Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-12-30
THE ROCK CREEK RAILROAD.
Hearing Before the District Commissioners
Today.


A Hearing Before the District Commissioners
Today.
ElGHTEENTH STREET PROPERTY HOLDERS AND
RESIDENTS OBJECT TO THE PROPOSED RourE-
SUGGESTED cHASGE-DIscUssrSe THE CUES
TON OF TRANSFERS, MOTIVE POWER, ETC.
. Pursuant to their advertisement the Com
missioners devoted a large portion OF this
morning to hearing on house bill 1854. which
has for its object the amending OF the charter
of the Rock Greek Railway Company. The bill,
as stated in TIE STAR, allows the company TO
run its tracks as follows:
Beginning at the intersection Of 18th street
north and Florida avenue. thence south along
18th to street north. thence east along TO
18th west, thence south along 18th TO l street
north, thence east along to 18th street west,
thence south along 18th street to Pennsylvania
avenue, and also beginning at the intersection
OF street north and 14th street west, thence
east along U to 10th street west, thence south
along 10th to T street north, thence
east along I to Florida avenue. thence along
Florida avenue to New Jersey avenue, thence
southeasterly along New Jersey avenue to ID
street north" There were present at the hear
ing Messrs. Francis G.. Newlands president Of
the company; Edward j. Stellwagen. the vice
president; Gen. A. ]. Warner, superintendent;
"; h; Scheppf, engineer; Col. Wright and Mr..
John T. Arms.
OBJECTIONS TO THE BILL
The latter was the only oDjector present, al
though Commissioner Douglass read several
petitions against the road. One of these petit
tons came from the residents and property
owners OF 18th street, who thought the street
too narrow to accommodate railroad.
Mr.. Arms said, when the objectors to the bill
were called for, that his objections were con-
tanned in the petition read by Commissioner
Douglass.
IN FAVOR OF THE BILL.
Mr.. Francis G. Newlands then spoke in favor
Of the bill, giving in detail an outline of what
the road had done and what it expected to do.
He said that already the company had shown
its good faith by expanding over S2C0. 600 in
grading, and had contracts let for bridges
sfses a sns as' 5Gss and The
he said. would be running about
the LIST of June next Mr.. Newlands
then explained the desirability Of the road and
the route as proposed. He was not welded to
any one route so long as the company bad
main object Of the road, he added, was to get
from the center Of the city q direct line to the
Geological Park.
THE QUESTION OF TRANSFERS.
Commissioner Douglass desired to know il
| any provision had been made for transfers from
other roads.
The conversation drifted then to the genera
subject Of transfers.
Commissioner Ross desired to know if the ex
isting tracks of the Metropolitan railroad or
| 18th street or the Washington and Georgetown
| tracks on 18th street could not be utilized:
Mr.. Newlands said that he had conferred viii
gentlemen interested in both companies anc
found that there was considerable opposition t
any such arrangement.
Gen. A. ]. Warner, the superintendent of tn,
road, explained the route and exhibited q may
showing the lines as at present decided upon
and the route proposed.
Col. Robert asked if the company proposed
to lay double track, and if SO who would
widen the street.
Mr.. Douglass said that a way out of the diff
Guilty might be for the company to run up on,
street and down the other.
Gen. Warner said this was impossible, as tht
cost would be too great.
THE MOTIVE POWER.
Col. Robert inquired what motive power
would be used, and Gen. Warner said tina
outside Of the city limits the overhead eiec
trio system would be employed. Inside O
| the city the motive power had not been de
cided upon.
Col. Robert said he was in favor of the stor
age battery system and believed it was only
matter Of few months before q system O.
storage batteries would be perfected.
ADvIsABILITY OF A cRoss-TowN ROAD.
A general discussion followed on the needs o
Washington for additional railroad facilities
and the conversation drifted to the advisabilit,
of a cross-town road.
Commissioner Ross called attention to tn,
fact that at present the High School had NJ
railroad facilities from the east. All presen
agreed that cross-town road along stree
would be the most acceptable.
Mr.. Douglass said that he was of the opinion
| that this was the most desirable street for
cross-town railroad to pass over, DIS it was prae
| tically straight and did not interfere with an,
| circles. 1t was thought that the road. as pro
posed, interfered with the route proposed b,
the East and West Washington traction rail
road.
The bill was sent for and it was discovered
that the routes were entirely different, save be
tween the Baltimore and Ohio depot and tn,
Capitol along New Jersey avenue.
PROPOSED CHANGE OF ROUTE.
| Mr.. Newlands called attention to the fac
that as there was no objectiSl to any portion
of the road save along that part of the rout
! on 18th street between Q and r the Com
missioners approve all the remainder of tn
| road and allow the company to further amen,
| by coming down 18th street as far as s. theme,
east along to 18th, and down 18th to connec
with the proposed tracks on L street.
The Commissioners promised to give tn,
matter careful consideration before reporting