Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-10
THE LEXINGTON LINE.
The Commissioners Discuss the Trolley
Question In a Report to the President.

The Commissioners Discuss the Trolley
| Question In a Report to the President.
| The Commissioners today made a report to
the President on the bill to amend the charter
OF the lexington and Soldiers Home Railway
Company, recommending its favorable consid-
Grafton and approval.
In their letter to the President they saw:
The Commissioners have to make the follow
ing report respecting House bill 975s. entitled
An act to amend the charter of the lexington
and Soldiers Home Railway Company Of
the District OF Columbia, which was
referred to them, with the letter Of
the Attorney General on the subject. at your
instance for their report "a TO whether they
know Of any objections to its approval. Be
fore forming their opinion in the matter they
considered the objections presented 10 the ac-
companying letter of the Attorney General
and gave a hearing to officers of the road in
order to get all the information they could as
TO the purpose of tine proposed measure.
THE EXTENSION OF THE TROLLEY PRIVILEGE.
The first proposed amendment in the bill is
designed to extend for two years from the LIST
Of July, 1898, the right of said company to use
overhead wires in its operations within the
city of Washington. which, under exist
ing law, will expire on that date.
The Commissioners are satisfied that the pre-
pursuance OF puDuc sentiment In THIS COM
munity Is iniInical to the use of overhead wires
as part Of the traction plant of street
railways, and themselves Of the
opinion that the system should not only
not be extended, but should be discontinued
as soon as NAV be with due consideration for
public convenience. The overhead wire system
of this railroad extends over that portion of it's
line between the intersection OF It'll street
and New York avenue northwest and the
northern extremity Of the line at Bunker Hill
road and 4th street east. II the company il
not allowed to retain the existing overhead
wires temporarily at least it must, for
economical reasons, resort to horse power,
which they authorized to this
part of the road by the act of June 10. 1888 CO.
50 Stats-at-Large. vol. %, page 1907. The
COMMISSIONERS. in view Of the large amount
OF money invested in the present electric
plant used in the operation of this por-
ton of the road, Of the opinion
that dIscoutinuance Of its use and the conse
quent resort to horse power would only en-
barrass the company without advantage to the
public. To recommend adverse action upon
this proposed amendment would be in effect to
advise the substitution Of horse power for over
head wires and this the Commissioners are not
prepared to do.
The Commissioners recommend favorable
action upon the second proposed amendment
respecting the construction Of the road beyond
18th street
THE HORSE QUESTION.
with respect to the third proposed amend
ment that the word steam be substituted for
the word horse in the prohibition against
horse power in the fourth proviso of the first
section o; the act of July 5. 1892
To amend the charter of the lexington
and Soldiers Home Railroad Company the
Commissioners are OF the opinion that in view
of the fact that the portion of the route
to which said prohibition against the use
of hnr. onplra llx- in
psratively thinly settled section of the city
which mechanical motor of any kind at
present known, except an overhead trolley
system. could be economically used, the road
would never be constructed III the face OF the
inevitable commercial loss to its owners
which would result from an attempt to
construct and Use the cable or storage system
and the much needed street railroad facilities
for this section would be long deferred. at least
until II shall have been demonstrated that
some of the mechanical motors other
than those operated through overhead wires
are sufficiently reliable and economical to be
practicable. The Commissioners satisfied
that tine expense attending the storage battery
and cable systems would be prohibi-
tory of the construction Of this part of the
road and that no underground trolley system
whose utility has been demonstrated would be
acceptable to Congress the community. The
underground system in use at Buda-Pesth is
operated through a slot an inch and quarter
or more wide. An aperture of this width
in our streets would be an insuprrable
objection to its adoption here, where the
width of the wheel tires of most of the
ordinary vehicles is much less This width
of the tires where this system is used is
caught IN the slot.
'ln conclusion. the Commissioners are OF the
opinion tina: the interest of the public would be
SUBSCRIBED by your approval OF the Dill.