Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-04-12
A SURPRISE ALL AROUND.
Members of Congress and Citizens on TIN
Overhead Wire Amendment.

SURPRISE ALL AROUND.
Members of Congress and Citizens on the
Overhead Wire Amendment.
The action of the House yesterday afternoon.
as stated in The STAR, in regard to the Metro
politan railroad was considerable of a surprise
to put it in the mildest form Of which the En-
glish language is capable. The bill upon which
the surprises were tackled with wre-woven
tacks was the well-known extension Of the time
one year during which the Metropolitan
road would be obliged to change its
motive power. 1t was expected that the
bill would be passed without any great
| amount of trouble but it hardly
| expected that the measure would be SO altered
that Mr.. Pearson would require an introduce
ton and members of the District committee
would pass by their child OH the street without
recognition. That the House should have
agreed 20 Mr.. Outhwaites amendment requir-
ing the road to furnish a seat to every passen-
ger or else collect no fare not especially
surprising. as the temper of many of the leg
isators has been sorely tried in this particular
during their daily trips to and from the
Capitol.
THE OVERHEAD WIRE AMENDMENT.
But that the House without warming and
without discussion should agree to an amend
ment allowing the road to put on the overhead
troliy system was both surprising and startling.
In view OF the former action Of Congress on
the subject, forbiGding the erection of over
head wires within the city limits. and taking
into consideration the Importance of legisla-
ton opening the doors for unlimited trolly
systems, 1t IL little less than remarkable th;A
the amendment should have been agreed to
without even SO much as a division.
FULL rEXr'oF THE AMENDMENT.
The full text of the amendment as adopted 10
as follows:
Resolved, DC, That the time within which
the street railroad companies awaiting them
selves OF the privileges granted by the act
making appropriations to provide for the ex-
pense for the government of the District OF
Columbia, and approved Angus. g. 1890, SO far
as i. applies to the metropolitan railroad, is
hereby extended for one year Rom the date OF
the passage of this act; provided that over
head wires may be used in propelling the cars
by electricity on plan to be approved by the
Commissioners of the District OF Columbia:
Provided, That within thirty days from the
passage of this act said Metropolitan Railroad
Company shall increase its service to such an
extent that it will no longer be necessary Tor
any Of its passengers TO stand up, and no fare
shall be collected for any passenger in any OF
its cars until furnished with a seat therein.
1t is the opinion of many persons interested
III District legislation that the action was es-
pecialiy untinIely, coming without report from
the District committee and withoutany request
from the railroad company, which seems to
have every confidence in the success of the
storage battery system.
MR.. wAsHISGroN's VIEWS.
Mr.. Washington, who moved the amend
ment has strong ideas on the question and his
views can be stated shortly. He believes that
the storage system is q failure at present and
that it will be failure twelve months from
now. He wants improved facilities and wants
them at once. Extension OF time in which to
experiment with storage batteries would sim
pig be waste OF time, he holds Tho overhead
system, he claims, is II success, is not danger
Gus and might as well be put in at once as to
wait twelve months
Mr.. HEMPHILL SURPRISED.
The amendment had no Endorsement from
the District committee. The matter of allow
ing overhead wires was not even suggested to
the committee by any one in the disc ussions
over the bill. Mr.. Hemphill In speaking of the
action of the House to STAR reporter SAID
that 1t was as much of a surprise to the COM
mittec as TO the outsiders Tho committee had
not considered the subject OF overhead wires
and in view OF the fact that the railroad company
| had confidence in the storage system he thought
! the action OF the House had been I'M
| timely. In case OF the failure of the stor-
age system on the line and as between
| going back to horse cars Mr.. Hemphill re-
marked that he would be in favor OF an over
head system, but the time for this he thought
| had not come. Speaking generally OF the
overhead system Mr.. Hemphill thought that
much Of the opposition over the country
| against the system WAS dying out and such lines
| were being put up In places where formerly
| there had been violent opposition. Speaking
| of the no seat no fare provision Mr.. Hemphi!l
said that it was matter OF extreme difficulty
| to defend the railroad in the matter, but that
he feared that any legislation such as contained
in the bill, would be found to react on the pub
lie in way which would not be relished
MR. uEARp's VIEWS
| Mr.. Heard. who introduced the original res
olution and is chairman OF the subcommittee
ON railroads, talked freely about the amend
ments to a STAR reporter. The overhead
wire amendment" he said, was an entire sur
prise to the District committee and to himself.
The original resolution was an entirely just one.
as the company he'd clearly shown that it had
used all possible diligence in the effort to make
the change OF power within the specified time.
That they had failed was through no fauit Of
theirs, owing TO iniunctions and other tedious
delays outside Of any mechanical difficulties.
Ia regard to the motive power the road had
selected the method which after investigation
seemed the only practical one. Experts had
examined the limo and decided that cable
would be impracticable. The company had
spent S250, 600 in perfecting and putting In a
plant for a storage battery system aud had
commenced their experiments even before the
bill was passed compelling them to change the
power. ssi-
+ THE AMENDMENT Rad POLICY.
II am NOT prepared to say" confined Mr..
Heard, that believe entirely that the stor-
age system will prove successful, and withou,
doubt the meat successful electric systera TO-
4 dny - inc nserihssd wires, but in view Of the
NJ thxf ~ e3nRany 10 confident Of the ulti-
\ nsoe sdcfe4 pf ,tife storage system fhas they
have asked no change and have spent large
sums IN perfecting he syst<n, Surkinr q
pioneora oonsidsr Y srirsmely, bsd poliey
e. sssseh On snsudmsat ssvas sdd = r.