Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-20
FOR RAPID TRANSIT
lexington Citizens Want Some As
surance From the Railroad.
HEARING rs TO IT'S EXTENSIONS
Propositions Submitted to the House
District Committee.
OTHER LOCAL MATTERS
OTHER LOCAL MATTERS

A subcommittee of the House District
committee gave hearing today on the
lexington and Belt line railway bill. Col
H. T. Douglass appeared Oil behalf of the
bill. He said the various bills heretofore
oHered providing fer the extension Of the
Eckington and Belt lines havel been con-
solidated into Senate bill No. 2SO1. The
provisions of this LII have been published
heretofore in The Star. Col. Douglass ex-
pialned the proposed extensions to the COM
mittee tracing the route On map.
He said his company antagonizes no
ether company, and has Withdrawn the
routes heretofore proposed that might con-
fct. AS to rapid transit, the company will
adopt such rapid transit plans as the Com
missloners may indorse.
Compressed Air Motors.
The company has selected the compressed
air system, which he feels sure will be per-
1ectiy satisfactory. He had just returned
from visit to the factory, where he had
ridden upon the cars propelled by compress
ed air. He deemed the system to be su-
per1or to the underground trolley.
Do you contemplate putting the system
INTO operation on your existing lines?'
asked Mr.. Richardson.
Col. Douglass said he had asked the maxi
for the existing line from Atm ard T to the
Center market, and the reply " as that they
could be furnished within thirty days.
linen do you expect to put on rapid
transit on the existing lines in thirty
days! asked Mr. Richardson.
we hope to do it," answered Col Doug
lass.
Continuing, he said the extension of the
route as proposed by the pending bill is
III connection with the electric road to
baltimore, which is being rapidly pushed
to completion. The rate of fare will be a
low one and will include free transfers To
city lines at both ends
Mr.. Natha mel Wilson, in behalf of the
metropolitan Railroad Company, asked for
an ameidment requiring the new road to
Jay tracks of its own on Water street
southwest and not use the Metronolitan
tracks.
Col. Douglass said there would be no oh
Jection 10 this amendment. 1t would not
increase the number of tracks on Water
street, as the Belt line already has tracks
On that street.
MIR. HendersOn's objection
Mr. VIM. G. Henderson, president of the
North Capitol and lexington Citizens AS
scciai1on, addressed the committee por-
ten CT the territory within the Jurisdiction
OF his association is affected by the bill.
He said the lexington company has failed
for two years. and this fact has injuriously
affected property in that section of the
city. Even with the present facilities of
the company, there is much delay and dis
sd usfacdon. That section Of the CITY was
hulit up when there was trolley service
ever the road, but since the horse cars
we're put on property has deprecated
he asked the committee to impose re-
quirements upon the company to supply
RAPID transit facilities for the public. He
opposed the contemplated extension of the
read along Michigan avenue extended and
Bunker Hill road, because it will give the
company straighter line to Brookland
and may cause the abandonment Of the ex
istins line through lexington and West
lexington.
Col. Douglass said there was no ground
for the assumption that the existing line
would be abandoned.
To Abandon Eckfnxton.
Mr.. Henderson said there was nothing
else to assume but that such would be the
case. A citizen present remarked that it
looked like the company had built up Eek
ington with its line and now proposed to
run it through another section to build it
up.
Mr.. Henderson said the bill, as at present
prepared, does not make it compulsory
upon the company to run it's cars by a
rapid transit system. He wanted compul-
sorry clause put in the bill to make the
company to run modern cars on all of It's
tracks.
Propositions Submitted.
Mr.. Henderson submitted the following
propositions to be incorporated In the bill:
That the motive power decided on for any
particular line shall be used on all parts of
such line. That certain specified time be
fixed within which the company shall de-
eide On, equip and operate it's line with the
motive power to be employed. That a pen
atty of $10O per day be fixed for every day
during which the line shall remain un-
equipped and unoperated with the motive
power decided on beyond the time fixed
for equipping and operating the line That
there shall be a provision for the forfeiture
of the charter of such railway company OH
its failure to equip and operate it's line
with the motive power decided ON within a
certain time to be named in the act
That II any of said companies has at
present within the city of Washington any
part of its lines not actually operated by
running cars over the same, such part Of
its lines shall, within thirty days after the
approval of the act, be put in operation by
running cars thereon, otherwise the fran
forfeited
particular stress upon the objection to the
possible abandonment of the line of the
same company running south on 4th street
from the Catholic University, and thence
through lexington and along New York
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