Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-03-01

the work before the expira ton Of its char
ter, introduced bill last May for it's ex-
tension, and, had the bill been promptly
acted upon by the subcommittee to which
it was referred, of which Senator Mcmillan
was chairman, the road would have been
expiration of it's original charter. The
chairman Of the subcommittee was repeat
edly and urgently requested to call a meet
ing to consider this bill, and, although there
We're frequent meetings of the committee
resulting in favorable reports extending
the charters of other street railways in
the District, whose charters had expired,
the directors of the District of Columbia
Suburban railway were unable even to Sc
cure hearing until Thursday of last
week, nearly seven months after the intro
duction of their measure. We feel
sure that after consideration of the facts
you will see the injustice of sidetracking
this bill pending legislation on the bill to
extend the Columbia road, which extension
is not desirable, and, if made, would rob
the Suburban railway of a part Of its most
valuable territory"
A Complex Bill.
The bill as amended is quite complex, but
its character is fully indicated in the re-
port. 1t being House bill, its passage by
the Senate, which is now not improbable,
would throw it into conference on the
amendments unless the House should agree
transfers between the agreeing lines, is
here given:
The Columbia Railroad Company, the
lexington and Soldiers Home Railway
Company and the Metropolitan Railway
Company are hereby respectively author
lied and required to transfer to and re-
Ceive passengers from the said District OF
Columbia Suburban railway for 3 cents for
each transfer, in addition to the regular
fare, of which additional charge the Sub
urban railway shall receive cents and
urban roads shall receive 1 cent. 1t is
hereby declared to be the purpose of this
act that passengers starting at the Center
market or from intermediate points shall
be- transferred from either the lexington
railway or from the Metropolitan railway,
or from the Metropolitan railway over the
Columbia road to end over the District of
Columbia Suburban railway. or vice versa,
for cents, in addition to the regular fare,
of which gents the District of Columbia
Suburban road shall receive cents and
the urban roads l cent. For the purposes
of said transfers the Columbia railroad and
the lexington and Soldiers Home railroad,
from Massachusetts avenue to the Center
market, and the Columbia railroad and the
Metropolitan railroad from New York ave-
nue. to the Center market, shall be consid-
cred one line.
Can Use the Trolley.
There is a curious fact to be noted in
connection with the second section of the
Dill, WHICH relates TO the mOuVe power to
be employed. AS now amended 1t is very
brief and to the point, permitting the COM
pany to use the trolley, and leaving the
case there wide open. The section is thus
framed:
Section 2-That said company may run
public carriages propelled by overhead cleo
trio or trolley power"
This would not be so Interesting were the
company to be confined entirely to the
suburbs; but as the matter now stands the
road is to be allowed to run up 18th street
east in order to connect with the three
east and west lines. According to this bill,
thus framed the company will therefore
be permitted to build and operate an over
head trolley line from the Intersection of
18th and H streets northeast to the corner
of 18th and East Capitol streets, dis
tance of about fourth-ffths of a mile.
Section % Is new, consisting of an amend
ed copy of Senate bill 2I71, authorizing the
extension of the Columbia road. That part
which authorizes the northwest extension
beyond the War Department is stricken
out. The second section of the original
bill is retained, authorizing an extension
along the Benning and Bladensburg roads
on the former to Central avenue and on
the latter to the District line. The section
providing for the removal of the 14th street
cars of the avenue line, from 10th street
between New York avenue and Pennsyl-
vania avenue to 14th street, is eliminated