Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1890-07-01
DISCUSSING STREET RAILWAYS.
Senators Talk Over the Proposed Re-
duction OF Fares on Prosperous Lines.

The Senate late yesterday afternoon took up
the conference report on the District appro-
priation bill, and discussed it for D. ort time
Adjournment, however, stopped the debate in
its infancy and the bill went over The debate
yesterday was on the clause relating to street
railways in the District The Senate, it will
be remembered added a clause to the original
House bill providing 'that any street railroad
company in the District of Columbia now author
lied to run cars by horses which shall change
its motive power on any Of its lines TO cable or
electricity, in accordance with the provisions
OF law, shall have the right to issue stock for
an amount equal to the cost of making said
change, said amount to be approved by the
Commissioners Of the District Of Columbia"
AS ELABORATED BY THE coNFKREEs.
The conference committee when they
reached this amendment added to it considers
bly,. The above clause was made to read
that any street railroad company in the Dis
trlct OF Columbia authorized to run cars drawn
by horses, which has changed or may change
IT'S motive power On any of Its lines now con-
structed to cable or electricity. or change its
rails In accordance with the provisions of law,
shall have the right to issue and sell, at the
market price thereof, stock of said company to
an amount necessary to cover the cost OF max
ing said changes, the cost of said changes and
the amount OF said stock sold, together with the
price per share, to be fully set forth, under the
oath of the president of said company, and
filed with the Commissioners of the District
And any company avaiing itself Of the privi-
isge herein granted shall, within eighteen
months, wholly dispense with horses as motive
power on all portions of its line and substitute
therefor the power provided for in the act
making appropriations for the expenses Of the
government Of the District of Columbia, ap-
proved March 2, 1889, or other modern motive
power which shall be approved by the Com
missioners of the District OF Columbia, not in
volying the use OF overhead wires"
PROPOSED REDUCTION OF FARES
Still another section was added by the con-
ference committee and this section is the bone
of contention The added section provides
that any street railroad company in the Dis
trict, which, during the calendar year 1882 paid
dividends on its capital stock exceeding 10 per
centum OF the face thereof shall hereafter sell
eight tickets for twenty-five cents, good for q
passage over its entire line.
OPPOSED BY MEssRs. SHERMAN AND EDMUNDs.
Mr.. Sherman opposed this section most de-
cidediy. He thought the provision calculated
to bankrupt any road to which it was applied.
The clause, he thought, simply meant confsca-
ton OF property, and the conference committee
should reconsider the report.
Mr.. Edmunds made the point that the matter
mad nothing to do with an appropriation bill.
ltwas simple legislation. He didn't care a snap
for corporations which neglected the interests
OF the people, but he believed in justice.
Mr. PLUMB's EXPLANATION.
Mr.. Plumb in defending the action Of tho
conference committee said the first section of
the amendment was originally inserted at the
request of Mr.. Sherman, while in last years
appropriation bill general legislation in regard
to street railroads inserted through the
efforts of Mr. Edmunds. The Washington and
Georgetown road, he continued is issuing
bonds for changing its horse power into cable
and had made these bonds convertible in stock.
The price OF these bonds ran up to $50 and some
body made enormous profits Congress should
not shelter a speculation of that kind. The
conference committee considered that when
a road was making 10 per cent the time had
come for 1t to share some Of its profit with the
public. He did not believe the road would be
ruined, but on account of the increased travel
the revenues would be enhanced
The presiding officer MIR. Ingalls, ruled that
MIR. Edmunds' point Of order did not apply to
conference report, the Senate coul reject
the report The bill at this point went over.