Evening star., 1896-03-19
DISTRICT AFFAIRS
Commissioners Report on the Ana
costa Railways Condition.
AGAINST BILL AMENDING IT'S CHARTER
Says the Company is Doing the
Best in Its Power.
OTHER MATTERS CONSIDERED

The Commissioners returned to Senator
Mcmillan today Senate bill 2472. which
has for its object the repeal of the act
amending the charter of the Anacostia
railroad, determining the route and ter
mini of the Anacostia railroad. They rec
ommend adverse action on the bill. In
their communication they also touch upon
the inquiry of the Senators concerning the
use of one-horse cars in the District of
Columbia. The Commissioners say:
Upon receipt of your communication re-
1erred to, the Commissioners at once gave
serious attentien n to th> subject matter and
arrived at the determination to order the
discontinuarce of one-horse cars by the
line aforesaid; but, before issuing such an
order, it was deemed advisable to request
the president of the company to show
cause, by date named, why such an order
should not issue. The president of the
company thereupon appeared before the
Commissioners and submitted a report in
writing, together with a tabular statement
showing the receipts and the operating
expenses OF said road for the years, re-
spectively, 1891, 1892, 1888, 1891 and 1855
copies of which are herewith transmitted
From their statement, it appears that there
was only one of said years during which
any profits were made by the company,
ramely, the year ending December 81 1872
when the surplus is given s4,333.27. The
Geflcit for the year 1891 was 81, 162 10; for
the. year 1893. s6.627.sS; for the year 1884,
N,34l23 and for the year 1895, s., 2,6ti5.51.
Inc report SHOWS that the company discon-
tinued the use of two-horse cars in 1884
ana they maintain that the receipts of
ihe road We're rot thereby affected, mas
much as the receipts of the company have
slightly increased as compared with the
correspor ding months of the former serv-
ice.
1T is apparent that the many miles of
trackage of this road in sections Of the
city which are but sparsely populated to-
gether with The depression in all business
aifairs which has prevailed during the last
three years, have tended to embarrass this
road TO a great extent; and the CommiS-
StOneTS, since the receipt of the reports
afor esaid, have not deemed 1t wise or fair
to exercise the discretion imposed upon
them In the act of Congress referred to in
your communication, nor to recommend the
legislation embodied in Senate bill 2472
THE subject of transfers, referred to in
said bill, has recently received the con-
sideration Of the Commissioners; and their
views with regard to the same and their
recommendation have been embodied in Il
report to your honorable committee upon
Senate bill 2I2O, recently transmitted.
The same reasons which would render
II dff1cu for the road to run two-horsn
cars upon its lines would seem 10 appiy
with equal force against the proposed re-
qulrement to place an underground cleo
trio system on all of its lines within two
years from the passage of the act. 1t ap-
peared at the hearing before referred to
that $So0,oD of bonds had been issued upon
the road; that its stockholders are not cap
italists, and that the salary of the presi-
dent, amounting TO $1,SoO per annum, is
not paid to him in cash, but in bonds
1T is difficult to see how, under these
circumstances, the road can obtain the
necessary capital to institute an under
ground electric system over all of its lines
which would involve an expenditure of
about $35O,Uh.
THE road has been struggling one for
the whole term of its existence; and the
Commissioners are of the opinion that
until some cheaper motive power can be
found. the company should be permitted to
do the best ii can with the means at its
command, in the hope and with the belief
tions, capitalists may be induced to invest
modern and satisfactory condition.
Permits to Build.
Building permits issued today were as fol-
lows:
James Bennett, to erect one three-story
brick store and dwelling at zoos l street
northwest. Estimated cost, $1,000.
James Brown, to erect one one-story brick
blacksmith shop on 18th street between G
j. NJ. Coleman, one two-story brick dwell
ing at 631 G street northeast, at a cost Of
s., $50.
Patrick O'Connor, to erect a one two
story frame dwelling at Berry farm, to
cCSt 81, 600