Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-25
LOGIC.
1t is Not in the Direction of the
Public Interests.
BUT THE CHEAPEST MOTIVE POWER.
The Metropolitan Railroad Has Been
TnfIing With Congress.
THE PRESENT SITUATION,

Solicitor General Maxwell. who is Act
Ing Attorney General during the absence Of
Mr Oiney, said at o'clock today that the
communication Of the District COMMISSIONERS
calling his attention to the failure Of the
Metropolitan Railroad Company to comply
with the law compelling them to change
their motive power before last Saturday,
mad not at that time reached him. The only
knowledge that ne had on the subject was
what he obtained from the daily press,
and until the official papers reached him he
could not say what action the department
would take in the matter.
1t Is probable that the Department of JUS
torney Birney to bring action in the SUI
preme court Of the District of Columbia
against the Metropolitan Railroad for viO-
lation of the law.
Interest in the Matter.
Judging from the current Of conversation
on the street and where men meet who take
an interest in public affairs there is no
question that is attracting as much atten-
ri1h rsrosd az the Ts,s future of the Metropolitan
the area Of interest IN the part of the pub
lic was confined to that section that is
by the road to reach their business each
morning and to return to their homes in
the evening. the number Of citizens who are
In Its relation to the larger question that
applies to the whole city the present situa-
tion OF the road fs OF vital Importance to
prising. therefore. that the affairs Of the
company are being very generally dis
Perhaps it may be news to the COMPANY
and to those who, knowingly, have contrib
used to bring about the present condition Of
the conclusion. which. it is ingeniousiy
Claimed. Is the only logical outcome Of the
viii naSe ns%ey that
Permiss'on Fra11as T to the road to Introduce the
the first place. the road could not not be be
eguipped with the cable system, and, second
that that the underground trolley is not a prac-
are denied then the logical structure which
the railroad advocates have erected fall to
sne s,r Sro1nd. and the situation is reduced to
make a change In Its motive power made q
selection Of the storage battery car. II
then their Judgment was at fault in choos-
ing IL 70 make such an important expert
ment; nnd -, It was the mistake q the eomPany.
by that corporation in the same way that a
business firm meets the consequences of an
Those who take this view claim that IL
Is not right for the company to come In at
snsihs snis dste a., and try to make the public
the public have suffered and will continue
to sufier, for while those living along the
railroad are in the ENJOYMENT Of reni3 tr~na
sit, the victims Of the manaeemsnt OF the
Metropolitan railroad are compelled to en-
cars. 1t has long been the subject Of re.
since the experiments with the new motive
power have been going on the service given
by the road has actually degenerated II is
expressed that the company was endsavor-
ing to get public sentiment In such a state
trces viii be as an sVss sscape spe
from the conditions which this road has
imposed on it's patrons.
An Inquiry by Congress.
No doubt when Congress convenes a rigid
inquiry will be made into the character Of
the experiments made by the company
lieved that this will open up a field Of rich
and rare interest and a good deal Of infor..
Why the sas to s
upon the storage battery system and es.
,hsS sST built Ii hs r ss sn sRs Rs
cable or the underground trolley, system.
There are some facts which will greatly
to the first motor that was experimental
with and who owned It and who would
have been benefited II the motor had
of money that has been expended in these
experiments win, 1t is said, bring out some
is s a . common @ We error that these experiments
sum OF money realized from the sale OF the
been stated in The Star. Probably not
ys
with this motive power.
The plan is now. it is stated. to 60 before
Congress, laying stress on the efforts made
and If possible induce that body to allow
the the s hs wit r2sy h1s Il is hs ss a
animous backing of all the railroad COM
panies Of the city. and in addition the
In this connection it is singular that near
ly all the street railroads advocate the
sey as Thh hs bes IS Ss SYSTEM neafs
fact teaches Its own lesson and needs no
comment.
What May Be Done.
In the event that 1t is found that the SEN
timent Of the people Is stronger In Con-
gress than that Of the trolley combination,
Of time in order that they may go on with
experiments. 1t is probable. however, that
such a character as to enlist sympathy to
such a degree as to obtain such an import
ant concession; and then Congress will be
called to take action.
The situation will be comparatively
simple one. Congress can direct the COM
pany to put down the cable for it is known
that 1t can be done, and a map has been
prepared showing how the road can be
straightened and some of the curves taken
perior route to its present one, but Will
make the cable a practical success beyond
question. There are two more alternatives.
Either the company can be required to
adopt the underground trolley. which Is in
operation not only In this city, but else
where In this country and in Europe, or
else it can be compelled to 50 improve the
service by horses that a faster schedule
will be in force and more cars will be in
use.
No Stock Issued.
As has been stated in The Star neither
the Washington and Georgetown nor the
Metropolitan Company availed itself of the
privilege conferred by the law of 1880 to is
sue stock, in order to secure the money
needed to make the change in the motive
power Of the roads as required by that act.
The former company raised s., ,500OO by the
sale of bonds based on blanket mortgage
covering the entire property Of the COM
pany.
The Metropolitan has an authorized cap
ftal of one million Of dollars and up to
two years ago only three quarters Of
million had been issued There remained
In the treasury of the company, there
fore five thousand shares of the par value
were issued based on this stock and also
convertible In the stock. not however at
it's par value but at 800 per share. At this
valuation the stock in the company's treas
ury was and is valued at half million Of
If either Of the companies had availed
themselves of the privilege given In the
law and had issued stock. then 1t could not
have been sold at its par value or any 9th
market value. If the bonds of the
Netronolitan road could be converted