The morning times., 1896-04-16
Every Mans Hand Against Him
and His BObtaiI Line.
WE'LL ATTENDED MEETING
AnacOstia Citizens and the Roads In
terested Represented Before the
Com mmittee-Griswold
Pleaded That He Could Obtain No
Capital Because of Congress.


President Griswold, OF the Anacostia
Company, opposed the bill. He said his
com mpany appreciated the necessity for rapid
transit, and had for some time been con-
sidering change in motive power. The
Capital Company would constituted menace
to the value or his franchise. III he went
to New York for the purpose OF selling
bonds with which to institute facilities for
rapid transit, financiers would refuse on
the ground of conflicting franchises One
half OF the mileage would be strictly over
the ADacostia tracks. He advocated the
insertion of amendments to protect his road
against failure TO carry out agreements TO
complete construction and for impediments
to traffic.
The proposed bill, he said, would be
bar to the formation OF any plans for the
re-equipment of the Anacostia road, and
would simply delay the adoption OF rapid
transit. The fixed charges of the road are
now about 500 900, and the net revenue
$4,000. A provision requiring reciprocal
transfers with the Capital Traction Com
pany would reduce the revenues by one
half. or to So 500. Thus no definite future
plans could be formed until the actual effects
of pending legislation are verified by
practical experience.
HE HOLDS MORTGAGE BONDS.
Thomas W. Smith, a large holder of.first
spoke against the bill, arguing that he and
other stockholders could not afford TO lose
either in interest or by depreciation ia
value.
MIR. HaZleton said it was the very in
efficiency of the Anacostia road that had
given an impetus to the desire for COM
peting line which would give proper travelling
facilities to citizens living in those out
lying districts. He sympathized with Mr..
Sr,nifb FtrtS sold ha had hut on
bad investment In Washington he should
feel himself open to ccngratuiation.
The Anacostia line. Mr.. HaZleion said.
is practically i'll condition of cola pse.
II President Griswold and his colleagues
would adopt modern methods and properly
provide for the accommodation OF the public
there would be no necessity for u new
line.
Mr.. Randall, who established the SUBJ
division known as Congress Heights, told
of his efforts TO persuade Mr.. Griswold
to rehabilitate his road, offering TO aid
him i'll obtaining new capital for improv-
ing the road, but all negotiations looking
to that end proved futile. He brought
fnanciers here from New York and PhiIa-
delphia but no conclusion could be reached.
Then he asked Congress TO grant cha rter
to the Capital Railway Company.
All the people of AnaCostia and vicinity
were ia favor OF his proposition TO give
that section rapid transit. He enumerated
his associates i'll the enterprise, all being
mutt -miiliOnaires, with abundant funds TO
push the enterprise to completion. The
total length of the new road, with
double tracks, will be five miles.
Mr.. Randall, in reply TO question, said
that as his company prooosed to use rapid
transit, and If Mr.. Griswold persisted in
running one-horse cars, it might become
a serious competitor. The Capital COM
pany has fun rights under their charter,
with the exception OF crossing the Ana
costa bridge
W. C. Van Horn, president Of the Ana
costa Citizens Ass ociation, spoke in
favor OF the proposed new company and
called attention to the fact that it is not
intended to use any more of that companys
lines than is used by the Anacostia road
OF the Metropolitan tracks in making their
circuit through the city.
He said the wives and sisters Of Ana
costa citizens were. afraid to ride on the
one horse cars after nightfall. There
were repeated instances in which ladies
had been insulted by both white and
colored men occupying the cars.
| Mrs. E. L. Easton said she and her
| visiting friends had been nsulted by
drunken men. She had petition signed
! by forty residents living beyond AnacoStia,
| asking for the road. In the name of the
ladies Of Anacostia she appealed for such
| Congressional action as would afford them
| protection when going to and from their
| homes.
! MANY CITIZENS ON HAND.
| During the hearing the committee room
was filled with citizens of Anacostia
| and Congress Heights and a number OF
| railroad ma agnates, among them being Pres
| ident Phillips of the Metropolitan, Attor-
ney Nathaniel Wilson and others.
| Consideration of the Senate bill amend
| ing the act prohibiting the use of one-horse
| cars within the city limits after January
| 1, 1898. by exempting lines running through
| sparsely settled territory or operated from
| without the city, and restricting the Com
missioners in the exercise of arbitrary
| authority under the law, was then begun.
Mr. Griswold read long statement OF
! street railway ancient history in this city,
| showing it was not until 1889 that the
Metropolitan Company removed their last
| one-horse car, twent y-five years after
| receiving their charter; the Columbia line
did the same twenty-three years after
! obtaining charter, and the Washington
and Georgetown line was proportionately
| slow. The AnacoStia line would beat all
| these records il given a fair opportunity.
| Two-horse cars, Mr.. GriSwold said, are
| not necessary now to accommodate the
travel and would entail a material increase
|
speed attained. He was opposed to tue
| bill.
| Mr.. Wilson, representing the Metropol-
| itan Company, spoke in favor of the bill
| He said the original bill permitting the
| Anacostla line to use the Metropolitan
tracks provided compensation OF S1S4
per year. This had not been paid for the
last three or four years.
! Both Mr.. Wilson and President Phil
| Inns Sn6tp nj The n n.,id from
sit by the use of one-horse cars on the
| same tracks. Often from three to six
electric trains are delayed and blocked
| up waiting for the horse cars to get out
| of the way. Sometimes horse would
fall on the slippery street and the electric
car must push the horse car to the switch
and get it out Of the way.
WANTS HIS TRACKS CLEAR.
An amendment was submitted by Mr.
Wilson providing for the repeal OF the la "
| authorizing the Anacostia road to use The
tracks of the Metropolitan. lexington and
Belt lines and compelling all these roads
to omutuallyexchange transfers. This would
he said, do more to restore prosperity
to the AnacoStia line than any other plan
suggested.
III reply TO a question, Mr.. Wilson said
this plan would only enable those comm @
| from Anacostia to ride for one fare, but
other arrangements would be necessary
for transferring passengers to AnacOStia
Mr.P PhiilipS spoke al length ontbe fairness
and beneficial character of the proposed
amendment and said itpresents an et3uita ble
solution OF the problem. He said Mr.
Girls void had oppressed and mstreated the
people OF Anacostia until they had riser
in arms against him, as was evidenced
by the attendance at the hearing. There
would be no prosperity foe Anacostia
Il
II became evident during this portion OF
the hearing that considerable Il-seeling