Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-13
AN UNSATISFACTORY BILL.
What the EcI<ington-Belt Manage
ments Wants to Secure.

What the Eckfngton-Belt Manage.
ments Wants to Secure.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
If Senate bill 2SOl, introduced on Friday
last by Senator Mcmillan, to amend the
charters of the lexington and Soldiers
Home and Belt Line railway companies ems
bodies the legislation which the Senate Dis
trict committee has determined to recon-
mend concerning the companies named, it
Is far from being satisfactory to the patrons
OF these lines. and is not what they have
looked for and been given to expect at the
hands Of the Senate committee.
In the face of the numerous remon-
strances that have been poured in upon the
District committees of both houses during
the past several weeks. against giving these
companies any additional privileges until
they properly operate what they already
have, this bill proposes to give them a num-
Der of extensions, and leaves it entirely to
their pleasure to modern;ze their existing
liz es within the city limits whenever they
get good and ready. Among the extensions
which it is proposed to grant the lexington
company Is the one from North Capitol
street to 4th street on Michigan avenue
against which the Commissioners have re-
peateoiy and earnestly protested, stating
that they do not deem it necessary nor de-
slrable that such extension should be grant,
ed; that there is not q house nor a pa to
10 the Soldiers Home on Michigan avenue
read; that the existing 4th street line of this
company reaches the gate of the home near
bunker Hill road; that the chartered North
capitol street line of the same company will
reach the LIST street gate near the end OF
that route, and that this avenue is a drive
way and not traffic street.
Inc Dill provides that the proposed ex-
tensions snail be commenced and completed
on such CT the streets and avenues named
therein as are now opened within two years
from the date of approval of the act and
on the remaining streets and avenues not
now opened within one.year after they are
opened. but ii contains no penalty for fail
ure to comply with this or any other pro-
vision of the bill, not even the usual for
lecture clause for noncompliance with its
requirements The only penalty clause in
the whole bill is one providing for forfeiture
proceedings If the companies neglect or re-
Use TO make an annual report of their re-
ceipts and expenditures. together with the
names of their shareholders and the num-
Der of shares held by each
although the act of July 5, 1892. author
lzing the construction of the North Cap
itol street line of The lexington company
south of New York avenue, specifically
required that the work on this extension
should be commenced and completed and
cars run thereon within stated time a
car mas never been run over these tracks,
yet, in the face of this experience. and
the evident necessity for such a provision,
TINS Dill contains no requirement that cars
shall be run Upon the proposed extensions
alter the tracks are laid. If the Ec<ing-
ION company Will f1agrantly disregard an
express provision of law recurring them
TO run cars on their North Capitol street
line within stated time after the passage
OF the act. as condition to the granting
OF the privilege, what may they be ex-
pected to do IL the act granting these addi-
tonai extensions contains no such re-
quirement?
With respect to undermining the service
on these lines within the city limits the
Dill is not mandatory. 1t simply 'em-
powers these companies to use any motive
power that the Commissioners NAV an
prove, except horses ard overhead wires
on their existing lines within the city
limits, but 1t does not require" them to do
SO. Neither does it specify any time within
which horses shall be dispensed with on
these lines. nor fix a penalty for failure
to change their motive power.
Introduced by the chairman of the Sem
ate District committee, as his promised
solution of this whole vexatious railroad
Question, the bill is disappointment and
the most loosely constructed Of any Of
the several bills bearing on this question
now before the committee, and should not
be reported in its present shape. No such
latitude as is proposed by this bill should
be given any street railway corporation,
much less a company whose record in this
city is one CT broken promises and dis
regard OF law. T. P. KANE.