The evening times., 1896-03-19
THEIR HEARTS IRE SOFT
Commissioners Cant Agree to
Press the knacostia Line.
PITY IS RULING SUPREME
This Railroad, They Say. Is Unable
Reason They Reiuserto Punish 1t.
Other News of Interest IN The Dlx-
: trict.

Z In d lengthy comu unication addressed
this morning 10 Senator Mcmillan OF tho
SENATE DistiiCt CusIi,.-iltee the tOfnInis-
sioners disapproyc OF Tie pending MEASURES
respectively. TO repeal the act arrros Ing
the route aul tercnini OF the Anacost.a and
Potomac River Railroad. enacted April
80. 1892, and to prohibit the use OF one
horse cars. in 50 lar as the act upon that
subject shall be held TO apply TO tue Ana
costa road.
BY way Of justification of this con-
ciision the board cites its action in so
liciting q detailed statement of tine COM
pany's financial condition. From O state
nent of its president it is shown that Ia
but one year since II SsI has the company
realized any benefit from the investment,
and that was for the year ended Decen-
ber 81, 1889, when the surplus was but
4,33327. The several deIicits in the
other years named ranged, according TO
President Griswoid's statement, iroi
s., $685. TO $9,341.23.
BUSINESS MEN OBJECT.
Senator Mcmillan this morning received
two letters frcm prominent business men In
regard to the bill, to take from the Anacostia
Railway Company the right TO run cars on
stree, northwest. One Is from William U.
Roome, cashier of the OHIO National Bank,
at Twelfth and q streets northwest. Mr..
Roome says:
Il take tie liberty OF suggesting to you
that this railroad should not be allowed
10 take It's cars from this street. whether
they really WIKI to or lot, as this road
IS the only means by which the people OF
Anacostia can reach this part OF the busi-
ness section OF the city. and such a scheme
would result in injury TO those who ike
ourselves are doing business on G street.
TIE other is from W. B. Moses 4 Sons.
II reads:
Replying to your esteemed favor OF the
18th inst.. we would say we feel the Ana
costa Railroad Company should have
chance. as this line is thinly populated. but
e should have n more modern equipment.
znd from what Mr.. Griswold. president Of
The road, says. we Judge he is ready 10 adopt
such system rs Will give the Improvement
and much needed services.
I'VE should be happy to see such result
from any action Senator Mcmillan or his
committee might deem advisable
LINE CAN'T DO 1T.
1T is apparent" the Commissioners say,
'tnat inc many HlicS Oh tTdCkdEc MdIu-
.ained by this load in sections Of the city
which are but sparsely populated, together
with the depression in allbusiness affairs
which has prevailed during the past three
years, have tended to embarrass the COM
pany 10 u great extent" and the Commits
sioners. since the receipt OF President
iriswold's exhibit, ''have not deemed it
70 he fair or wise to exercise the discre-
ion imposed upon them" in requiring a
change in the company's system. NOR
20 recommend the legislation embodied in
Senate bill 2472," referred to.
'The same reasons which would render il
difficult for the road to run two-horse cars
on its line would seem to apply with equal
force against the proposed requirement to
Introduce an underground electric sys-
tenn on all its lines within two years.
1T is difficult to see,'' the board con-
cludes, ''how the road can obtain the nee
essary capital to introduce an underground
electric system on all its lines," which would
involve an expenditure Of S35O,0OO. and
they recommend that the company be per
mitted to do the best it can until such ime
as a cheaper method Of rapid transit than
either of those now in use can be obtained.