Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-25
THE METROPOLITAN BILL
The Changes in the Measure introduced
in the Senate.
Provisions for Change in the Motive
Power, Extension of the Line
the Debt Payment, &c.

Senator Mcmillan today reported to the
Senate from the District committee House
bill GIL, known as the Metropolitan railroad
bill, with certain amendments which have
been agreed to by the District committee of
the Senate. AS outlined yesterday in The
Star. the bill is combina ton of the fea-
lures of the bill as passed by the House
and the bill introduced in the Senate some
weeks ago on the same subject by Mr. Nc
MILAN. The features of the House bill re-
lating to the legal aspects of the case be-
tween the railroad company and the Dis
trict in regard to it's old debt are retained
unchanged in the bill reported to the Senate
today, while there are added other features
which formed a part of the Mcmillan bill
relating to new ears and penalties for a
failure to substitute mechanical power for
horses on the road.
Section one of the amended bill provides
that the Metropolitan Railroad Company rs
hereby required to cease to use on its lines
running east and west each and every ca
that has been in use on it's lines for three
years or more, and shall substitute ther for
new cars or the most approved pattern
Failure to comply with the provisions OF
this section within ninety DAYS from the
approval OF the act shall subject the conn
pdny to fine of twenty-five dollars for
each and every day during which the COM
pany neglects, or refuses, to make the sub
stitution OF new cars"
Omfts the Word Electric.
Section two authorizes. empowers and re-
CURES the company TO equip and operate
the INES or their cars Upon all the streets
and avenues OF Washington and George
town where the lines of the road are now
operated with pneumatic or with an under
ground system for the propulsion of such
Cars This is change of some conse-
from n
that the road should substitute IAN under
ground electric system" of propulsion
There Is a proviso in this section that the
change TO an underground system shall be
completed upon the north and south line
within one year. AMI upon the east and
west lines within two years after the ap-
prevail of the act
a further proviso requires that there
shall be completed an extension on East
Capitol street from 9th street east TO 18Th
street east. around both sides of Lincoln
Square. and also an extension from 9TH
street west northwesterly, on Florida ave-
rue TO 10Th street west; provided, that on
the completion of the extension of 9Th
street TO 10th street on Florida avenue the
CO mpany shall cease to operate that por-
ton OF its present lines which extends
from 9TH street west to 9Th street west on
Florida avenue, and also that portion on
Ith street west north of Florida avenue
and in default of such competitions all acts
or parts or acts chartering extending
Section three of the amended bill is SINH
lar to section two of the House bill author
lZlnS the company to issue its bonds, Sc
cured by a mortgage On its franchises and
other property, to pay the expenses of this
improvement but not in excess of the
cost The bonds shall rot be sold or dis
posed of at less than their face or par
value.
Indebtedness Due the District.
Section four of the amended act is section
three of the old act relating to the suit now
pending between the District and the road,
In which it is provided that the case shall
be sent to the Court of Appeals which is
vested with original jurisdiction to hear the
case without a jury upon the issues other
than those relating to the statute of limita-
lions or the plea of failure Of notice to the
company. The court is to determine the in
debtedness due the District and shall enter
judgment in accordance with its finding. Ii
Is provided that unless the company shall
file in the court its consent In writing to
this transfer of the case and "A waiver of its
rights and defenses under the statute of
limitations and also rights and defenseS
which II has by reason of the Judgment of
the Supreme Court of the United States
within thirty days after the approval of the
act all rights granted to the company by the
act shall cease. II is provided that the judg-
ment of the Court of Appeals shall be final
and without appeal and that the cost of the
transfer and hearing of the case in the
Court of Appeals shall be paid by the rail-
road company.
The Use of the Tracks.
The fifth section of the amended bill re-
lates to the use of tracks of one railroad
company by another in the following Ian
guage:
THAT the District Commissioners shall
have the power in all cases where the lines
of two or more railroad companies coincide
where the nature of the mechanical power
used by said company will allow, to permit
the use of the tracks of the Metropolitan
Railroad Company by other companies in
said District upon such terms and condi-
tons the Commissioners shall deem just.
to the end that the greater convenience of
the public may be subserved without the
duplication or unnecessary increase of rail-
read tracks in the business portions of the
cities"
The section also grants the privilege to
either party to such an arrangement to APP
peal to the United States district court all
controversies in relation to compensation
for the use of the tracks.
The sixth section of the new bill is taken
from the Mcmillan bill and provides that
after one year from the approval of the act
the company shall pay to the District, in
addition to all other taxes now required, an
annual tax of five hundred dollars for each
car operated by horses on the 9th street
line, and also of five hundred dollars for
each horse car operated on all their lines
after three years. The bill amended by
the District committee is placed the
Senate calendar for future action by the
Senate.