Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-02-23
STREET RAILROAD SYSTEMS
Mr.. Newlands Gives the House District
Committee His Views.
He Believes fn a Railroad Clearing
House-suburban Roads Ought to
Have a City Entrance.

The question of the proposed clearing
house system for suburban and city street
railways came before the House District
committee this morning for a brief bearing
1t was presented by Mr.. Francis G. New
lands, who is member of Congress from
Nevada, and is president of the Rock Creek
Railway Co.
Mr.. Newlands stated that as yet the Rock
Creek road is a suburban one but the
clearing house system for railroads, if
adopted, will give this road access to the
city. He announced that he had no hostil-
ity to the Metropolitan Railway Co., but on
the contrary believes that the Metropolitan
company has been harshly used and he will
not vote TO enforce the judgment against
Ii. He also believes that the Metropolitan
company is harshly used in the matter of
requiring the company to change its mo-
tive power. This would cause a complete
reorganization of the road and necessitate
the expenditure of 1,500,0O0 more. Con-
gress has compelled this company to
change its motive power; the cable system
is impracticable on account of the curves,
the storage battery has proven a failure
and Congress prohibits the company using
the overhead trolley.
Mr.. Newlands recounted the experience OF
the Rock Creek Railway Company with its
underground road within the city limits. II
has proven satisfactory so far, but whe lher
ii would do so on the roads in the heart OF
the city, where the traffic is heavy, has been
questioned; however. air. Neyiands believes
that IL will be success. The success of II
depends solely upon insulation and he thinks
that insulation can be perfected.
Needs OF the People.
Mr. Newlands then described to .he com.
mittee the suburban development Of Wesh.
ington and to what extent rapid transit af
fects that. The question now is, he Gaid
how can the road get into the city. He Ia.
no right, he said, to ask the right Of way
for his road simply because he has invested
in it, but because the people who live in th'
suburbs have a right to get access 10 tn
city.
The question for Congress TO settle il
whether We shall nave u trunk line in tn
city to accommodate the suburban road
that wish to get into the city, and whethe
that trunk line shall be one of the road
already established or q new road As IA
as he is concerned he thought that IL woul,
| be to the benefit of the established roads L
absorb the traffic of the suburban lines; h
| thought that a great business Is ahead o
such plan.
In answer to a question Mr.. Newland
said he would be willing to bring his car
down Connecticut avenue on the Metropol
| itan tracks. or down 9th street, II a uniform
system of motor can be adopted. If rail
roads are to be controlled at AL, either b,
in the nature of clearing house system
should be adopted, that no road in the cit,
| should be permitted TO use a motor whicl
cuts off other roads from the joint use o
/ its tracks.
THE time has come when We must have
harmonious system Of street railroads II
/ Washington" said Mr. Newlands. ..Th
best method would be the consolidation o
| the next best thing is regulation by tn
Commissioners"