18th Street; 16th street, extend from Morris street to Spring road; 17th street and Cen- tral avenue, widen and extend from F da avenue to Spring road; Ontario avenue and Peplar avenue, widen from Columbia road to Quarry road; 18th street, extend from Quarry road to Kenesaw avenue and above Howard avenue; Isth street, widen at Champlain avenue shaft; Adams Mill road, widen from Columbia road to Zoolog- ical Park; 20th street, extend from Cificin- nati street to Ada Mill road; Kalorama avenue, extend at Columbia road and to Prescott place; 20th street, extend at Co- lumbia road and Wyoming avenue; Wyo- ming avenue, connect at 19th street and Columbia road and at 2% street; 19th street, widen from Florida avenue to Co- lumbia_road; Connecticut avenue, extend from Florida avenue to Rock creek; 22d street, extend to S street; 23d street, ex- tend from R street to S street fifty feet in width, S street, extend from Phelps place to 234 street; Vernon avenue, extend to Co- lumbia road; Piney Branch road (Takoma), widgn and extend to District line; Magnolia avenue (Takoma), widen and extend; Tohoe street (Takoma), extend to Spfing road. Within ten days after this act becomes a law said Commissioners shall submit such amendea map to the highway commission created by section 2 of said act, composed of the Secretary of War, the Secretary of the Interior and the chief of engineers for the time being, ard within thirty days thereafter said highway commission may make such alterations therein as they may deem advisable; provided that such changes shall not be such as will, in the opinion of said commission, increase the aggregate expense of carrying out said act as hereby amended. “At the expiration of said period of thirty days said highway commission shall return said map to sgid Commission- ers, who, within five days thereafter, shall file the same in the effice of the surveyor of said District. Fronm,the time of the fi!- ing of such amended m&p any highway or part of a highway, or reservation, laid down upon the original map which does rs (Continued on Fourteenth Page.) Provini The bill, as dr ers, is as folio the tion umpia rd seware agamst floods im the and for other ». “Be it enacted by the of Representauves of [ America in Congr “That the Commissioners of the of Columbia bi laey are h thoroized to proceed, as soon as practicable, with the work of ih em of sewage disposal au tection against foods, in acordance the general plan recommended by board of sanitary enginec?s in their re- port to ¢ upon the sewerage of the District of Columiia in Is ( ‘Xeculive document numbered 445, Eifty-first C District of phate the Unt an] House 1 States ed, District by, au- may be avleting ro- with the the system of sewage dis- posal and protection against floods here- in provided for shali not exceed Ue sum of $3,500,000, The Bond Issue. 2 That in order to provide the money necessary to defray the cost and <xpense of executing the works authorized by this act the treasurer of the United States, as ex-oflicio sinking fund com- missioner of the Disirict of Columbia, be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to cause bonds of the District of Columbia to be prepared in the sum of $3,500,000, in denominations of $00 and $1,000, to be designated as- ‘District of Columbia Sew- age Disposal Bonas;’ said bonds to be dated July 1, tvs, to bear interest at the rate of three per centum per annum, paya- ble half y y on the first days July and January of each yei and shall be redeemable at the pleasure of the treas- urer of the United States after ten years, aud payable in forty years from their date. “Said bonds shail be engraved and print- ed at the joint expense of the District of Columbia and of the United States; shall be signed by the treasurer of the United States, ex-oflicio commissioner of the sink- ing fund, countersigned by the auditor of the District of Columbia, and bear the seal of said District. They shall be num- bered consecutively and registered in the office of tke register of the United States treasury, for which registration the Sec- retary of the Treasury shall make such provision as may be necessary. “The principal and interest thereon shall be exempt from taxation by federal, state or municipal authority and the faith of the United States is hereby pledged tha. the United States will, by proportional appro- priations and by causing to be levied upon the property within said District such taxes as will do so, provide the revenues necessary to pay the interest on said bonds as the same may become due and payable, and create a sinking fund for the payment of same at maturiay; and the bonds shall have set forth and expressed on their face the above specified conditions; and the principal and interest thereon shall be made payable at the treasury of the United States. Paynble in Ten Years. “Any of the bonds hereby authorized may be called in for payment after the expira~ tion of ten years from thelr date by the treasurer of the United States, at his dis- cretion. The last of the bonds originally issued under this act and their substitutes shall be first called in, and this order of payment shall be followed until all shall have been paid. . “Notice shall be given of the time on which payment will be made, and the in- terest on the particular bonds so selected at any time to be paid shall cease at the expiration of thirty days from date of such notice. The Secretary of the ry is authorized to invest any moneys provided for the sinking fund In United States or District of Columbia bonds pending such time as such moneys are required for re- (Continued on Thirteenth Page.)