The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1892-04-13
LIKE AN OLD-TIME JOB.
An otEnHEAD D. NM ScHEnfE !sssEffs
:" zHROU0H.THE HOUSE, IS 4

An utERBEAD D. nm 4CHErGe sss.sEfts
zHROU0Hl1HE HOUSE, W
ALMOST Unsss~oss VOTE to r.r.is wash.
H.sssssn Railroad to 1Gav Teu, nhes OF
streets. n spite sf Previeus Laws
| Aeainst strinsisG Wires Overhead.
wAsHrNoroN. April 12~-An old-fAshioned
Congressional job. such hs have made many
previous Congresses notorious. appears to
have developed In the House OF Represents
tives yesterday. TWAS ths day known in psr-
liamentary phraseo1oey as "District OF Colam-
bia day." Under the rules Of the House GER
tain days each month nrs sat apart forthe con-
sideration OF such measures as are brought
forward by tho District Of Columbia Commit
tec Several bills had been passed yesterday
when Nr. Heard of Missouri called up a reso.
luton. which had been favorably noted upon By
tho committee. providing that the Metropolitan
Street Hallway Company should have an extern
| sion OF the limit OF time fixed under q previous
| net OF Congress for changing the motive
| power III the road and doing away with the
horses that now move tho cars. The discus
sion on the resolution led to q general assault
upon this railroad company for the wretched
service which 1t renders and. after various
| congressman had aired the grievances which
they have borne In silence for many years and
told how they were compelled to stand at all
times in the cars. obtain transfers in the open
streets. and waste an hour or moro In getting
| from ono point In The city to another. an
amendment. offered by Mr.. Cultivate OF Ohio
was adopted. providing that hereafter no fare
should ba collected OF passenger not fur
nished with n seat
The adoption Of this amendment was great
surprise. as tho outrageous crowding OF WASH
inGton street cars has been complained OF for
many yenrs In and out OF Congress without
hiur faNu
moments afterward. however. for on motion
Of Mr.. Washington Of Tennessee. and without
oven the formally OF q division. another
amendment was adopted allowing the road to
use overhead electric wires. Tho reason for
the great surprise caused by this amendment
is that in 1883 Congress enacted u law pro-
vidlng that from and after the date mentioned
In the act no overhead wires should be erected
within the limits Of the city Of
head wires then in existence should he re:
m1yed. Their, , Il only one suriacs railroad
hea1l wires. and that line has arranged TO sub
stitute the storage battery system within
iolows% ths law VIII 10 nnssher oo Psssei
year or two ago providing that on or before
District Of Columbia sh"Mid abolish .horss
w sa1s %as s.asTGnes eT W
city prepared to change their motive power:
deorxstown: and from PspusyIsania svonue
In the suburbs. q dis aoce Of about eight NILES.
and tho work has just been com pleted. An |
syIvsnia e avenu" at Iesrteenth street. and the
company expects to have cable cars running |
taa the nse thy sys ssans on Ars sT TS
other OF the two extensive lines made prerara-
lions for adopting the storage battery system;
In Georeetown. at the western end "i its line.
and had practically demonstrated the utility
however to complete its ARRANGEMENTS within
the time specified in the law. and SO it came to
In he e, tx et That public
In Washington Is nnaninousiy onGosed to the
81 Of ns
prohibiting the use Of overhead wires, for
Ppe the SG prsese tns
Of
city FOR about Ave miles east and west and the
men t sdopted 9estsrday S Wss all the moSe
trend st Who aaSssSd r.
Columbia. promptly repudiated tho PROPOSE.
az to fnfnrsS the
troduced the original resolution granting an
nothing whatever about the movement in
favor OF the overhead srstem. In fact. every
body is SURPRISED. apparently. and yet the
was adopted without serious or
1ns
be surprised. and they might well be. because
he last official document sent to Congress on
the subject OF tho proposed change OF motive
power states that the engineer 81 the road has
reported that the storage battery has been
demonstrated to be complete success. and
that the company has spent q very large sum
Of money In erecting one OF the largest storage
p IN nnd that
few months more for perfectng details.
Those who were instrumental in having the
overhead wires amendment adopted. however
DID their work very quietly and very shrewdly.
the Senate. That body has time and again
wires in tile District of Columbia. and it is
not likely that II will change its opinion now.
city OF Washington are its broad. we'll paved.
and wel-shaded streets and avenues. and
ms we'll Us sidonts nre. as q
rule. strongly opposed TO having tho beauty Of
slectrical wires. Senator Edmunds was the
Underground. and to abolish horse power for
,trset cHEs and ". was the author Of tho law
lighting companies are now putting the wires
rolley street car system In the city Is being |
orced to change its motive power; There, Is
lnder the. storage battery system. and it 10
thought that Its great expense as compared
!ith the overhead wire and gable systems is
he paramount reason why tho Metro politan ,
Inc does not wish to adopt II.