Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-09-04
BY WHAT AUTHORITY
President Dunlop Writes a Letter to
Commissioner Powell.
THE RIGHT TO STOP THE CABLE CARS.
Capt. PoWeIl's Order is Character.
lied as Usurpation.
SOME SHARP LANGU AGE

What promises to be lively controversy
between the Commissioners Of the District
and the Washington and Georgetown Rail-
road Ccmpsny has just come to light.
Briefly, 1t is regarding the stopping of the
company's cars during parades.
The first tilt occurred the night of the a.
Illuminated parade. Capt. Powell was on
Pennsylvania avenue. and believing the
&C mpany. in running its cars was jeopar-
dizing the lives of pedestrians. sent tele-
phone message to the central power house
ordering the engines to stop.
The engineer refused to obey. Then Capt.
Powell sent word to police headquarters to
send officers and stop the operation of the
road during the passing of the procession.
This was done. The next day Vice Presi-
dent Dunlop sent the following letter to
Capt. Powell:
1T is reported In the morning papers Of
today that you ordered one Of your sub
ordinate employees (viz., a police oficer)
during the parade on the avenue last night
to order one of our subordinate employees
(viz., the engineer at the central power
station to shut down the engine. thus
intending to stop the running Of the COM
pany's cars. and when the officer reported
back to you the refusal Of the engineer to
take orders from any other than his su-
pertor officers, you gave further order.
viz: Then block the road, &C., 60 .-
II wish to inquire II you are correctly re-
ported in the newspaper article above re-
ferred to; and, II so, request that you state
your authority for issuing orders to the
subordilates Of this company or orders to
stop our cars to any one else on like oc-
casion.'
Capt. POwclPs Reply.
Upon receipt of this letter Capt. Powell
sent the following letter to Vice President
Dunlop in reply: Answering the inquiries
in your favor of the 3Oth ultimo. I have to
say that l believe the newspaper account
referred to by You is substantially correct.
l have not seen the account since the morn
Ing OF its publication. when / read 1t
hastily.
mo action. however. taken by me was
ade sensational nor prominent, neither
any order given to a subordinate Of your
company. when 1t was practicable for the
purpose IN view to communicate with a
superior officer of the company.
THE facts are that sent an order by a
policeman to that officer or agent who
might be in charge of the operation of the
avenue line. at the power house. to the
enect that the avenue cable cars should
stop running until the remainder of the
procession had passed.
AFTER waiting a time. which was con-
siderable, considering the pressing neces-
sites Of the case. and the cars continuing
to run. l directed a police officer to go each
way from the 18th street grand stand and
stop the cars
by comparing the above statement with
the newspaper account you will probably be
able to judge whether or not the latter is
correct.
Your attention is invited to the fact that
there was at the time dense crowd of peo-
pie on the avenue. many Of them being
strangers. who by reason Of the running of
the cable cars were exposed to great peril
Of life and limb. 1t was to prevent loss of
life that / acted as l stated. Instead of
Questioning my authority in the premises.
1t seems to me that you should approve its
exercise since 1t may have prevented loss
of life or limb for which your company
would have been responsible for damages"
Dunlop Charges UsurpatiOn.
Thereupon Mr.. Dunlop wrote the follow
ing reply, which was received by Capt
Powell this afternoon:
Your communication of the LIST instant in
reply to my letter of the Both ultimo is at
hand. l note that while acknowledging the
truth of the newspaper article referred to,
which states that you ordered the cars -Uf
this company stopped Ohus blocking the
road and causing a violation of the COM
panys charter), you very studiOuSly evade
replying to the question of your authority
for such an order but instead, you intimate
that the company should be grateful to you
for rendering this uncalled-for and unneed-
ed personal service in the management of
it's affairs.
You have been guilty of gross usurpation.
and now notify you that propose to hold
you and the District Of Columbia liable for
your unlawful act"
A reporter of The Star asked Capt. Powell
this afternoon IL it was correct that he had
ordered the stoppage Of the cars of the COM
pany as set forth. He replied that he had.
He was on Pennsylvania avenue at the
time. and believed there was danger and
acted promptly. He had taken this action,
because he was a Commissioner of the Dis
trict of Columbia, and had not consulted his
associates.