Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-12-19
GEORGETOwN's MERRY WAR
Bridge street Merchants and Their Fight
Against the street Railroad.

From present indications il looks as If the
merchants on VI or Bridge street who are af-
fected BY the frequent car blockades and the
Washington and Georgetown Railroad Com
Pany intend to fight each other az far as the
Supreme Court, if necessary. For those who
are not directly concerned the contest viii
probably prove interesting. Those merchants
DONG business to the west of High street say
That not only IL their trade injured during the
day by the blockade which almost always exists
there, but at night those occupying houses
along the route are prevented from sleeping
until sitter ~ o'clock by the loud changing of
the bells and the wells of the gripmen as the
One merchant. whose patrons are mostly from
the country, said this morning to STAR re-
porter that so many country teams had been
injured and smashed In front OF his
store by the sudden backing Of cars
and the inability of the drivers to ind enough
space 70 turn around in that several had told
HIM that they would no longer submit their
wagons to probable damage and had opened
accounts at other stores. Ii IL claimed that on
last Friday between and $50 o'clock IN
seven trains. or fourteen cars, were stretched on
one track from the companys Office to 31st
street. distance Of one and half squares. and
that traffic was delayed thereby to a very con-
siderable extent. When a committee repre-
seutiug these merchants made their complaint
10 The Commissioners and we're told that the
matter must be settled by the courts Congress
vas appealed 10. The appeal was published in
IHE STAR At the time, signed by three of those
who claim to be the most affected. This petit
tl0n was cut from the paper and posted con-
rpicuOusly in the receivers Office and beside it
placed a typewriter list OF the names of those
who signed the original complaint. Although
no remarks or instructions appear beneath the
moi of II
II as a sort Of boycott They say in
support Of this that none Of the COM
Panys employees have been seen to purchase
Of late from any of the posted ones.
Other incidents are cited by merchants as
evidence Of the iil-wiii they think the company
through Its representatives, bears toward the
complaining merchants. Whenever change has
been wanted by the business men in the
vicinity Of the company's Office. IL has been OBJ
teined from the receiving clerk Of the company.
A few days ago, IL Is stated. one of tho
prOtestant- went over TO be accommodated and
was told by the clerk that he had good deal
OF impUdence' e. ask for an accommodation
after having Joined In the complaints so siren
uoasly made against the company. at the same
time pointing to the li.t Of posted names. After
waiting on two or three conductors. however,
the change vas givon. When President Hurt
Was asked why the cars were not shifted and
placed when not In use on the company's prop
eTty, he replied that il al engineering i'm
possibility TO do so. The merchants commit
tee. however, after making q trip to Baltimore
aud examining the cable road there say that just
what Mr. Hurt states is impossible hero has
there been accomplished apparently without
The Indignation at the Washington and
Georgetown compsny's refusal to take their
cars Of the street and Cease disturbing the
merchants interests is increasing instead of
diminishing, and the affected say they will now
spare no pains or expense to compel the COM
pany TO remedy the evils complained Of They
see trade daily slipping away without making
a strong effort to retain it. il it costs hundreds
of dollars to do SO. They claim that the COM
pany ha, no right TO block the street, and fur
Their that their charter definitely fixes the
roads western terminus at 32d street and the
half square farther westward now occupied is
in direct violation thereof