Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-04-23
Belt Line Road Makes New Ar
rangement.
PRESIDENT SCH0EPF ON TIE SITUATION
Looking Now for Some Practicable
Motive Power.
THE HORS ES MUST 60

in the street, as before, but not at the cor
ner of 18th and o streets, where SO much
row was caused, but at the corner or near
the corner of 7th and p streets, and the
animals are not allowed to stand in the
streets while waiting for the cars to come
along. The new place of changing is little
more than half a mile from the stables at
the end of 18th street, and the horses are
taken down to the corner of 7th and p
streets. four at a time, by a lad who at
tends them while they are standing in the
yard o. the stable waiting for the change.
This yard is in the rear of the Thyson
House, which has for many years been a
landmark at the corner of It'll and
streets VIM. P. Cole, the proprietor, keeps
the stables, as we'll as the inn, and has a
large yard that Is used by drovers and
countrymen coming in to market. Over
lures We're made to him last night by the
officers of the Belt road, but no arrange
ments were made until this morning. Then
he and Mr.. Schoepf came to an understands
ing, to the effect that for e. certain con-
Siderat1on, sum not known, the horses of
the road We're to be allowed to stand in
side the stable yard, four at time, and to
be relayed at intervals Of about fifteen
minutes, or as often as the schedules might
require. The boys in charge of the horses
are to keep the yard clean of any accumu-
lauons that might result. Mr.. Cole says
that 1t may be that he will pave the space
useo by the company's horses, if necessary.
The Change Quickly Made.
Last night orders were given to the men
that the outdoor stable at 18th and o
streets was to be abandoned, and that
pending other arrangements the change
CT horses was to be made on New Jersey
avenue between o and streets. For a
few trips this morning this program was
carried out. but as soon as the understand
ing between Mr.. Schoepf and Mr. Cole
had been accomplished, the former sent
the word along the line of the new plan.
A Star reporter watched the new plan
In operation for some time this morning.
The horses are kept out of sight of pedes-
trianS until just as the car comes along p
street and halts at the little alley way
leading into the yard about fifty or a hun
drsd feet east of 18th street. Then the
young man in charge of the team leads out
two of the poor creatures and exchanges
them for the horses the car. The
change takes about three-uuarters of a
minute. The car then goes on. the ex-
changed horses are led back into the
yard. and all is well again. There is ap-
parently no interruption to traffic, except
perhaps for the space of about a quarter
of minute, while the horses are swinging
around into place. and this only every seven
or eight minutes.
MIR. SchOcpf Explains.
Mr.. Schoepf the general manager of the
road, said to a Star reporter that the ar
rangement thus entered into would I'M
doubtedly be permanent SO long as the
road is using horses for propelling the
cars. He then gave a history of the whole
affair, from his point of view.
when the present management took
charge Of the road" he said. I'VE found
stables located in two places-at the end
of the 18th street line and at Sd and b
streets southwest. The latter We're old,
tumble-down buildings, that were original
ly erected only temporary structures
They had been continued in use, however.
until they We're really dangerous. The
road had been planning to remove them as
soon as 1T could be conveniently done, when
the Commissioners sent us word that the
buildings had been condemned. and that We
must remove them at once. I appealed to
the commissioners for an extension of one
year, in which time l hoped we might not
have any further use for stables. This re-
quest was granted. but the time was cut
down to six months. Mr.. Ross then said
to me: Mr.. Schoepf, you Know that in six
months you will be coming here and ask
ing for another extension l told him that
! would guarantee that no other request
for extension would be made, and gave
him my promise that the stables should be
in six months. Shortly after that
1 Was taken i'll and was confined TO my
house for nearly four months
1.-The matter of the b street stables pass
ed out of my mind, and only required to
me a few days before the expiration CT
the time. which was March 1. Remember
ing then that l had given Mr. Ross a SOL
emn promise to ask for no further extern
sions, l determined to remove the stables
at once and to make shift as best could
l found that l could, by making a small
addition to the 18th street stables, at the
northern terminus, accommodate all The
horses of the road, and this stable was
built. But the new schedule prevented the
brown cars from going to the stable, and
it was necessary to change the horses at
some point on the road. l selected the cor
ner of 18th and o streets. never dreaming
that the change would become a nuisance
l tried to make the men do this work qui-
city, and really did all I could to secure a
peaceful solution of the question. But as
all new things are impossible to work
smoothly, so this plan hitched, and the
people kicked from the start. 1 am not
going to say anything about their attt ude
in the matter. When the question came
up before the Commissioners 1 went there
and stated my case. That part of the
question has been settled now, for the
present at least, although 1 firmly believe
have the right to change horses in the
street. 1 have. however. in Difference to the
opinion of the attorney for the District.
adopted another plan, which l hope will
give satisfaction to all concerned
The Future Motive Power.
"In answer to your question about the
permanency of the present arrangement, 1
opl to hot &c tp no