Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-10-04
NO NEW DEVELOPMENTS
President Griswold of the Anacostia Rail
way States the Condition Of Affairs
The Union Has Taken No ActlOn-SOme
of the Troubles That the Road
Has Suffered.

There have been no developments in the
impending trouble between the Anacostia
Railway Company and its men since the
public alton of the article on the subject in
The Star of yesterday.
The Protective Street Railway Union held
its usual weekly meeting last night, and
the subject was talked over Informally, but
10 definite action was taken.
In conversation today with a Star re-
porter. President Griswold of the railway
company said he deeply regretted that
something must be done which will affect
his men in order that the current eX-
penses of the road may be met, but such
step is unavoidable. He had not, he said,
determined when the change shall go into
effect, but he intimated that either the
present force of employees must be willing
to work for 81 % per day, in which case he
will keep them all in the service if they de-
sire to remain, or if the wages are 10 be
kept at $50 he will take off some of the
cars. making the time between them much
greater than it is now.
Opinion of the Union.
The members of the Street Railway
Union who have been talked with on the
subject are loath to believe that the reve-
nres of the company have fallen off to the
extent stated by Mr.. Grlswold to the citi-
pre- sident has converSed in reference to the
matter and to whom the books of the road
have been shown, but these citizens are
Convinced. as stated by themselves and as
stated in The Star yesterday, that the road
Is not able to retain its present force at the
present rate of pay.
Speaking of the troubles of This railway
company. lifelong citizen ard large prop
erty owner of Anacostia today said to a
Star reporter: Almost from it's COM
barrassments which annoyed and disheart-
ened its prospectors. Owing to the in
clement season in which the roadway was
built the cobble pavement could not be
laid down, and it became necessary to use
plank foundation between :he tracks to
prevent the horses sinking in the mud. A
large portion of the rails were laid so
closely together that no space was allowed
fer the contraction and expansion of the
metal The next summers heat caused
them to bulge up from the strinaers and
necessitated fresh expense in relaying.
Change of Cars.
Tine original cars We're large carriages.
which rendered conductor and two
horses necessary The road passed throuah
a comparatively sparse,y settled region,
and even vet derives its main patronage
from people many of whom are for sew
eral months in the year out of employment
and at that time have no money TO spend.
when it is considered that an addition
al horse for the bobtail cars and a con-
ductor for each car operated by the conf
pany would mean an additional expense
of good many thousands of dollars it is
not surprising that many of the original
stockholders became disgus;ed, and in
many instances sold their stock for less
than actual COST.
1T was at this crisis that Mr. Gr:sWold
then, as now, president of the company
saw that something must be done. He ban
ished the most of the two-horse cars and
all the conductors, and substituted the one
horse cars. which We're then considered
quite a novelty.
1T cannot be said that the reasons above
stated are likely to make the bobtail cars
popular, but they do explain why it is that
dividend, and why the company finds that
1t As no longer able to pay its men s1JO per
day and retain all of them in it's service :"