Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-22
THE ROCK CREEK RAILWAY
President Newlands Urges Consideration
Of the Request for Extension.
He Says That the Underground Troll
Icy Has Proved q Perfect Sue
cess on His Road.

The following letter. signed by Mr. Thos.
G. Newlands. president Of the Rock Creek
Railway Company. has been received by the
District committees Of both House and Sen
ate:
THE Chevy Chase Land Company and
the Rock Creek Railway Company. Of both
Of which am president. have been engaged
In an extensive enterprise Of suburban de-
velopment on the line Of Connecticut ave-
nue. extended. The plan embraced rapid
transit to the city by an electric railway.
We built an overhead trolley from Mary
land to 18th and L streets. and there were
confronted with the problem as to what
motive power should be used on L street
within the city limits, as the overhead
trolley was forbidden. We finally concluded
to put In the Love underground system for
the space Of a mile and one-half Of double
track. The experiment, viewed as such
was likely to be a costly one. but We felt
assured that II We proved its successful
operation a great benefit to the public would
be demonstrated. and we would meet with
no difficulty In extending our line to CEN
trail points. thus avoiding the expense Of a
double fare and the Inconvenience of
change of cars.
The result surpassed our expectations
The underground road has been running
with efficiency and economy for over a
year. and the entire road has met a great
public want. as we'll in accommodates
suburban travel as in supplying recreation
ior the people OF the city during the hot
summer months
Early In the session a bill was introd uced
IN congress granting an extension of the
ROCK Creek Railway franchise down 18th
street TO central points. This line was Sc
iected for the reason that In the section
lying between 14th street and Connecticut
avenue which widens steadily toward the
north' .,' there were no street railway facili-
The District Commissioners acted favor
ably upon this bill. but diverted the line
from nth street to the tracks Of the Met
ropoiitan railroad on Connecticut avenue
traction Company applied for O franchise
down 18th street and the lexington Com
pany made similar application.
AS the washington rraction Company
proposed to use the Love underground sys-
tenn. with which ours could harmonize. and
as mat company was willing to permit .he
ROCK creek Railway Company to use its
tracks TO central points. the Rock Creek
company concluded not to press its appli-
cation. but to rely lpon the use of the
tracks OF the Traction Company in case
franchise should be granted to It,
~ 1elt satisfied that the Metropolitan
Railway Company would seek to obtain a
motive power with which electric railways
could not cooperate and hence the solu-
ton offered by the District Commissioners
would not be effective
The result has teen a d.a l-lock I'm legis
iation. and II is feared that the session will
pass without action on this important r,at-
ter.
Since l became interested In these enter
prises l have become member Of con
gress. and personally / woull prefer 20 Sc
cure rights of access to central points for
the Rock Creek Railway Company BY ne
gouating with existing companies. rather
than by legislation. for legislation con-
cernlng enterprises In which 1 am inter-
ested involves considerations of delicacy.
But as the owners of property object to the
appropriation Of any Lew route. and the
existing railways object to the joint use OF
any portion OF their tracks. | am com
PEELED to make application for some solu-
tion OF this matter by your honorable com
nittees.
Ing considerations: These enterprises Fave
expended Ia the District over s2oOO.uOO
most OF which has gone. to labor We have
secured without cost to the District the
dedication to public use of Connecticut
avenue extended. 1870 feet wide. for a space
OF more than three miles. We have graded
and improved this avenue without cost to
the public and have constructed two
bridges. at a cost Of nearly S2OOOOo. which
were designed not merely for the railway,
but to accommodate the general public In
no respect have tn ese enterprises been a
charge upon the public. On the contrary,
taxable values have heen largely nc ,easad
by them. The Rock Creek railwsy fur
nishes the only means Of develops, < the
beautiful region west OF Rock creek. BY
means Of lateral lines extending to the
west II can be the main factor In the de-
velopment Of what will be In the future a
superb addition to Washington
In view. therefore. Of the public interests
1t represents and the benefcent results II
promises. we suggest that 1t should not be
compelled to halt at the verge of the city.
but II should be allowed either by its own
line by some trunk line access to CEN
trail points.