Evening star., 1896-02-22
A RAIL WAY HEARING
The Falls Church Electric Road Ad-
vocated by Several People.
WHY IT SHOULD Be CONSTRUCTED
Protests Made Against the Ecking-
ton Road Extension.
OTHER DISTRICT MATTERS

9TH ER DISTRICT NJ ALTERS
The House District committee gave a
hearing today on the bill to authorize the
Falls Church and Potomac Electric Rail-
road Company to extend its line into the
city by means of a steam ferry, landing
cars at the foot of E street northwest, the
cars then to be propelled by underground
trolley along street to 18th, thence to
street and along B to the Baltimore and
Potomac railroad station.
MIR. Hine for the Company.
Mr.. o. E. Hine, in behalf of the rail-
way company, said his organization is
chartered under the laws of Virginia and
composed of men of substance. 1t would
not be profitable to build the road, how
ever, unless entrance to the city could be
obtained. 1t Is proposed to do this by
means Of ferry at the foot OF r street
northwest. He said another road, the Mt.
Vernon road, is coming into the city over
the Pennsylvania railroad tracks on the
Long bridge.
He said tn. Mt. Vernon road is to pay
rent of s1C0 day to the Pennsylvania Rail
road Company for the use Of tracks on the
Long bridge. and the Pennsylvania COM
pany is to take off its local trains to Alex
andria and throw that traffic to the Mt.
rangement could be made with the Falls
Church road.
The country through which this road ex-
tends is one Of the thriltiest sections of Vir-
ginia. The road will get the traffic from
Falls Church, Vienna, BallSton, Fostoria
and Fairfax Court House. These people now
get to tho city by the Washington, Ohio and
Western railroad, and the rates are three
cents mile
Mr. Hine explained that the men back of
the proposed electric railroad are well-to-do
business. men. most Of them holding prop
erty in the section to be benefited. The
proposed line will not trench upon the
vested rights Of any of the existing COM
panies. 1t will not require a delay of moro
than five minutes in making the crossing
by ferry, and the plans are entirely prac-
ticable. There is no objection from citi-
zens of Washington to the line within the
city. The line will be laid first to Falls
Church, but later to Vienna and probably
to Bull Run battlefield.
Mr.. Meredith Favors the Bill.
Representative Meredith Of Virginia ad
vocated the bill. and said everybody on the
Virginia side wants the road. He said
the Commissioners are inconsistent in their
objections to this bill, because they recon-
mended, year ago. similar bill in be-
half of the Mt. Vernon railroad. authoriZ-
ing the use of ferry. At that time it
was proposed that the Falls Church and
Mt. Vernon roads should use the tracks
and ferry in common. Subsequently the
Mt. Vernon road made an arrangement
with the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
to use their tracks.
I'm this connection" said Mr.. Meredith,
1T is well known that the Pennsylvania
railroad objects to any road coming into
Washington from the Virginia side unless
it uses their tracks and pays trackage.
This fact was demonstrated in the case
of the application of the Norfolk and West
ern railroad few years ago for entrance
to Washington. which was denied by the
Senate
Mai. Lacey's Views.
Major Lacey of the Falls Church Com
pany elso advocated the bill. He said the
engineer of the company was engaged for
years in bsrging traffic on the Ohio river,
and has reported that the ferry plan is
readily practicable. This road will give the
people of that portion of Virginia rapid
transit and low fares. Maj. Lacey said
the opposition to the plan is all on the part
of the residents of Georgetown. who fear
it will take business away from that place.
Yes, and Georgetown is one hundred
years behind the times said Mr. Meredith
Maj. Lacey said the people of Georgetown
and Georgetown Railroad Company at
Rock creek with a posse when that road
wanted to enter Georgetown, because they
said the read would take people away from
The town.
DIR. Wiley's Reasons.
half of the residents of the Virginia shore
who want access to Washington. He said
his place is six miles from Washington,
but he has to go fourteen miles to reacn
the city by the present steam road.
Mr.. Hine said in preparing this bill the
been adopted. as it was not thought that
the Commissioners would object to a bill
they had once recommended.
The University Question.
A hearing was given yesterday by the
Senate committee to establish the Universi-
ty Of the United States on Mr.. Hawley's
bill 1902 There were present Mr.. Kyle,
chairman: Mr.. Mitchell. Mr.. Walthal Mr.
Nelson and Mr.. Frye. Those appea ring be-
fore the committee were Bishop John F.
Hurst DR.. S. l.. Eeiier and A. B. Brown,
all connected with the American University,
who argued against the establishment of a
university by the government, their chief
reason being that it would conflict with the
interests Of other universities which have
been established here to give students a
post graduate course. EX-Gov. Hoyt of
Wyoming, who favors the bill, was present
but did not address the committee. The
committee Will meet again on next Friday
when it viii! further consider the question
of establishing a national university.
Tie Reassessmcnt Bill.
Mr.. T. w. Birney appeared before the
House District committee today to ask an
amendment to the reasseSSment bill re-
ported yesterday. He said the objection
presented to the bill by large number of
taxpayers is that it is prejudicial to some
property owners and favorable to others
The bill applies to assessments heretofore
made and directs the reassessment of all
taxes that have not been annuiled. Every
nan who has not brought suit and had
his tax annulIed will now be reassessed.
To remedy this the bill should apply to
assessments hereafter to be made.
Against the lexington Railroad.
The report of the District Commits sioners
on the proposed extensions of the Ecking-
ten and Soldiers Home Railroad Company
was today received by Senator Mcmillan,
chairman of the committee on the District
of Columbia of the Senate. Accompanying
this report are protests by the lexington
and North Capitol Citizens Association,
previously referred to in The Star, and the
Metropolitan Railroad Company. The Met
ropolitan Railroad Company's protest is
against the granting of any charter for
the extension of the lexington and Sol
dierS' Home railway on 18th street from
Florida avenue south to H street, and
thence over the tracks CT the Metropolitan
company or H street from 18th to I4th
street and on 14th street from H to G street.
The DratpSt reciteS that there is no 0eca;-