The Sunday herald. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1866-1887, 1882-12-10

'aifihNhdbIN AM - fNIE = NhhtNs
President John w. Thompson, of the Met
ropolitan Street Railway, in letter to Chair
man Ingalls,, OF the Senate District Committee,
complains that his company has been pat to
great expense by the changes in the grades
Of streets, and makes this the excuse for its
refusal TO pay its arrears OF special assess
ment until il shall be compelled to do SO by
process Of law. This letter fairly gives rise
TO the remark that changes Of grade were
also made affecting other street rail.
Ways Notwithstanding which they have
paid .'their assessments in full. MIR.
Thompson also fails to observe, what
the public have had no trouble in
seeing, that the changes Of grade upon his
line by lessening its inequalities have been
a palpable benefit to it, making it much
easier TO haul its ears. lie makes no pre-.
tense Of pointing out upon what ground the
street railroad should be exempt from any
duty with respect to its tracks and the
spaces between them, because the city
changes q street grade. No argument can
be found in support of his preposterous posi-.
tion that would not also 60 to the extent Of
requiring the city to replace and
relay his tracks, whenever they are
disturbed for a charge OF grade. Mr..
Thompson is also conveniently silent as to
the fact, which is not yet forgotten, however,
that he was the master spirit in the Council
Of the Legislative Assembly of this District
at the time of all the legislation of which he
now complains, and was then one of the
most strenuous supporters of the Board OF
Public Works and its policy OF improvement.
We are glad TO see that the Senate takes
proper view of tile relation of our street
railways to the rights and interests of the
public. Senators Edmunds, Beck, Rollins.
and Mcmillan, in the course of the debate last
Thursday, showed that they fully under
stand the Thompsonian policy, and are pre-
pared to defend the rights OF the community
against its aggressions. The bill to enable
the Belt Line to reach the Centre Market is
proper one, and ought to be passed with
out delay, as we do not doubt that it speedily
will be.
After the outrageous and persistent disre-
gard of its obligations by the Metropolitan
Company, its blindness TO the rights and
comfort of passengers, its Indifference to the
manning of children when drivers are look
ing back instead of forward, and its long-con-
tinued attempt to defraud the District treas.
ury of the amount charged against it on ac.
count of paving the portion of the street which
it occupies, the sublime cheek which its man
ayers exhibit in trying to prevent the Belt
Line from reaching the Centre Market is the
very acme of impudence. Both the east and
west street-car lines combine to defeat any
charters for new companies which would
divide any part of their traffic, yet they re-
fuse to furnish sufficient accommodations at
the hours when people are moving to and fro
We regret that one Senator should have
| put forward the doctrine that no more tracks
ought to be laid. Nothing could be more di-
rectly in the interest of the tramway mo-
nopoliss. The street car is the carriage of
the workingman. Snobbery and purse
pride has reached its height when complaint
is made at the jolting the luxurious occu-
pants OF carriages get when compelled to
cross the tracks over which weary millions
travel. That the masses should be COM
PEELED to walk or swing from straps in over
crowded cars in order that the few who use
carriages may escape few slight iolts is in
tolerable. What is urgently needed is
some two or three more street railways run
ming east and west, or else the removal en-
tirely of the tracks from the Avenue, so that
cabs and coaches may have clear field and
inducement to try and accommodate the ne
cessarY travail