Evening star., 1896-04-15
CONGRESS HEIGHTS CITIZENS
Vigorous Stand Taken on the Railroad
Question.
Letter and Resolutions Adopted De.
Line-Agalnst Delay.


Line-Against Delay.
An enthusiastic meeting Of the Congress
Heights Citizens Association was held last
evening in the public hall Of that suburb.
The large room was filled and in the au-
dience was a big delegation from Anacos-
tia. who went to Congress Heights in the
interest of the movement to secure rapid
transit for the people on the south side of
the Anacost!a river. Mr.. A. e. Randle, the
mayor" of Congress Heights. presided,
and made speech. explaining the subject
to be considered at the meeting.
Mr.. w. c. Van Hoy Of Anacostia read the
resolutions adopted by the Anacostia Citi-
zens' Association Monday evening, which
were published in The Star of yesterday,
and they were unanimously indorsed.
Mr.. Henry Johnson Of Anacostia read the
Darling, the association approved without
dissenting vote, and 1t was sent by
Messrs. w. Z. Van Hoy. ]. M. Keating, H.
y. Darling, l.. B. Butler, Il. b. Buckley and
William H. Peck, to the Senate District
committee, opposing the bill offered in the
Senate at the request of President Girls
wold Of the Anacostia and Potomac Rail-
way Company:
I'VE have carefully read the bill intro
duced by you on the 24th instant, author
izing q change in the motive power and of
the route and termini Of the Anacostia and
Potomac river railway. Should the bill be-
come law 1t would have but one effect:
1t would close the books 20 far as this
company is concerned. for three years The
act Of March 2, 1880 (25 Stat, 400, author
lied change Of motive power from horse
to underground electric, cable or storage
battery, while the act Of August 6, 1880
aprfh f4,n nf
matte or other modern motive power, and
at the same time prohibited the use of over
head trolley. The last mentioned statute al
SO empowers companies which change their
motive power as authorized by law to sell
stock to pay TIE expenses SO incurred.
This company Is asking for this legisla-
tion. In our opinion. for the purpose of de-
lay, hoping that three years Of horse power
honest bona fide legislation sought by the
Capital Railway Company will be defeated.
I'VE take 1t that Congress does not care
to empower this company to use horse cars
for three years longer. The first and second
sections Of the bill grant no authority not
given by existing laws. They re-
quire absolutely nothing of the company.
AT the end OF three years the company
will be in the same condition that 1t Is now
In
Sections 3, and seek more territory
Perhaps 1t is not amiss to remark that this
was granted the right by the act
of August 1. 1855. to extend its tracks south
past the insane asylum, along Nichols ave-
nue.. Nichols road and the Livingston ROAD,
to the District line, while section 2 Of the
same act required 1t to lay a track and run
cars thereon along Harrison street to the
entrance to the grounds Of the German
Orphan Asylum.
ut is needless to remark that neither of
these extensions have been made, and 1t is
also noted that the franchise still exists as
to the two last mentioned streets, for the
-t,- 1~ xL-x .fzz
time limit, and no judicial action looking to
the revocation of the franchise has been in
stituted.
Bring About Delay.
IF Congress desires to pass this bill 1t
can do so. but 1t is suggested that. to pre-
vent unnecessary legislation. the doing OF
the same thing twice. that 1t might be well
to amend by striking out all of sections 1,
2, and 9. In lieu of section another sec
ton authorizing a road from the entrance
to the German Orphan Asylum, on Harri-
son street eastward. along said street, to a
point somewhere in the neighborhood of
Overlook Inn, or there aborts. in the east
ern section of the District, might be substi-
tuted.
Section Is of no consequence, because
the Anacostia company may now absorb
any other company. The laws are usually
powerless to prevent consolidation. The bill,
D.
and amended section 5.
Is it not plain That this hi; & merely a
subte:e"as? That there is no taten1Is5 to
improve the car service, but that, on the
other hand. its plain intent is to silence pub
and an outraged people. gain three Years
Of valuable time? Is 1t possible that this
company which, by its own statement, has
been losing money for more than twenty
years. with a capital of 100000. only one
f<,fx feh haS IN xxy3fh oh
Of almost 100000. bearing per cent per
annum; with an equipment which Ia almost
and whose stock has scarcely any
market value. can secure sufhcient to
change and equip all the miles Of road now
owned by 1t, to say nothing Of all the miles
OF road now sought? The bill is absolutely
absurd. 1t bears false promises on Its face;
promises WHICH, II read Alright, will result
in its immediate death.
I'VE contend that the people are the law;
that they should be consulted first Of all,
and their wishes should be respected. The
people want rapid transit. not temporizing
and delay. They want an honest bill
passed. one hedged about with safeguards
so that they will be protected; SO that the
can be forced to comply with
its legal obligations by building and oper-
atine first-class street railway.
"Since preparing this paper, ii has come
to our knowledge that the attorney for the
District of Columbia has given 1t as his
opinion that the Belt and Ecking.on roads
power. We do not assume to criticise the
attorney. but beg to differ with
him. We hold that the act Of March 2
1889, Is remedial, and that the act Of Au-
gust q, 1890, is of the same character, and
Is amendatory Of the former act; that both
acts should be construed together literally,
and in such manner as 20 give effect to the
will Of Congress-. which was to remedy the
evil Of forcing street railway companies to
the use Of horsepower until such time as
Congress might authorize change Of mo-
tive power.
I'VE further contend that the words.
And any railway availing itself of privi-
leges herein granted shall, within two
years. wholly dispense with horses as mo-
tive power in the act of August @, 1880,
means that such change must be made
within two years after such company gives
notice of it's election to avail itself Of such
privilege by making application to the Dis
trict authorities for permission to open
streets. lay conduits. build engine or pow
er houses, etc.
I've beg to invite your attention to the
fact that the Anacostia and Potomac River
Railway Company does not exist by virtue
OF a special act Of Congress. 1t was or
ganized under the general laws relating to
corporations in the District of Columbia
See page 1874. compiled laws Of the District
Of Columbia. paragraphs 123, 124, 125 128. 127
and 14s. These sections, in our opinion.
give this corporation the right to increas se