Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-12-23
Objects to the Mcmillan Street Rail-
rOad Bill.

In The Star of the 4th or 9Th instant
brief statement of the bill introduced by
Senator Mcmillan, providing for the in
corporation of street railway companies in
the District of Columbia, appeared. In
your issue of yesterday a comprehensive
statement of the provisions of this bill is
published. am glad you have done this.
think the light of discussion and analysis
should be turned onto this bill. 1t is a very
important measure to the people of the
District of Colupbia. If l understand it
1t is practically a free street railway law
for the District of Columbia.
Without undertaking to analyze this bill
thoroughly, even if L were capable of doing
so, L will call attention, with your per-
mission, to some of it's leading features.
The nrst section is full of promise. This
sectioh prohibits the Commissioners of the
District from permitting the construction
VI d railroad III either the streets or ave-
i-ues "itAout me consent thereto Oh
HAaJorlly III interest I'll lne oWiiers VI prop
eilJ upon sucn streets List peIl.s op.aIueu.
Inns ioohS wen Il, aS woUIu Seem the
implication, Lhe mdJorily interest Oh
eaIn street must De ODlaiIled.
but unfortunately Tor THIS protecting sec
tiou SERIOUS setpackS are gwen 10 IL Iur-
tnef OH.
Section 4 authorizes the incorporation of
COMPANIES On easy terms, the harueSt OF
winch Is the actual payment py me SOCK
holders OF one hundred doii4rs per mile to
the directors.
Then these companies. easily brought into
being, may construct ana operate their
railways ON the streets, provIued the con-
sent OF one-haIf III value or the property
ana the consent OF Congress lirsl OBJ
tanned. TINS is the provision OF section i.
Apprehending, naturally enough, that it
may De impossible to obtain the consent of
either a majority or OF one-half OF the prop
erty holders in interest, the bill provides
in the seventh section that in case the con-
sent OF the property owners, as required,
cannot be obtained, the company failing to
obtain such consent may apply to the Su-
preme Court of the District for the APP
pointment of three commissioners to de-
termine, after hearing OF all parties in
terested, where such railroad ought to be
constructed and operated.
These commissioners, within ten days
after their appointment, snail give public
notice of their first sitting, and may there
after adjourn from time to time until all
their business is completed Then, by
authority of section g. these commissioners
shall determine, after the public hearings.
whether such road ought to be constructed
and operated and shall make a report
thereon. together with the evidence, to the
court, and their determination that such
road ought to be constructed and operated,
confirmed by said court, shall be taken in
lieu of the consent of the property owners
before mentioned. Such report, too. shall
be made within sixty days after appoint
ment OF said commissioners, unless the
court shall for good cause shown extend
such time.
Here we have a bill which enables airy
number of persons, not less than thirteen,
to obtain n charter of Incorporation for
street railway company on declaring their
purpose. Neither the Dictrict ConTis-
sioners, nor the courts, nor Congress can
refuse the charter No discretion to re-
fuse limit modify. is lodged anywhere.
The filing of the articles of association
with the District Commissioners, after
compliance with certain easy formalities.
creates a completely endowed corpora ton.
Next we have this corporation endsavor-
ing to procure the consent Of one-h'lf OF
the property owners in interest along the
streets. That effort failing, The corpora
ton asks the Supreme Court of The Dis
trict to appoint three commissioners, who,
after hearings, shall report where such
railroad ought to be constructed. If these
commissioners report favorably. that ends
the power of opposition.
The earlier professions Of the bin relat-
ing to the consent are thus annihilated,
and not only are they annihila-ed, but the
work is done by rapid transit method.
Within sixty days any thirteen persons
may secure charter, secure routr and
obtain perfect vested rights, opposition
or no opposition, it is all the same. IL the
commissioners appointed by the court
should decide adversely to the corporation
nothing easier than to get three more, and
three more, until the right kind can be
had. There is nothing in the bill which pre-
cludes the corporation from asking. asking,
asking until ii receives what 1t wants. That
1t would be likely to embrace its clpor
tunities until it succeeded goes without
saying.
This free railroad bill, Mr.. Editor, opens
the door to a discussion of the policy
which ought to be adopted in regard to
street railways in the District. l want the
District to have every desirable facility for
travel But 1 venture the assertion that
the day is not far distant when the people
of this city will regret they ever admitted
rapid transit railways with its bounda-
ries. Complaints are made here and in
other cities against the steam railways
that pass into and through them. Yet the
modern electric or cable city passenger rail-
way is almost as dangerous in its rate of
speed, and very much more productive of
casualties. Without knowing the data,
venture to say the injuries and deaths
caused in the last year in Washington by
the one cable system far outnumber those
caused by the two great steam railway
systems within the city. Yet the latter
traverse considerable portions of populous
parts of the city.
again, though we Of the United States
know a great deal and are wonderfully
progressive, We ought not to assume that
we know rything. The people of Eu-
rope have considerable experience and
knowledge. This is particularly true of
England and France Yet in the great
cities of these two countries street rail-
ways are almost unknown. Rapid transit
surface roads would not be permitted in
London Paris at all. If they should be
there would be no limit to the number of
rival
their European sisters in population, wealth
and beauty. The ambition OF the city of
Washington, as shown by the immense
number of small lots laid out in the sur
rounding, is to become a great city. 1 am
told by a gentleman who made a calcula-
ton that when the lots unoccupied in the
city ard those in the surrounding country
are quilt upon, Washington will contain a
population of over 100000. What will be
the condition OF affairs in the business
streets, such as Pennsylvania avenue and
+ street and 18th and 9th, and such Others
as may have acquired business import
ance. when and if the city attains this
population? If such r situation be remote,
the argument of the promoters of new
street railways fails, because the present
accommodations are quite adequate to a
largely increased population.
Nor need there be fear of the want of
sufficient accommodations. The experience
of London and Paris testifies to this In
either city ample facilities exist and the
cost of carriage is not one-half of what II
! is here. IL Washington had no street rail-
ways at ALL the people would not be de-
prived of comfortable and convenient modes
of travel
The last suggestion l wish to make is
that this is a city of homes. The future of
/ Washington depends more on that which
/ will make it desirable in this respect than
upon any other feature of it's development
Now, there is nothing more certain than
this: II this city shall become gridironed
with rapid transit street railways as most
of the cities of the United States are many
of the people who have come here to have
and to eniOy their homes will move away