Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-04-30
A RAILROAD HEARING
The Capital Traction Company and
the Proposed Extension.
PRESIDENT DUNL9PS PLEA FOR IT
The Metropolitan and Columbia
Companies Oppose It.
OTHER DISTRICT MATTERS
OTHER DISTRICT MATTERS

lHSilCc " SOuLeCtlCut avenue.
President Dunlop of the Traction Com
pany explained the bill. He said the Com
missioners had proposed that the company
extend it's U street line eastward to Sth
street northeast, on Florida avenue east Of
7th street, and southwark to the Pennsyl-
vania avenue line in Southeast Washing
ton. Mr.. Dunlop said there is no car line
in the section that the I'D street line pro-
poses to cover. He said he would like to
extend the 22d street line if the streets
were eXtei ded.
He also hoped to extend the line to the
northwestward in a line parallel with Mas
sachusetts avenue extended. The I'D street
line would lie the underground electric
system.
Don't Want 22d Street Without F and
Streets.
IF Congress failed to give you the F
and street extension, would you want
the 22d street extension?' asked Mr.. Alb
bCtt.
Mr.. Dunlop replied in the negative. 1t
would require a separate power house, he
explained, and as the F and G. street line
would cover approximately the same ter
ritOry the existing Pennsylvania avenue
line, it would rot pay the company to
make the F and G street extension.
President Phillips Opposition.
President Phillips of the Metropolitan
line opposed the bill. His company is con-
testing for the right to the extension, as
serting priority of claim over the territory.
Mr.. Phillips told of a petition signed by
many people interested in 22d street, op-
posing the use of that street. That thor
ol.gnfaTe is only thirty-two feet wide from
curb to curb. To put a double track
that street would leave only six feet and
curb
That did not leave enough room for a
vehicle to stand in front of any door while
a was passing Mr.. Phillips said the
Capital Trac Gon Company is simply at
tempting to extend it's lines in territory
where there is no demand for it. He said
there are not sixty houses on 22d street
above NJ street Even those houses are
served by the Metropolitan Company with
its Connecticut avenue line and the George
town line. He insisted. therefore, that
there is no demand for the road. and the
only object of the Capital Traction Com
pany is to occupy the land in advance Of
the demand.
An Effort to Better It's Service.
Mr. Phillips told of the efforts of the Met
rcpolitan Company to better its service,
and the success thereof. To accomplish
this, it has been necessary to mortgage
every possession of the company. For a
long time the company has been having a
hard time. Much of this trouble has been
due to the paralelling of it's tracks by other
lines. In city like Washington, 1t is not
practicable to crowd street RAILWAYS to-
gether.
Mr.. Phillips said Mr.. Dunlop had COM
rl&ired of the Metropolitan's bill for the
q street extension that the Metropolitan
was invading his territory. AT the same
time Mr.. Dunlop turns around and asks
the right to invade the Metropolitans ter
ritory in the sparsely settled northwest
I'VE are undermining our road at an ex-
pense of over two million and a half Our
interest charges alone will be $500 a day
We will have to carry 10000 people day
to paw these charges and pay the men who
run the cars living wages. Congress has
made us make this change and you should
not allow another road to come into our
territory
Mr.. DunlOp's Reply.
Mr.. Dunlop replied to Mr.. Phillips, and
said there is now on file with the committee
petition signed last year by 25O lot own
ers on 22d street in favor of the bill. He
insisted that 22d street is the widest north
and south street in that section.
I'VE want to get down to the river front
and am frank to tell you why said MI
Dunlop. There will be a memorial bridge
across the river some day, and we want to
be there with our road when it is built to
accommodate the public"
Mr.. Dunlop denied that his road would
parallel the Metropolitan in the north
west.
1T would be better If one company con-
trolled all these roads in the city," said Mr.
Dunlop.
III answer to question he said the stock
of the combined Capital Traction roads
was $12,O0O,O0O.
Mr.. Wilson for the Columbia
At this point Mr.. Nathaniel Wilson ap-
peared in behalf of the Columbia railway,
asking the extension and G streets
from 18th street, via 18th, H and 18th
streets.
His company applied for this extension
four or five years ago, when there was no
one else in the field for it.
Mr.. Wilson said the Columbia railway
may change its cable system on the whole
line to the underground electric system if
the western extension is granted.
Treasurer Martin of the Columbian Uni
versity addressed the committee. He OPP
posed the use of 18th street by the pro-
posed extension of the Columbia railway
He said the occupancy of 18th street by a
street line would interfere to a serious
degree with the laboratory and scientific
work of the university. He said the efi-
cheney of the road would not be crippled
by making the road come up 14th street
to Fl instead of up 18th street.
Senate District Committee Hearfnrs
The subcommittee on District appropria-
granted
hearings to several persons interested in
local matters and practically concluded the
preliminary work on the bill, which Is to be
followed by the actual amendment of it's
provisions by the subcommittee Among
those who appeared before the subcommit-
tee were DR.. c. B. Purvs, in behalf Of the
Home for Aged Colored Women; DIR. Will
Jams, who asked for additional appropria-
tions for the Freedman's Hospital and rep
resentatives Of the Brightwood Citizens
Association, who urged that more appro-
priations be given for schools and sewers in
that suburb.
Arguments were also made in behalf of
an extension of 18th street northeast So
far there have been no hearings on the sub
ject of street extensions in general, al
though various minor projects have been
urged. The committee expects to hear Mr.
Charles H. Armes, who desires a sewer in
Mt. Pleasant, but beyond this matter there
are no other hearings in prospect The
subcommittee will probably get down to
work tomorrow on the real task of amend
ing the bill and shaping it up for action in