Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-12-21
As to street Railway Transfers.

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
Referring to the article In last even
irg's Star on the subject of the discon-
tinuance of transfer arrangements between
the Washington and Georgetown railroad
and the lexington and Soldiers Home
railroad, 1t may not be inappropriate to
call the attention of the patrons of the
two roads, and OF the public generally, to
recent statute touching the matter. By
section of the act of August 2, 1894 (ch.
1S9, % Stats, 2lS), 1t is provided that 1.-The
metropolitan Railroad Company is hereby
authorized and required Immediately to
make reciprocal transfer arrangements
with street railroad companies whose
lines now connect with its lines. and to
furnish such facilities therefor as the
public convenience may require" After
providing for trackage arrangements with
connecting roads upon the completion of
the underground electric system, the sec
ton continues: provided. that every
street railway company in the District OF
Columbia whose lines connect. or whose
lines may hereafter connect, with the
lines. of any other street railway company,
Is hereby subjected to the same require
ments as to transfer and trackage arrange
ments, and upon similar conditions, as i'll
this section provided in the case of the
Metropolitan Railroad Company, and the
lines connecting herewith"
While there may be difference of opinion
as to the meaning of the word connect"
whether ii means "coinciding WITH
crossing" or otherwise, certainly the
lexington road connects" with the
Georgetown road at the terminus of the
former, at 18th and street, as much as
the Brightwood road connects with the 9th
street line or the eth street line. In any
event, Notwithstanding the act directs
that reciprocal transfer arrangements be-
tween connecting roads shall be made lin
mediately," the public have not yet been
given the benefit of any such arrange
mentS. This matter should have the at
tention of the committees on the District
of Columbia in Congress, and the RESPONSE
bility for failure to carry out the provisions
of the section referred to (Which, unfor-
tunately, carries no penalty fixed.
The attention of the public, especially OF
those opposed to overhead trolley roads in
the District, should also be called to the
fact that the right of the lexington road
to use the trolley within the city limits
that Is, on New York avenue, will expire
on the LIST of July next. GIG Stats, rs,
amended by - Stats, 4I4, extending the
time two years, from 1898 to 1892 AS the
lexington company is a penurious corpo-
ration, without any such enterprise as has
made the Washington and Georgetown
stock so valuable, il may therefore be ex-
pected that it will make application to the
present Congress for further extension
of time within which to maintain this dan
gerous and unsightly system, with it's &C
companying cobble-stone paved streets.
Forewarned should be forearmed.
The lexington company, as all It's Inwill-
ing patrons know, gives very unsatisfac-
tory service, and 1T is time that, instead CT
being granted more privileges, it should be
compelled to live up u the provisions of its
charter. 1t has built branch road on
North Capitol STREET from New York ave-
nue., connecting with it's G street line at
New Jersey avenue and G street, replacing
a newly-laid asphalt pavement by cobble
stones between it's tracks, but has not yet
condescended to run cars thereon, although
the service is badly needed and the act
of February 13. 1893 CT Stats, 445), pro-
vides that the branch line should be In OPP
Grafton by July ) last. it obtained per-
mission, or was directed by the Commits
sioners, to erect a transfer station at 9th
street and New York avenue year or
more ago, but has not yet done so; 1t does
not run it's cars half as frequently as the
requires, but attempts to make up for an
insufficient number of cars by running al
an illegal rate of speed; Ii has built, by
what authority is not apparent an un-
slightly shed in the center of the street
over the terminus of the experimental
road on its right of way at North Capitol
and streets; 1t has so far failed to pave
between it's tracks on North Capitol street
from New York avenue TO o street, al
though that far the street Is asphalted on
both sides of it's tracks; 1T refuses to trans
fer with the Belt line at 4th street and
New York avenue, though both roads are
owned by the same parties. AS this road
is owned by a Philadelphia syndicate,
which is here simply for what 1t can make
out Of the people of Washington, a little
severe handling, similar to that the Metro
politan company has received from Con-
gress. might have a beneficial effect. A
former patron, l now never Use the road
except in bad weather, as / can walk from
home to office In less time than I can ride,
under it's present exasperatpgly SLOW
schedule and inconvient system of changes.
Many other former patrons, like me, dis
gusted with the lexington road manage
bent, think that If the Herdic Company
would put a few of its coaches to parallel
this line they would be well patronized.
NORTH CAPITOL.