TIME FOR HOLDING COURTS IN CERTAIN DISTRICTS OF TENNESSEE, ETC.

APRIL 9, 1906.-Ordered to be printed.

Mr. KITTREDGE, from the Committee on the Judiciary, submitted the

following

REPORT.

[To accompany H. R. 20.]

The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill (H. R. 20) to change and fix the time for holding the circuit and district courts of the United States for the middle district of Tennessee, in the southern division of the eastern district of Tennessee at Chattanooga, and the northeastern division of the eastern district of Tennessee at Greeneville, and for other purposes, return the same to the Senate and recommend the passage of the bill without amendment.

The necessity for the passage of this bill is due to the fact that the terms of the Federal and State courts conflict. The Federal judge and the bar ask the passage of this bill.

CHANGING NAME OF DOUGLAS STREET.

APRIL 9, 1906.-Ordered to be printed.

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

REPORT.

[To accompany S. 4268.]

The Committee on the District of Columbia, to whom was referred the bill (S. 4268) changing the name of Douglas street to Clifton street, having considered the same, report thereon with a recommendation that it pass.

The object of the proposed legislation is to change the name of Douglas street to Clifton street. This thoroughfare, extending from Fourteenth street west to University place, in the District of Columbia, was formerly known as Welling place. Under the authority conferred by the act of Congress approved February 16, 1904, entitled "An act to name streets, avenues, alleys, highways, and reservations in that part of the District of Columbia outside of the city of Washington, and for other purposes," the District Commissioners formulated a new system of naming streets. Recognizing that to all intents and purposes Welling place and Clifton streets should be considered as one thoroughfare, the Commissioners originally planned that they should be known hereafter as Douglas street. Against this proposed change the residents of Clifton street and Welling place vigorously protested, the result being that the name "Clifton street" was retained, and the name "Douglas" given to the street, which was only a single block in length, and formerly known as Welling place.

If the system of nomenclature adopted had been properly inaugurated by beginning with the first letter of the alphabet, there would have been no occasion for the introduction of this bill, as a name beginning with the letter "C" would have been necessary for Douglas street, which is the third street on the west side of Fourteenth street north of Florida avenue, and it is but natural to suppose that the name "Clifton" would have been chosen.

All the property owners and residents on Douglas street are earnestly

in favor of the proposed change, as will appear by the following petition:

WASHINGTON, D. C., February, 1906.

The undersigned residents of Douglas street, formerly known as Welling place, respectfully petition for the enactment of Senate bill No. 4268, introduced by Senator J. H. Gallinger, changing the name of Douglas street to Clifton street:

A. D. Gaston, 1422 Douglas street; Charles S. Albert, 2548 University place, corner Welling place; Robt. B. Caverly, 1427 Douglas street; C. H. Fred, 1420 Douglas street; E. Hilton Jackson, 1426 Douglas street; Wm. A. Rogers, 1428 Douglas street; Joseph Abel, 1454 Douglas street; Louis Hartig, 1424 Douglas street; C. G. Heylmun, 1430 Douglas street; Chas. E. West, 1432 Douglas street; Phil. E. Winter, 1448 Douglas street; C. C. Byrne, 1435 Douglas street; A. D. Melvin, 1433 Douglas street; J. K. Cooley, Fourteenth and Douglas streets; L. A. Coolidge, 1423 Welling place; W. S. Gregg, 1450 Douglas street; W. F. Gatchell, 1452 Douglas street; F. W. Gardner, 1460 Douglas street; Oscar Jones, 1462 Douglas street; Gideon J. Pillow, 1464 Douglas street; George H. Thomson, 1456 Douglas street.

The bill was referred to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, whose report thereon is as follows:

OFFICE COMMISSIONERS OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA,

Washington, February 23, 1906.

SIR: The Commissioners of the District of Columbia have the honor to submit the following on Senate 4268, Fifty-ninth Congress, first session, "Changing the name of Douglas street to Clifton street," which you referred to them for report touching the merits of the bill and the propriety of its passage.

The names of the streets on the west of Fourteenth street outside of the old city limits of Washington under the new system of street names run as follows: Belmont, Chapin, Douglas, and Euclid, in alphabetical sequence of two syllables, the letter "A" being used for a street lying farther south than Belmont street and east of Fourteenth street. On the east side of Fourteenth street between Florida avenue and Euclid place there is but one street which before the new system of names was adopted was called Clifton street and the name of which was not changed.

The street lies between Chapin and Douglas streets, although considerably nearer the latter street. To change the name of Douglas street to Clifton street, as proposed by this bill, would destroy the system of nomenclature adopted. If it were desirable that these two streets (Douglas and Clifton) should have the same name, it would be better to change Clifton street to Douglas street. As this street, on the east of Fourteenth street, was already known as Clifton before the adoption of the new system, and as it lay between the letters "C" and "D," it was considered by the Commissioners proper to retain its old name, beginning with "C," although it did lie nearer Douglas street than it did to Chapin street. One of the objects the Commissioners kept in view was not to change existing names when they did not interfere with the system. Douglas street was previously known as Welling place, so that the change proposed by the bill is not to give it back its old name, but to give it an entirely new name, which, not being in accordance with the system and a change baing already been made in the name, would certainly cause confusion.

The Commissioners recommend unfavorable consideration of the bill.

Very respectfully,

Hon. J. H. GALLINGER,

HENRY B. F. MACFARLAND,

President Board of Commissioners District of Columbia.

Chairman Committee on the District of Columbia, United States Senate.