The evening times., 1895-08-28
STEAM Us. STREET CARS
and the B. and P.
Present Their Grievances.
MIR. PHILLIPS STATEMENT
He Wants the Railway Trains Stopped
Before Crossing His Line-Says It
Is DangerOus-Col. TOtten Suggests
Elevated Tracks as Way Out of
the Trouble-Arguments Advanced.

The Commissioners gave a hearing this
morning to the representatives of the
Pennsylvania Railroad Company upon the
proposition made by President Phillips,
of the Metropolitan Street Railroad Com
pany, to require the cars on the former
line to come to q full stop before cross
ing the Metropolitan tracks at Four-and-a-
half street and Virginia avenue.
Mr.. Phillips had filed q paper with the
board In which the difficulties incurred
at that point were fully set forth. He stated
that the distance to be traversed is such
that the momentum of the street cars will
not carry them over the Baltimore & Po-
tomac tracks, especially when there is
snow on the tracks, and the Commission
ers were asked to issue the order as re-
quested, for the reason that accidents
might result frs.s short circuit occasioned
by unknown causes.
AS an instance, Mr.. Phillips called
attention to the detention of the cars ON
his line by the placing of a tire from a
baby carriage. in the electric conduit, an
account of which, he said, had appeared
in the daily papers.
COMPRESS THE SLOT.
The heavy cars of the stcam railway,
he said, had the effect of COMPRISING
the slot, and thereby causing extra
work to remedy the defects thus caused.
He also claimed that the action of
Congress in chartering the Metropolitan
Company and compelling the introduce
ton OF an improved motive power, was a
quasi repeal of any privilege which the
Pennsylvania Company had acquired
by reason of its first occupancy of the
ground.
The proposition before the Commission
ers, he said, was whether or not the situation
was one of danger 10 the public.
The Pennsylvania Company's interests
were represented by Mr.. Enoch Totten,
who said his company had nothing to do
with the methods adopted by the Metropoa
tan Company. Tt:s statement of the case OF
1he Metropolitan Company, he claimed, was
based upon an "apprchended contingency"
The stopping of the sixty trains of the steam
railway for the accommodation of the street
car line would serve a few people al the ex-
pense OF the many.
Suppose. Le observed, that the Pres
ideDt and his secretary are on the steam
railway train, anxious to get home. His |
car must he. detained in order to permit a |
street car to pass that may have but three |
colored men aboard
ABSURD, SAYS ToTTEN.
Mr.. Totten said the suggestion was an |
absurdity, and the Commissioners should |
not, in his Judgment, entertain 1t for a |
Nurserous contingent accidents" |
were cited as among possibilities as being
uuita ron nplf, N htyA ~
Phillips, and he characterized the claim |
made by the Metropolitan Company as un-
reasoDa BILE.
IF the motive power introduced by Mr..
Phillips is not sufficient, then 1t is the duty
Of the Commissioners to order 1t taken out,
and to require that a better shall be sub
said Mt TotteD.
An additional statement in behalf Of
he Metropolitan Company was made by
Mr.. Nathaniel Wilson, attorney for the
road. The street cars.~he~ said, are run for
he benefit OF the citizens OF the District
The streets and .avenues of the city, he
added. are primarily not for the benefit of
he steam railroads, nor for their use. The
,ars on the Ninth street line, he contended,
AIRY as many passengers as the Baltimore
K Potomac cars.
Incidentally Mr.. Phillips stated that the
Ninth street line yesterday carried TO-
100 passengers, and that the daily traffic
s from 15,000-to 16, ,oc0 passengers. This,
le said, is about two-fifths more than be-
ore the introduction Of the electric sys-
EN-. Two-fifths of the passengers, he claim
d, pass the point where the chief danger
les.
Resuming, Mr.. Wilson said the steam rail-
ways had long been of the opinion that
hey owned the stre.ts and avenues of the
ity, bat, strong as it may seem, Congress
las The right to lay its hand upon these roads
nd decide In she interests of the people.
ELEVATED TRACKS SUGGESTED.
at is very easy" said Mr.. Wilson, "for
he steam railroads to elevate their tracks,
IS is done in Philadelphia, the home OF
he Pennsylvania Company
Asked If he wanted regulation requir-
ng that to be done, MIR. Wilson said lie was
My requesting the Commissioners to DO
yhat they had right to do.
"If the Commissioners had the authority
D order elevated tracks," he exclaimed, az
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