The evening times., 1896-03-07
DIS7RIcfIN CONGRESS !.
ssns,pr m@isa srIrs up ,hs
Commissioners.
THE ANAGesTIA CAR LINE
He Says thea DIST rict Officials Have
the Power to Stop the One Horse
Cars-The Capital Traction Com
pany May Be Given All 1t Wants.
The Belt Line Problem.

|
The Senate District Committee is grow
ing little impatient over the delay of the
| Commissioners in acting on the "One-horse"
cars of the Anacos,ia line.
| That committee holds that the Commits
sioners have the authority to remedy this
matter In their own hands. That the ''onc-
horse" car travels UP and down the streets
of the city Is the fauft alone of the Commits
| sioners.
Some days ago letter was written To
these gentlemen by Senator .McAiillan. In
| 1t lie asked why the Anacostia line was
permitted to run Its bOb-taii cars in the
city. He Is rather impatiently awaiting
| an answer TO Tits Communication. The au-
thortty under which the Commissioners
could act became u law July 20. 1892. 1t
Is as follows:
THAT after the first day OF January,
1893, it shall be unlawful for any street
| railway company owning or operating
| any line OF street railway within the
limits OF the city OF Washington. or the
greater part OF which lines lies within
| said city limits, to use upon such road
any 'Onehorse' cars. After said date,
all cars used within the said limits shall,
IL drawn by horse power, be of the size
and style known as two horse cars
and each car shall be in the charge OF n
| conductor. and such conduct or shall
not act as driver; provided, this act
shall not apply to any company operating
street railways outside the limits of
the city OF Washington or through unim-
proved and sparsely settled sections of
| the same. until such time as the Commis-
sioners of the Dis, rict of Columbia shall
deem necessary for the public needs.
ANY railroad company violating the
provisions of this act shall be subject to
fine of $25 per day for each car, and for
every day 1t may be so operated to be re-
coverabic by action instituted in the name
OF the Commissio ners OF the District of
Columbia in any court OF competent juris-
diction within he Distinct. and all fines col
lected onsuch account, shall. when collected.
be paid into the Treasury for the use of the
District of Columbia 1t is hereby made
the duty of the Commissioners of said Dis
trict TO see that this act is strictly en-
forced" -
GETTING BILLS IN SHAPE.
Besides standing ready to dispose OF the
trouble on the Anacostia line, the commit
tee is busy getting the various street rail-
way bills In sha pey7 A deic CATION from the
Columbia road WIS at the Capitel today.
There seems'to'be hat little opposition to
the eastern extensions asked by this line.
1t will have totkeep off the country roads.
that is all Thtrei Is no certainty about the
western extensions asked. The committee
has arrived at noconclusion in the matter.
The bill of the Soldiers Home and Eek
ington road VIII probably be unfavorably
reported, especially that part referring to
an extension up Seventeenth street. II is
not proba BILE that permission will be granted
any road to go up this street by this Con
gress- Neither via the Metropolitan lie
able to seize on Columbia road, and in
that way reach the Geological Park. The
The Capital Traction Company seems to
be in a fair way get what 1t wants. 1t
asks permission to go up Twenty-second
street to the Boundary, along the Boundary
to Eighteenth street. thehce out Eighteenth
street. extended to the park. This au-
thority ma ) be given them.
The greatest trouble OF all on the street
car question is The Bell Line. The commit
tee is nearly stumped over this road. 1t
scarcely knows what To do with 1t. 1t
will reach some conclusion soon.
NEW GAS BILL.
Mr.. Babcock today introduced in the
House dollar gas bill as a substitute for
all pending measures, and to carry into
effect the agreement reached by the District
Committee at its meeting last Wednesday.
The bill introduced by Mr. Picker jan
uary is taken us The basis for the new
measure and amended 10 meet the views
OF the committee. II is introduced as 4
substitute.
In his report. accompanying the bill. Mr.
Babcock says:
This bill proposes to increase the candle
power of gas from l6 to %. II has been
impossiblcfOrt rthecommittee toestimate how
much additional expense this would entail
upon the government. The government In
spector's report shows that the candle
power of the gas has been much mere than
is required by the present law,
This act would increase the illuminate
ing power about 10 per cent over the
standard of 1895, and the effect would be
to reduce the price 20 per cent and in
crease the candle power Is per cent. The
reduction in price can be readily figured
out, and amounts to about $500 900 a
year, but the committee have not been able
to give any intelligent estimate of the
cost OF increase in the illuminating power.
While the increase is 15 per cent in
quality, 1t is not probable that a like in
crease would be added to the cost of
manufacture.
1.-The statement rendered to the commit
tee by the Georgetown Gas Company. COW
ering series of years, shows the cost OF
gas tothem is much greater thanto the larger
company In Washington. Their annual out
put is about IS 600 900 feet against 9OO,-
900 900 feet by the Washington Company.
'sThe limited amount made adds very
largely TO the cost, and the statement
shows that for the past four years the
earnings have not been quite sufficient to
pay the usual dividend OF per cent on the
stock. The committee think that il would
be Impossible for them to sell gas at 81
per thousand. and have fixed price for
this company of 81 20 per thousand, which
is reduction of % cents per thousand over
the price received by them.
HEARING NEXT WEDNESDAY.
The House Judiciary Committee will on
next wednesday. give hearing TO those in
terested In the proposition to recognize God
in the Constitution.
H. H. George. general field secretary of |
the National Reform Association of this |
city, has announced his desire to be heard in
favor of such an amendment, and some Of |
his associates are also expected to be pres
ent and make arguments on the same lines |
Samuel P Putnam president of the Ameri- |
can Secular Union and Free Thought Asso- |
citation, with headquarters in Chicago, has |
written a letter t9 Chairman Henderson |
that he will be pycsent and oppose any propo- !
sition looking TO the Insertion in the Consti- |
tuition of any clause recognizing Deity.
Pleaded Guilty on All Counts.
Council Bluffs, Ia, March &C. A. Alt |
mansperger, Appointment business man OF |
Minden, indicted Oh eleven counts for for
gerry, today entered a plea of guilty to all. |
Altmansperger was in the money loanine |
h,,e enacc nc an agent and ohtajned ohaut |