Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-06
THE ANACOsTIA ROAD.
The Proposal TO Keep It's Cars From
Metropolitan Tracks

Tn, proposal of the conference commit
tee to attach to the House bill for a char
ter for the Capital railway a provision
barring treet railway companies from rum
ming cars over any underground electric or
cable road by a route not specified in the
charters of Iuch roads. except by authority
OF Congress, hereafter TO be secured, has
aroused among the citizens of Anacostia
ana those htving business with that part
OF the District strong feeling of alarm
az dismay The principal effect of the
ar.t ndment " ,uId be to stop the Anacostia
cars from running through the business
part OF the city over the tracks of the
Metropolitan Company
IT'S proposition was advanced as an
amendment to House bill 2462 and unon
the protests of large number of citizens
OF Anacostia and Washington was killed
Nhen IL came up as a conference amend
Heht yesterday, naturally il was sur
prise. Among those who sent letters TO the
District committees of the House and SEN
ate In regard TO this particular movement
against the Anacostia road were William
oscar Roome of the Ohio National Bank
A Lisner of the Palais Royal, Woodward
Lothrop, Moses & Sons Thomas w
smith Elphonzo Youngs, w. II. Rapley,
william ID. Campbell and others. Mr.. Lis
ner said that between twenty and thirtv
OF his employees lived in Anacostia and il
the amendment prevailed they would be
opnged TO make two transfers, walk a con-
slueidDIe distance, besides paving two
iares, while now they could come right
mt the heart of the city on one fare. Be
SIDES this, large number of the patrons
OF the Palais Royal living in Anacostia
were able to ride right to the doors of his
store, make their purchases and carry
thelr parcels directly home Woodward q
hotnrop also say that the road is of great
advantage TO their business, both to their
employees and to large number of ma
irons. Moses & Sons protest most earn
esuy against the amendment, saying that
they have large number of customers in
Anacosua VINO come to their store over
this road directly and conveniently and
more than this, that the firm has for a
long time been in the habit of sending par
GELS by the AnacoStia cars directly 10 buy-
ers, the practice being 10 take the number
OF the car on which the parcel was placed
ana telephone II to the customer, who is
then able to go to the car offices and get
ms goods. Mr.. Pratt Of the Lincoln Hall
Association and w. II. Rapley the man
ager of the Academy of Music, both de-
clare that the road is of great advantage
to the Academy. Theater-goers from An
acostia able to ride directly to the cor
ner of 9th and Z, and Mr.. Rapley says that
! during the height of the season there are
usually two or three carloads of people
| coming every night in these cars
Mr. ElphonZo Youngs. in a letter TO Sem
ator Mcmillan, protests against the pro-
posed inhibition, and declares that to every
tradeSman all street car lines and connec-
lions that pass his store are Just so much
of his stock in trade, and that to him the
passage of such an amendment as the one
proposed would be a serious loss in pa
tronage
Mr.. William D. Campbell, the lumber
man, who has large interests in Anacostia
and throughout Washington, said today
that this scheme would do him incalculable
harm He and his employees have a large
amount of business with many offices in
the heart Of the city, and it is a great con-
yenience and saving to them to reach
them directly on one fare and one car from
AnacCstia.
Thomas w. Smith, the lumberman, who
is the largest holder of the first mortgage
bonds Of the Anacostia road, and is largely
interested in Anacostia property, said to-
day to Star reporter: THE passage OF
this amendment would be the worst thing
that could possibly happen to Anacostia. 1t
would take away from us the last leg We
have to stand upon. We want rapid tran
sit, and we feel sure that we will have il
eventually, but this road is now our best
means of communication. 1t comes d.
rertly into the heart of the city, with one
fare, and that part of the District has
grown visibly since this facility for trans
portation was introduced"