National Republican., 1883-11-07
A Schedule and Estimate Of the Value Of It's
Property and Franchises.
Its Contest Over the Special Improve
ment Tax Question.
The Progress Of Improvement in the Parts Of the City
Reached by lis Cars.
Dividends Earned and Pnid-Bcttcrments
and Extensions.


mile Of double track, judging from data fur
nished in the equity suit between the Belt
and Metropolitan companies, or a total cost OF
$24o,227o5. From May, 1868, to November,
1864, the price of rail iron advanced steadily
from $67.50 to S95 per ton. That would re-
quire estimating rails at 45 pounds per yard
20 5.7 tons per milo of single track, which
would, however, furnish rather heavier rails
than are used upon any street railway in the
district. The estimates made by both CON-
panies in the equity suit alluded to is for iron
at 800 per ton, and the calculation of the two
different engineers of the various items of cost
works out figures which nearly approximate
each other aud yield the result quoted above.
This mileage is distributed as follows
From the Georgetown terminus to tho end of
East Capitol street line, about FIVE miles, or
round trip Of ten miles; from the terminus of
the Ninth street line to the end of the Four
and-a-half street route, about three and one
alfmiles, or n round trip of seven miles; the
balance is along the Silver Spring and Con-
necticut avenue lines. Upon these various
lines there are seventy-two cars, in
Guiding ten or twelve extras, distributed
as follows Along the main line from
Georgetown to East Capitol terminus forty
cars, of which the through cars make seven
round trips daily; upon Ninth street, from
Boundary to tho wharf, via Four-and-a-half
cars make eleven round trips per diem, and
the remaining cars belonging to the road are
kept upon the Silver Spring and Connecticut
Avenue roads and for extra use as occasion
requires. The cars are built by John Stephen
son and cost about 5000 each.
The road owns three hundred and fifty
horses which for the most part are good, relia-
BILE animals and their strength is economical
by proportionate trips. The stables are situ-
ated, one near the Ninth street terminus on
the west side Of Seventh street, which is
reached by wheeling around theiBoundary and
thus connecting with the Silver Springs road,
the other at or near the P-street bridge. Con-
nected with this latter one are the offices,
mills, and various other buildings belong
ing to the road. The Metro
politan" pursues the same policy as
the washington and Georgetown"
with regard to selection and grinding of hay,
feed, &C., used by its animals. There are in
the employ of the company from seventy-five
to eighty men, including drivers stable men,
and other employees. The drivers are paid by
the trip and receive 50 for days work of
sixteen and one-half hours. They have
"days off," in which extra men are employed
at the same rates.
The district tax ledgers show the following
property standing in the name of the Metro
politan Railroad company:
lots q g. a. 49, Il, 10, 16, II, 1s, 49, and 90 square
H. assessed at AGO. and situated near the new
state department building. 1t was supposed the
government would purchase this a short time
since butit not doso Lots II ~ l3 l4 TO- l6, 17
g. z g. and east of square o. squares 126 and 2sl
iAolmcads subdivision TO Georgetown sfabput
eight acres) all of which is assessed at Sl6t52 and
the following in Washington county, Lots 10. 4G,
~. 40, 49, 90, OIL, and 62, Haws subdivision, nnd
platl5 on Seventh street, beyond Boundary.
This county property is assessed at $l4-
259, making total assessed valuation of S42-
901. The personal tax, as heretofore paid,
was upon o valution of 1915, ,010, and tho total
tax, real and personal, paid for the year end
ing 1882 was 80, 5S164. The personal tax for
the current year will be rated at par value of
the stock.
In common with the Washington and
Georgetown and the Columbia Railroad COM
panies, the Metropolitan is in court with the
district upon the subject of special improve
ment taxes. There are, however, some diff
ferent questions involved in this case, and
the contest is very nice ono. 1t will
have to be determined, among other things,
whether q corporatian which laid its tracks
after payements were completed is liable for
anything further than replacing it's portion OF
the carrlageway in good condition. Accord
ing also TO the letter of the president of the
road to Hon. l. G. Harris, chairman of the
congressional committee upon this subject,
there would seem to be peculiar hardships in
imposing tax which, with interest to date,
would, at the present rates of rail iron, more
than suffice to build the road.
The legal status of the case is rs follows:
Docket No. 22i57.
The District of Columbia VS.. the Metropolitan
Railroad company, for account, si6S, 2l6lb, A. q
Riddle. Nath. wilson
fled. SI'' ~ i'0"' D'''''A0n "'' n0'''0 10 p''a0
Jan. 4, 1881. Attendance of defendant by attor
March "a. 1881. Joinder of issue to first. De
murrer to second and third pleas filed.
March 26 1881. Ordered to be heard in general
term in first instance
Caendared,
April IL, 1881, Copies of record filed.
Jan. o. 1852. Demurrers to second and third
pleas sustained and cause remanded.
January, 1883. Note OF issue fled Calendared
Feb. 8, 1888. Amended declaration filed.
Tho conclusion of this action will be looked
for with keen interest not only by lawyers
but by the general community as we'll.
brief resume of the improvements which
have taken place along the various branches
of the Metropolitan railway within the pas
few years discloses some interesting facts
The main line extends from Georgetown t.
point on East Capitol street not far from
Lincoln park, the original design being t.
establish a rival route to the navy yard. Nc
doubt the possibility of such q competition
had something to do with the improved sani
tary conditions of the Washington and
Georgetown cars, which were in those day.
as notoriously dirty rs those of the Metro
politan were clean.
Looking TO the future, the policy of eXten
sion adopted by the Metropolitan road was {
necessity. Realizing that tho course o
almost all great cities has been westward thu
managers reasoned that Washington woulC
form no exception to the rule.
The Washington and Georgetown found III
travelling population already at hand; tn,
Metropolitan relied, and still depends, upon
the future.
The close of the civil war brought new lirt
TO oil that portion of the route especially
from the capitol to the treasury department
Large blocks Of commodions dwellings were
erected almost under the caves Of tho capito
building, and were purchased Immediately
by clerks and others. This was tho result o
local effort purely Our own citizens wer,
the originators of new Washington. The ole
capitol building, whilom prison, was trans
ferred into three elegant residences, and nj
the intervening space down to the foot of tn,
hill began to fill slowly but steadily with
permanent population.
L street soon loomed up as o business
thoroughfare. From end to end it commenced
to fill with the stores of thrifty business meI
and the offices of professional gentlemen. Oll
houses like the Hooes deserted their down
town quarters, recognizing the fact that a
no distant day the tread of business would b.
nOrthwestward, and 80, like Abraham, the,
bent their way 10 new country. The lead
ing newspaper correspondents established
their headquarters at the upper ent
of the street. Old dwellings with tn
mark Of time upon them began TO be remodele,
and converted into stores. Alas for "gabl
roofs" and quaint landmarks, they wer
doomed. Such old rookeres as stood upol
,.r ..,,lI 20 haxF al.