Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-02-27
THE STREET RAILWAY DEAL.
Local Directors of the lexington Line Re-
sign and Are Substituted by New Men.


sign and Are Substituted by New Men.
There is no doubt now OF the identity Of the
purchasers of the Belt and the lexington
street railroads. Up to this time, as far as the
public knew positively the controlling interestin
these properties was owned by Mr.. Jno. r. Mclean
and Mr.. E. kurtz johnson respectively. 1t
was believed, and it was so stated in The STAR
at the time Of the purchase, which was the
9Th and 10th of the present month, that
these men were merely acting as the repre-
sentatives of outside capitalists. Now that the
reorganization of the lexington has been eff
fected and that of the Belt road will be made
tomorrow some information is made public
which confirms the most generally accepted
theory in regard to the transaction.
The designations of Messrs. E. Kurtz john
son, d. III. Warner and Joseph Paul as directors
Of the lexington railroad have been
accepted and their places have been
Munnikhuysen Of Baltimore. the president Of
what Is known as the Washington and Balti-
more Boulevard Company; Mr.. NJ. A. McCor-
mick OF Baltimore, the secretary and confiden-
tial man of Mr.. Munnikhuysen, and J. Kesley
Schoepf, the engineer of the company. Mr..
Munnlkhuysen has been chosen president.
THE BELT LINE TO REoRGANIzE.
1t is expected that tomorrow the reorganiza-
ton Of the Eelt road will be effected in
part and that Mr.. Munnikhuysen will be chosen
president of that company and such other
changes will be made in the directory as may
be convenient. The complete reorganization Of
these roads will be completed in the course of
the next few weeks. Horse cars will be at once
substituted for the storage battery cars on the
Ii street line of the lexington road and as soon
as possible preparations will be made to
build the extensions of the road along and ID
streets east as well as the other extensions which
this company has authority to build. In other
respects. however. the road will be run as here
tofore. There will be no change just now in
the method of running the Belt line and as far
as the public is concerned for the next few
months at any rate it will not be apparent that
either of the roads has changed hand. 1t is
not known whether the separate and distinct
organizations will be maintained or not, but
it is not unlikely that while operating the roads
through one management there will be two dis
tinct companies.
As has been stated in The STAR, the new
president of these roads will act in a representa-
tive capacity on behalf of great syndicate
which already controls good deal of street
railroad property in this country. Mr.. Widener
and Mr.. Elkins of Philadelphia are so generally
known in connection with this syndicate that
the syndicate has received their names.
EXTENT OF THE SYNDICATE.
The Wldener-Elkins syndicate is one of the
greatest combinations ever formed. and the
investments already in property of this
tions. In addition to the two men
whose names are mentioned and
who are known in Philadelphia men OF great
wealth, the combination includes such men as
ex-Secretary Whitney. Mr.. Lamont and other
well-known capitalists. Their holdings. it
is stated. now include control OF the car lines
in Philadelphia. number Of the important
roads in New York, Boston and Chicago. while
in Baltimore they control the traction sys-
TEN. which is virtually all the roads of
that city. The method Of managing these
great interests is of importance here.
In Baltimore, for example, they placed
at the head of the roads owned by them
Mr.. Edward Hambleton. a wel-known banker.
and man of wealth and standing in that COM
munity. The president of the proposed rail-
road between this city and Baltimore is Mr..
Howard Munnikhuysen, also a we,l-known citi-
of Baltimore. These as well as a few
others who are citizens Of Baltimore hold
block of stock and are therefore personally in
terested in financial management Of the prop
erty.
The members Of the syndicate, in connection
with the local capitalists, retain q control of
the stock, and as they are careful in the seec-
ton Of the men who represent them locally 1t
their interests, although they are spread over a
wide extent Of territory.
CHARTER FROM CONGRESS.
As is well known they have secured charter
from Congress for the building Of a railroad
through this District. The surveys for
this section of the road as far
as Hyattsville have already been COM
pleted by their engineer, Mr.. W. Kesley
Schoepf of this city. 1t is expected that the
road from this city to Hyattsville will be in
operation some time in August. Within the
District the line of this road will follow
that Of Rhode Island avenue extended as far
west as 4th street east. where it makes
connection with the lexington. No work
has been begun on the Baltimore end for the
reason that negotiations still in progress to
secure the control of the City and Suburban
railroad of Baltimore. 1t is stated that it is the
Intention al early day to build an electric
road connecting this city with Baltimore.