Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-07-22
TODAY.
The Time Allowed the Metropolitan
R. R. to Change Its Motive Power.
lSO SAYS ATTORNEY THOMAS.
His Opinion on the Law and the
Date.
w H 1T WILL RESU LIT?

The attorney for the District in an opinion
rendered to the Commissioners today holds
that the time within which the Metropolitan
Railroad Company is required to dispense with
horses as . motive power expires today. This
several days ago, because they we're not certain
Of the exact time. The opinion Of Attorney
Thomas is as follows:
To the Honorable Commissioners.
Gentlemen: By your letter Of the 21st instant
you request my opinion when the time granted
by Congress to the Metropolitan Railroad Com
psny BY act Of July %, 1892, expires
whether today or some time In August
next The joint resolution Of Congress
extending the time In which the street rail-
road companies in the District availing them
selves Of the privileges granted by the District
appropriation bill approved August 8. 1890,
shall change their motive power declares
that so far as it extends to the Met
ropolitan railroad. it is hereby extended for one
year. from the date Of the passage Of this act
provided that so fast as the cars now building
are equipped with storage batteries they shall be
started, and that pending the change the pres
ent equipment shall be pushed forward, ,keptand
maintained in good conditions, and and failure
to conform with any of the foregoing require
ment asto equipment shall render the said
Metropolitan Railroad Company liable to
= uu0 u HOt cXCccUIuS 1<O IOt OuCu
day so in default, to be recovered by the
Commissioners Of the District Of Columbia as
other fines are recovered in the District
of Columbia. The act Of March 6, 1880,
referred to in the joint resolutions, de-
clares that any street railway company availing
itself Of the privilege OF changing its
motive power in accordance with the provisions
of law may issue stock to meet the cost OF the
srme, and that any company availing itself Of
the privilege therein granted shall within two
years fully dispense with horses as
motive power on all portions OF its
vided for in the act making appropriations for
the District Of Columbia, approved March 2,
1889. or pneumatic other modern motive
power which shall be approved by the
Commissioners Of the District OF Columbia,
provided that il any such company. operating
or West Washington to and beyond the Capitol
grounds. shall fail to substitute for horse power
the power therein provided for on all its lines
within two years from the date Of this act, such
company shall forfeit its corporate franchise.
The legal effect Of the joint resolution was
to extend the time within which the Metro
politan Railroad Company should dispense
with horses as motive power for one
year from July %, 1892 The two provisos
In said joint resolution do not effect the
question OF a change OF motive power, but
simply require the Metropolitan Railroad Com
equipped with storage batteries. to place them
on the road, and that pending the change from
horse power to other motive power the equip
ment OF the road shall be put, kept and MAIN
tanned in good condition and any failure to
comply with the requirements as to equipments,
render the company liable to a fine Of not ex-
ceeding S25 for each day it fails to keep the
equipment OF its road to the standard required
by the joint resolution.
NV opinion is the time within which the
Metropolitan Railroad Company 10 required to
dispense with horses as a motive power expires
today. Very respectfully,
s. 7. THOMAS. Attorney ID. G.
viii Take Action Monday.
The opinion Of Attorney Thomas relative
to the forfeiture Of the Metropolitan Rail-
road Company was not discussed at the board
meeting this afternoon. The Commissioners,
however. all agreed that on Monday they would
take official action In the premises and call the
attention of the Attorney General to the matter.