The object of this bill is to extend the tracks of the City and Suburban Railway Company from Michigan avenue along Monroe street to the subdivision of Brookland, in order to provide car service for that subdivision. Monroe street was recently condemned and a bridge constructed across the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad tracks within the line of the street, the object of both of these measures being to eliminate the present grade crossings at Michigan avenue and to furnish a means of permitting a car service to Brookland, as contemplated by this bill. The commissioners are in favor of the object of the bill, but would suggest that it be amended as follows: Strike out the present section 3 and insert in lieu thereof the following section:

"SEC. 3. That the said City and Suburban Railway of Washington shall have, over and respecting the routes herein provided for, the same rights, powers, privileges, duties, and obligations as it has and hereafter may have by law over and respecting its present route, and shall be subject in respect thereto to all the other provisions of its charter and of law."

Add to section 4 the following:

"Provided, That such cars shall be operated only during the hours between twelve o'clock midnight and five o'clock a. m., and shall be subject to such regulations as may be made by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia."

Add the following sections:

"SEC. 5. All laws or parts of laws inconsistent with the provisions hereof are hereby repealed.

"SEC. 6. That Congress reserves the right to alter, amend, or repeal this act." With the changes above indicated, the commissioners recommend favorable action on the bill.

Very respectfully,

HENRY B. F. MACFARLAND,

President Board of Commissioners District of Columbia.

Hon. S. W. SMITH,
Chairman of Committee on the District of Columbia,

House of Representatives.

The bill was introduced in behalf of the Brookland Citizens' Association, and the committee received, soon after the introduction of the bill, the following letter from A. F. Kinnan, giving the reasons why that association desires its passage:

BROOKLAND, D. C., May 9, 1908.

SIR: In behalf of the Brookland Citizens' Association, which I represent, I desire to direct your favorable attention to H. R. 20837, for extending the line of the City and Suburban Railway into Brookland.

The bridge on Monroe street NE. over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad tracks has just been completed and the land necessary to extend that street to Michigan avenue, to make a suitable approach to the bridge, has been condemned by a jury and the award has been confirmed by the court. The entire expense of buying the land has been assessed on us and we are, with a few exceptions, very glad indeed to bear it. As soon as the approaches to the bridge, for which provision is made in the appropriation bill of this session, are completed the dangerous grade crossing at Michigan avenue will be abolished.

By referring to your map you will see that the street-car line ends on the west side of the Baltimore and Ohio tracks on Michigan avenue. As soon as Michigan avenue is closed, which will probably occur within three or four months, our cars will run down and end in a pocket. The last police census gave us a population of about 3,000, and that whole population, besides the thousands of visitors to the Franciscan Monastery, will have to go over the Monroe street bridge and down to where the cars stop in that pocket.

The directors of the car line, on interviewing each one, personally assure us that they stand ready to come over the Monroe street bridge with their tracks at the earliest possible moment. These men are known to us. We have always tried to be reasonable with them in our requests for service and to put our requests on a strict business basis. The result is that they have granted us nearly everything we have asked, and are running cars to us from 5 a. m. to 1.30 a. m., (nearly the whole twentyfour hours), and are running them three and one-half minutes apart during the busy hours. That is magnificent service. We know that they will extend the line as soon as they possibly can.

We have therefore asked (and the Commissioners of the District have favorably recommended it) that the time for their making the extension be determined by the granting of a permit therefor by the Commissioners of the District. We are much

interested in the extension of the tracks to the Union Station and do not want our extension to interfere with that. We fear that if a time limit were placed on our little extension of four or five blocks that the company might be in such a financial condition, due to the extraordinary expenditures for the Union Station, that they would be forced to let something go and would probably put off extending our line, and if a time limit were in the law the time might expire and new legislation be required before we could get our tracks.

CONGRESS, HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. No.

CARRYING CONCEALED WEAPONS IN THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

FEBRUARY 6, 1909.-Referred to the House Calendar and ordered to be printed.

Mr. SIMS, from the Committee on the District of Columbia, submitted the following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 22308.]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 22308) declaring the carrying openly or concealed about the person any pistol, bowie knife, dirk or dirk knife, blackjack, dagger, sword cane, slung shot, brass or other metal knuckle in the District of Columbia a felony, report the same back to the House with the recommendation that it do pass, when amended as follows: Strike out of line 5, page 2, the words "or any regularly organized militia company."

The report of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia on this bill, when submitted to them for examination, was as follows:

OFFICE COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,

Washington, February 3, 1909.

