The Washington times., 1895-06-20
TROLLEYS NOT ABOLISHED
lexington and Soldiers Home
R. R. Will Not Abandnn Them.
MANAGER SCHOEPFS PLEA
Company Has No oAuthorityto Increase
Bonded Debt and Cannot Otherwise
Obtain us-Rock Creek Railway
Must Keep Paving in Repair-An-
other Chapter In Stable History.

The lexington and Soldiers Home Rail
way Company, by a comm nunication from
its vice-president and general manager,
informed the District Commissioners yes
terday that it would continue to operate
its New York avenue line by the over
head trolley system, Notwithstanding the
notification that under existing legislation
its right 10 employ the trolley within the
| city limits VIII cease on the 1st of July.
General Manager SChoepf said in bis let
ter in substance, that the contents of the
| Commissioners communication, dated the
| 9Th instant. had been the subject of care
! full consideration by the board OF directors,
and that it seems to be the plain duty of
the company; while expressly disclaiming
any intention to disregard the provision
! of the act Of Congress, TO give effect to
what would undo abtedly have been the will
| Congress, had its attention been directed
| to the true situation.
The company is confronted, Mr.. Schoepf
says, by the fact that it is expressly pro-
| hibited by legislation from increasing its
| bonded Indebtedness without first obtain
ing authority from Congress, and yet with
| out such authority it is impossible for it
10 raise sufficient funds TO equip the road
with an underground system of electrical
/ propulsion. The necessities of the public
demand he adds, that the operation of
| the road by some means OF rapid transit
| shall be continued.
| COMMISSIONERS WITHOUT POWER.
There is no special power vested in the
Commissioners TO compel the company to
obey the law, nor have they the authority
to extend the trolley privilege, the road
! having been divested of that by act Of
| Congress. There is a law against obstruct-
| ing the streets, and the trolley poles come
within its provisions. The act forbidding
/ the overhead wires after a certain date
| is equally binding, and both are supple
meuted by police regulations. The adjust
ment of the matter win doubtless devolvc
upon the police court in the regular way,
| though what the Commissioners win
| do has not been determined, the response
of Vice President schoepf not having been
| yet considered in board session.
The Rock Creek Railway yCompanyreceived
a reminder yesterday of its duty under the
! charter of the road. to keep its roadbed on
! Florida avenue at all times well paved with
| asphalt or such other material as the Com
missioners shall approve. President New
/ lands is informed that the board viii ap-
prove an asphalt block pavement on gravel
! base, and that if the work is not done
without further delay it viii be done by
| the District at the company's expense.
Record of deaths for the twenty-four
! hours ending at 1 O'Clock yesterday.
! Whte-G Gorge Karighner, aged eighty
! years; Madison +. RallinS, aged sixty
seven; Osceola C. Green, aged fifty-seyen;
! John c. Blundon, aged thirty-sevcn; NADIA
/ line Luck, aged six months. Colored-
Rachel Steward, aged Seventy-one years;
| Joanna Scott, aged fity-eight; Marcelus
! Shorts. aged fifty-five; Martha Chapman,
aged fifty; George Harris, aged seventeen;
Harvey Alexander, aged twelve; Mamie
| l.. Jackson, aged six.
WHAT CAUSED THE DELAY.
The chief of the fire department hasmade
an Investigation into the after of alleged
delay oftrucks and c al I'd engin company
No. in arriving at the scene of the
| Owens House fire, and discovered that the
circuit which should have called out the
! companies was out of service pending
certain repairs. The companies had to be
summoned by telephone. Congress has
been frequently asked for an increase
| in the service, but that body has failed
There are but seven circuits in the service.
The property owneTswho filed objections
! to the issuance of a permit for the erection
of a stable on Mrs Norton's premises "a t No
/ 1923 Sixteenth street, allege that Attorney
/ Thomas opinion authorizing the permit
Mr. c. E. Foster, accompanied by Attorney
| Rudolph Claughton, appeared yesterday
before the Commissioners and stated that
the extension to his residence, No 1017
| Sixteenth street, had been completed two
days before permission to construct the
stable was obtained, and that it was
partly constructed before Mrs Norton's
agent made application for a permit Mr..
Foster protested again, and repeated his
| former objections, concerning the erection
of a stable so near his DIV elling citing the
building regulationsin support ofhis appeal,
and it was ordered that the whole matter
be again referred to Mr. Thomas 1t is
/ quite probable that by the time the opinion
| is returned the stable will be completed,
as the work of construction will doubtless
PERMITS TO BUILD.
Building permits issued yesterday:
Thomas Blagden, two dwellings, in
| Argyle fronting ON Sixteenth street, ex.
tended, $4,000; Mary Mclean Bugher, to
improve and enlarge dwelling, at No. 1921
L street northwest; $4,000; Mrs Null
lowney, to build dwelling, No. 2007 K street
northwest, $1,000; Michael Braun, addi
ton to dwelling, No. 934 Florida avenue,
$500.
The cost of removing the parking space
on New York avenue, between Ninth and