Evening star., 1896-10-23
STILL WANT THE OVERHEAD
Claimed to Be the Desire of the Eckington-
Belt Management.
What II Alleged VIII Be the Plea
Made to Congress IN Behalf
OF the Syndicate.

OF tne Syn01C0tSs
It is the general impression in Washing
ton that Mr.. Thomas Dolan Of the noted
Elkins-Widener syndicate and reputed own
ers CT the majority of the stock Of the
lexington and Soldiers Home and Belt
Railway companies Of this city. unwilling
ly gave out enough Information during his
talk with reporter Of The Star Wednes-
day night, and as published yesterday. to
justify the impression that the old fight
for the Inauguration Of a trolley system in
Washington is about to be renewed. It Is
believed also that Elkins, Widener and
Dolan will leave no effort untried when
Congress meets to get authority to equip
the lexington and Belt lines with the OBJ
jectionable power. Failing in that they
tiQuated system of propulsion to remain on
their lines here for an indefinite period.
Speaking Of this one Of the best-known resi-
dents Of the northeastern section Of the
city today said:
with Tommy Dolan's amusing interview,
published in The Star Of yesterday, and
the legal contest between the bondholders
and minority stockholders, on the one
agement. on the other, the lexington and
Belt situation is growing quite interesting
have recently talked with a number
OF the bondholders Of these lines. and they
intention to resist by every lawful means
In their power the issuing of receivers
certifcates as a first lien upon the assets
OF the roads, to cover the cost Of the pro-
cedence over all prior claims Under no
circumstances. they say, will they consent
to those in control making preferred credi-
tors OF themselves end their friends for
any money they put into the experimental
equipment. to the disadvantage and preju-
dice OF the bond and stockholders.
Confidence Needed,
''One bondholder, who represents oujte a
large holding. was very emphatic in his
statement that the present management
should be compelled either to buy up the
bonds and stocks Of the objecting holders.
or turn the road over to them. He said
that II they would step down and out and
turn the roads over to them he knew
Where the money could be raised without
any dihcuity to put in the underground
electric system; that the roads were good
franchises, and all that was needed was To
nave some one in control of them in whom
Monied men and the public had confidence
ne stated, moreover, that he knew the
uhaerground electric system could be put
II. for $60O0o a mile, including power house
equipment and everything essential to the
operation Of the line, which is S35OO a
mile less than Mr.. Newbold stated Mr.
SaxtonS estimate to be for the stalla t;on
of the same system.
In my opinion. based upon a personal
Inspection OF the only street car air mo-
tors In practical operation anywhere In the
United States, and any amount of reading
or the subject, it is a useless waste of time
ana money to make the experiment pro-
posed by the 1eceiver of these roads, There
Is not practical railroad man in the Unit
Ell States who would invest in the system
success. mechanically and commercially.
mas been demonstrated by an actual test of
Two or three years. The receiver proposes
to do this under the contract with the Por-
Ter company In two or three months.
What the Law Provides,
the act Of June TO- 1896. by the court would
settle very effectively the dispute, not only
over the issuing Of receivers certificates
for air motor equipment, but the right Of
these companies now to try that system
That act required them to begin to eouip
their respective lines within three months
from the date Of its passage with air mo-
!Ss: Iney did not do so. and there is a
Tor failure to comply with the act in this
respect.
THE act further requires a trial of these
motors for three months before the Com
missioners are empowered with authority
to issue a permit for the entire equipment
of the lines with them. and the three
months experimental trial and the total
equipment have all to be made within six
months from the date Of approval of the
act. otherwise their right to use the air
motor system is forfeited and the under
ground electric system Is required to be
put In within twelve more months.
Now, 1t stands to reason that as but
forty-eight days remain of the six months
allowed by the act for both experiment and
equipment. 1t is an actual impossfbility to
comply with its requirements in regard to
air motors, and, therefore, by every SEN
sible and reasonable construction of it's
terms attention must be directed toward a
compliance with the alternative provision
of the act-the installation of the under
ground electric system within twelve
months from the 10th OF next December.
Motives of the Management.
MY own opinion is that the manage
ment OF the lexington and Belt companies
have no confidence whatever in the ulti-
mate success Of the compressed air motor
system, and have heard Receiver Schoepf
quoted as having on more than one occa-
sion said as much. l believe their purpose
to be to demonstrate its failure by actual
trial. Before the compressed-air system
was talked of, when the underground cleo
trio system was suggested, the claim was
that that system was an experiment; that
1t had never been tried through winter
season, and its cost Of operation was un-
known.
After these objections were all satisfied
in favor of the system by its trial through
the winter and a years figures as to the
cost of its operation, the objection to the
system was shifted to the expense of its
installation, the cost of which was claimed
by the lexington management to be 1885,
90 mile greater than it really is. The ui-
terior purpose of these objections, in my
opinion, supported by my knowledge of the
tactics pursued by those in control of these
companies. Is to finally appeal to Congress
for relief. claiming that the underground
electric is far beyond their financial posi-
bilities, that the air motor has been tried
and has proved a failure, and that nothing
remains but the trolley.
by the time they are ready to trot forth
this argument they hope to have SO worn
the people out with their miserable service
or no service at all. that they will make no
further opposition to the trolley, and a new
Congress will be here more favorable to
that system than the present one. In fact,
this scheme has been boldly stated to be
their plan Of future operation"
HUMAN NATURES sEAMY SIDE.