DEAR SIR: Referring to your reference to them for examination and report of H. R. 22308, "Declaring the carrying openly or concealed about the person any pistol, bowie knife, dirk or dirk knife, black-jack, dagger, sword cane, slung shot, brass or other metal knuckle in the District of Columbia a felony," the commissioners have the honor to invite your attention to their report of January 23, 1909, upon H. R. 23467, which report covers their views in regard to H. R. 22308.

Very respectfully,

Hon. S. W. SMITH,

HENRY B. F. MACFARLAND, President Board of Commissioners District of Columbia.

Chairman of Committee on District of Columbia,

House of Representatives.

In the report of the commissioners on H. R. 23467, to which reference is made in the above letter, the commissioners recommend a substitute "regulating the purchase, sale, loan, exchange, gift, borrowing, or receiving deadly or dangerous weapons in the District of Columbia;" and to show the necessity of some stringent legislation on the subject,

they refer to the following passage in the report of major and superintendent of the Metropolitan Police Department, Major Sylvester, for July 1, 1908:

CONCEALED WEAPONS.

The concealed-weapon proposition is one that concerns every community, and it is made apparent every once in a while that the law in force in this jurisdiction might be strengthened in such a way as to place the sales of deadly weapons under closer police observation, and whereby the purchasers and owners of such might be more generally and readily identified. The subject was canvassed at the convention of the chiefs of police and there were various expressions advanced, on the whole the members being adverse to the practice of carrying firearms. During the last fi cal year there were 262 cases made by the District police on the charge of carrying concealed weapons, while for the year before there were 252 cases. It thus appears that the imposition of fines in no way deters the practice, and while the law may be closer construed it would not apply to the procuring by purchase or otherwise in contiguous territory.

It is proposed that the law shall permit the granting of licenses in certain emergencies to purchase, own, or borrow revolvers and other deadly weapons, but not until formal application shall be made to the assessor of the District of Columbia, to be reported upon by the department of police, in which the name, age, and residence of the applicant, the place and value of his or her business, be given; the purpose for which any such weapon is to be purchased, borrowed, or owned; the style, pattern, caliber, make, and number of such weapon to be purchased or borrowed shall be stated, and, if already purchased or borrowed, the date when such was obtained, and name and place of business or residence of the person, persons, or corporation who sold or loaned such weapon, together with its pattern, style, make, and number are afforded, and in addition the applicant shall state and agree in the application that he or she, during the term of license, will not sell, loan, or give away such weapon to any minor or any person without license in the manner provided, and that he or she will report to the police department within twenty-four hours after selling, loaning, or giving away such weapon the full name, age, and residence of the person to whom sold, the date and price, and, if loaned, the time and purpose for which loaned, with description of weapon, and any violation of any of the statements or agreements shall revoke such license. If the applicant complies with these provisions license may be issued by the assessor of the District, if he be satisfied that the applicant be duly qualified to possess the same under these provisions.

Licenses so issued should designate the place where such weapon is to be kept and be exhibited when required by the authorities.

On violation of the provisions of the application, or if the holder be convicted of any offense affecting his or her moral turpitude, or has become a person of bad reputation, such license shall be revoked.

It should be made unlawful for any person to give away any deadly weapon, to be described, to any minor, or to any person not licensed to receive the same.

Any person who should loan, sell, or give away any deadly weapon should so report to the police department within twenty-four hours after loaning, selling, or giving away such weapon, giving date, name, and age of person, the price obtained, time and purpose for which loaned, and full description of the same.

The law should not apply to the national guard, sheriffs, policemen, constables, and other peace officers, while engaged in the discharge of their official duties.

The penalty for violating the provisions of such a law should be a fine of not more than $200, and a separate offense should be regarded as committed for each day during which any person should continue such violation, or sentence to jail in default. In order that the disposal of deadly weapons might be more fully covered in a manner to furnish ready identification, not only of the article but of the person who might procure the same, a law with reference to dealers and others somewhat after the pattern of the one now in vogue should be enacted. This should cover retail sales, loans, and giving away of weapons by any persons, firm, or corporation to whom licenses might be issued by the assessor of the District, after application had been made in writing; and in cases of individuals they to furnish undoubted evidence of their good character, and, of corporations, likewise of their good standing. The application should contain the name and address of the applicant, members of firms or corporations, and a statement of the various kinds of weapons to be kept for sale at places of business. Further, the application should contain an agreement that during the term of license the applicant would not sell, loan, or give away any kind of deadly weapon to any minor or to any person not licensed as heretofore