Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-17
SUB STI'TUTE BILL
New Railroad Plan for East Washington
Recommended.
Commissioners' Ideas for n Belt Lin
Additions to Existing Roads
What They Say.

The Commissioners this afternoon for
warded to Congress a substitute bill for
House bill S057. Incorporating the East
Washington Belt Line Railway Company
The substitute bill authorizes a single
track railway only, and permits an issue
Of capital stock to the amount of the esti-
mated cost of construction and equipment
of the railway and buildings: 1t omits the
provision in the House bill for horse cars,
and also for an issue of bonds: the latter
named bill provides for tax CT 2 per cent
on the gross earnings; the substitute bill
relieves the company from any personal
tax for the first five years of the roads
operation, and imposes a per cent tax on
gross earnings thereafter.
The substitute bill further requires COM
mencement OF construction in one year and
completion in two years. and calls for a
guarantee deposit of $1,000 to be made
within sixty days from the passage of the
act. The original bill requires completion
within three years and does not name any
time Of commencement of work.
The substitute bill changes the route
from 18th and 14th streets east. to 14th
and 18th streets east
An abstract of a petition for the railroad
of property owners and residents in East
Washington and a blue print, showing the
location of property on Bd street east whose
owners have protested against chartering
the railroad together with a copy Of the
protest, have also BEEN transmitted.
The Commissioners Judge that single
track on Sd street wonid not be so obtec-
tionable as q double track, and that the
comparatively short Belt line single track.
with cars moving in one direction, would
afford necessary accommodation. The mod
flied route makes use OF 14th street, which
Is 100 feet wide, sinstead of 18th street.
which Is 90 feet vide, and intersects the
Columbia line at It's eastern terminus.
which will probably be natural center
Of car traffic and desirable location for
union street car station.
One of the Commissioners is Of the opin-
ion that the success 6f the Belt line would
be doubtful from the lack Of sufficient
in any event. instead Of chartering a new
company for 4 line wholly in the
city the four street car companies
now owning lines In !: East Washing
by the proposed Belt line, should be offered
in turn the right of extension. comprising
the Belt line, under the terms Of construc-
ticn, operation and taxation, named in the
substitute bill until an acceptance Is re-
ceived or all Of those companies have de-
clined. The Commissioner is also of the
opinion that necessary or desirable street
car facilities in East Washington. addi-
ticr al to those already provided for, can
NEST conveniently be subserved by the ex-
tension of the Washington and Georgetown
oompany's tracks on Pennsylvania avenue,
eastward to near the avenue bridge, and
OIL ltS OH street AioA III wa u W AVA iueA
avenue and thence along Florida ave-
nue. to 7th street northwest. Two bills
for street-car roads to cross the Eastern
branch into Washington near the avenue
bridge are pending According to these
views the latter named line would intersect
all the east and west lines in East Wash
irgton the proposed line in Bladensburg
pike, the existing lines to Lexington.
Brc okland and the Soldiers Home, and by
7th street connection, furnish direct route
to Mount Pleasant, Brightwood. Takoma
and the Rock Creek parks.