Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-02-16
An Amendment on the East Wash
ington Railway Bill.
TO RETAIN THE TROLLEY IN THE CITY
A Shrewd Trick of the Great Trolley
Syndicate.
AN UNN ECESS AIRY DELAY

| as their motto by the people who have
| been, for several years past, and who are
| even now trying to force the overhead troll
| ley upon the city of Washington Up 10
| the present time these efforts have brought
| little or no success, but the watchword OF
the trolley is, Never say die" a bit OF
| legislation that was enacted by the House
| Of Representatives on "Wednesday last Is
! an apt example of the methods whereby
| these persistent people hope to save what
ground they have gained in the past, as
well AS to increase their grip upon the Dis
| trict This ground is not very large but 1t
| is foothold, nevertheless, that is worth
keeping 1t is the short line of overhead
wires running along New York avenue
| from 9TH street to Florida avenue, and IS a
| part of the lexington system of tracks.
| The Largest Trolley Corporation.
| The lexington company Is We'll under
| stood to be the Washington end OIL the
great Philadelphia Traction Company, the
| largest trolley corporation in the country.
| That syndicate has been trying to get ihe
| cheaper form of motive power leSaiIZeu III
| Washington, trying with all the Ingenuity
| of which slrewd men are capable. The
| lexington system includes the Belt fne,
| and is thus possessed i'll all, OF the largest
plant of trackage in the city. 1t is most
| powerful corporation. On W edncSday the
House uaSsad two bills of q local nature,
| among several others. on two different sub
| jectS. and that they at all connected is but
| one reason to show why the trolley lobby
must be watched at every junctule. The
| first Of these two bills to be passed was
| H. r. S42I, amending the charter of the
lexington and Soldiers Home Railway
Company. The defenders of the lives OF
| the citizens OF Washington and OF the
| streets and avenues OF the District could
| have found no possible fault with this
measure as regards the trolley. 1t merely
extended the line in the suburbs, subjec;
| to all the existing restrictions. There SEEM
| ed to be nothing Objectionable. and, in
fact, there was nothing Objectionable about
| the measure. 1t was passed without dif-
| ticulty.
a Neat Trick.
| The other bill in question was H. r. $685.
| Incorporating the 'Eas: Washington Belt
Line Railway Company, also an unobjec-
| tionable bill as far trolley is concerned
| being amply guarded as to the use of
| overhead wires. But just at the last mo-
| ment, before the bill went from the COM
mittee of the whole. Representative Rich
| ardson, in charge of the bill. proposed a
| new section in these words: That ad-
| dit!onal one year is hereby given to the
| lexington and Soldiers Home Railroad
Company for the removal of the overhead
trolley wires on New York avenue" This
amendment was adopted without a division
and was incorporated in the bill
True Inwnrdness of the Amendment.
The true inwardness of this amendment
is that the trolley men are unwilling to re-
linquish their present hold New York
avenue The trolley has come to the very
edge of the city at two other points hut
has never gol.e beyond the boundary. This
as has been stated. is the only foothold that
| the trolley folks have obtained inside the
city limits. The existing statute requires
| that these wires shall be removed by the
| 1st of July next. The company has had
| this information for three years at least
| and has apparently made every preparation
| to comply with the law. A permit has
| been granted by the District Commissioners
| to substitute a magnetic system of motive
| power for the overhead wires. 1t is stated
on the best of authority that the work can
| be accomplished in the three months and
more that now intervene before the eXpira-
| ton of the legal limit.
Where the Danger Lies.
! The danger is that the House bill to in
| corporate the East Washington railroad
| may be substituted some day for the Sen
ate bill to the same effect, which has been
favorably reported and is now on the Sen
| ate calendar. A little shrewdness at the
| right time might get that bill, with its OBJ
,oXious rider. through the Senate. and 50
upon the statute books.
But the eyes Of certain Senators. who
| make it habit to watch street railroad
legislation, in order to guard against the
encroachments of the trolley, have been
open to this latest move of the syndicate
|
| that the bill as it now stands contains q
| dangerous provision. 1t is not likely that
| it will be passed as long as he is on hand
| to object to its consideration. for he is the
inveterate enemy of the trolley system as
| far as the streets OF Washington are con-
| cerned. Senator Mcmillan, too, is on guard.
and other members of the District commit
tee.
| Insidfous Methods of the Trolley Peo-
| pie.
| What aggravates the situation especial
| ly, and shows the insidious- methods of the
| trolley people, is the fact that they en-
| deavor to conceal this legislation beneath
| the title of totally different subject. The
rider was put on the East Washington Belt
| line bill without the knowledge or consent
| of the promoters of that measure who now
feel angry that the prospects of their bill
| should have been jeopardiZed by the edop-
| ton of this amendment. Had not there
| been a bill pending before the House on
Wednesday. it is asserted, affecting 'he
lexington road itself, this effort to extend
| the life of the trolley would not be so
| fagrantly objectionable. but the passag ge Of
the lexington bill without the suggestion
| of an amendment and its subsequent adop-
| tion on another measure makes it appar-
ent to members of the Senate District com
| mittee that 1t was 4 trick intended to de-
| ceive the people who are Watching trolley
legSla ton.
Pfseonholed Permit.
Several days ago the Commissioners is
sued the permit to the lexington and Sol
diers' Homo Railway Company to equip
| four miles Of it's line with an underground
SYSTEM known as The electro-nlag gnetic
| system. The principle Of this is the work
| ing Of an attachment to the car which
| comes in contact with exposed points al
| certain intervals along ths tracks. thus
| completing the circuit and furnishing the
| motive power. Senator Stewart is the pres
| dent and Senator Hunton vice president
| of the company which controls the pat
| ents cn which the system is operated.
| This system has been in operation on an
experimental line on North Capitol street
| for several months.
| The permit of the Commissioners is for
| the installation of the system from the
| junction of North Capitol street ana New
| York avenue south to G street. thence west
| to 18th street. The permit has been made
! out and ready for the officers of the road
! for the last two Gays, but up to this after
| noon it had not been accepted. and still re-
| poses in one of the pigeon holes OF Maj
| Powelps desk. The road has, or can have
| for the asking, permission to pat in this
| system on all it's branches In the city, in
| cluding the one that runs from eth streat
! and New York avenue to the Catholic Uni