Evening star., 1896-12-17
Bills Of Local Interest Considered in
the House.
THE ECKINGfON AND AIR MOTORS
Lively Debate on Proposed Exten-
sion of Time.
OTHER MEASURES ACTED ON

dations during the Inauguration. II was
passed without debate, and the same course
was followed with the resolution aufhoriz-
| ing the use of reservations and spaces
Mr. baocock then asked unanimous con-
sent Ior the consideration of a bin author
izing the loan of ensigns and flags I'm the
| war and Navy departments 10 the citizans,
committee for decorative purposes aur,po
the inauguration. IL was passed N-ithout
| debate.
metropolitan Railroad Extension.
Inc next bill called up was to authorize
the extension of the Metropolitan railway
from the intersection of Connecticut and
avenues northward along Column
pia road TO a point on the west lin. OF
Ieth street extended: Provided, That IN.
extension be completed within six months
| from the date of the passage of This act
| and the said company is hereby author
lzed and empowered to increase it's capi-
tai stock for the purpose of making and
| equlpping the extension of its route au-
| tnoriZed by this act, but the amount of
| the capital stock TO be issued shall NOT
| exceed tne cost of the making and equip
me maent OF the extension herein provided for
| Inc Metropolitan Railroad Company is au-
| thoflzed TO issue such al additional amount
OF capital stock as will provide for the con-
version into such stock of its outstanding
eeI ee tillcates OF Indebtedness, amounting TO
| S2pND heretofore issued for the compile
ton and equipment Of its road.
| Mr.. Bakers Amendment.
MI Baker of New Hampshire moved 10
amend the bill so as to provide for the is
suance of bonds instead of stock
| Mr.. Steele of Indiana asked If IL were not
| true that the Metropolitan Railroad Com
| pany is putting money into constructing
| useless buildings so to avoid paying
| huge dividends.
Mr.. Richardson said the company is not
| paying any dividends at all. Mr. Steele
| must be thinking of some other road. not
| the Metropolitan.
Mr.. Steele said he understood thai the
Metropolitan and the Traction Company
! were practic ally the same corporation.
| Mr.. Babcock said Mr.. Steele was misin-
| formed upon the subject. There was moth
/ ing IN common between the two companies
Mr. Babcock accepted Mr.. Bakers
| amendment, and ii was adople The bill
was then passed without further debate
| The bill relating to the estate OF Peter
ven h sen and the bill authorizing the en-
| ployment OF day labor -municipal works
Were recommitted TO the District commit
| tee ..-...."
/ The EckinEton Time Extension.
Mr.. Bahcock then called up the bill 20
| extend the time for the equipment OF the
| lexington and Soldiers Home railway with
rapid transit
| Mr. Babcock said that unless the extern
sion of time is granted the court will sell
the road January . and the stockholders
| will lose
Mr.. Hepburn said the extension should
not be granted. The company has treated
I congress with absolute contempt in an
| matters relating to changing its motive
| power Mr.. Hepburn said there is not ia
| operation one of these motors and there is
| no firm engaged in their Manufacture He
| SAID the rece.vership scheme of the road
was mainly Tor the purpose of gaining the
! extension OF time. The company has not
!
| with the needs of the city He had been
told that the majority of the stockholders
| stockholders.
Mir. Babcock sa!d the air motors are now
| being used I'm New York. There are six i'm
use and others will be added As to the
| stock. Mr. Babcock said that there are
| lo,co shares. and 5oo3 are held by those,
| IN control CT the read. The minority hold
i,9a shares. and this bin. if passed will
| protect the stockholders.
| No Confidence I'm the Campnn,
Mr.. Hepburn said he would forfeit the
| charter OF the company and would grant
the franchise to that portion OF the stock
holders who have manifested an intention
to obey Congress. He had no confidence in
the present company. Ii does not intend
TO the air motors. and only wants to
| stave off for awhile the necessity of chang
ing the motive power The company seems
| to think il control the courts as
| well as Congress. He would at least amend
the bill by providing for the forfeiture of
| the charter in case the terms of the bill
are not fulfilled.
Mr.. Baker of New Hampshire read the
act of last June requiring the company to
change its motive power, and showed how
| the company has failed to comply with any
| feature of the law. Mr. Baker said the bill
failed to confer authority upon the Com
| mssioners TO pass upon the satisfactoriness
OF the motors
Mr.. Morse of Massachusetts took occasion
I" call attention GO the filthy CONDITION Of
the streets over which the road runs. lie
said the horse cars should be abolished and
the streets kept clean.
Mr.. Richardson said the company had at
tempted to comply with the act of Con-
gress. Within forty-eight hours after the
passage CT the act the company made a
contract Ter, the air motors.
Mr.. Richardson said he believed IL was 10
the interest of minority and majority stock
holders that there should be an extension.
Mr.. Richardson said the best thing Con-
~ ess can do is to grant the road further
time. but to require the motive power ul-
timately to be changed. He would he will
ing to insert a requirement for forfeiture of
the charter in case OF failure to comply.
Mr. Willis of Delaware advocated giving
the company more time He believed the
company would do its duty IL given another
chance.
Mr. Huliok Cohio) though; the time should
be extended. The company has been un-
able to get it's motors. as the bottles 10
contain the compressed air had 20 come
from Germany and the factory making
them had burned Mr.. Hulick said there
had been no opposition to the bin before
the committee.
Mr.. Hepburn suggested that the absence
of opposition might be due 10 the expert
ence which the opponents Of this road have
had with the committee. Their protests
have been absolutely ignored by the COM
mittee in the past
Passed With Amendments.
Mr. Babcock offered amendments which
will make the company equip the road
either with compressed air or underground
electric system within a year from July.
1897. These were adopted. ami Mr.. Hep
burn added a penalty clause of slpO day
for failure to comply with the law.
The bill as amended was then passed.
To Pay Emmert, Dunbar & Co.
Mr.. Babcock then called up the Senate
bill to pay Emmert, Dunbar e. Co. sIssIs
for work done In 1871 in laying a Naler
main. The bin was passed