Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-27
Only Way in Which Charter Viola
tions Can Be Prevented.
COMMISSIONERS RECOMMENDATIONS
Probable Action of the Senate Dis.
trict Committee.
OTHER LOCAL MEASURES

There was received today from the Dis
trict Commissioners by Senator Mcmillan a
letter relating to the effect of Senate bill
6i2, providing for penalties for charter
Violations By corporations operating in the
District of Columbia. They inclose a let
ter from the attorney for the District, and
add: THE Commissioners believe that the
early enactment of this bill is of great i'm
I0rtance TO the people Of the District.
Congress surely ought either to provide
some means for enforcing the charter re-
qdiremInts of railroad companies, or else
repeal such requi; ements altogether where
no penalty is attached The penalties pro-
vided in this bill are not excessive, and
will enable the Commissioners to compel
the railroad companies to do what it is
presumed Congress intended they should
Go when they were chartered"
In his letter TO the Commissioners At
tcrney Thomas gives several instances of
charter requirements that would DE covered
by the proposed law. as follows: Tile
charter of the Washington and GEORGETOWN
Railway Company requires its cars to be
run or scheduled time, but provides no
penalty for failure to observe the schedule
he Metropolitan Railway Compaay's char
Ter provides among other things in the
nineteenth section for schedule, and by
the twentieth section that the street cross
'ngs shall be kept clear of snow and ice,
but the penalty of not less than s. nor
nIcre than 800 for violation of this pro-
VISION Is to be recovered on the complaint
or any person aggrteved, in any court of
competent jurisdiction in the District, such
action to be prosecute d In the name of the
city of Washington. AS the district of
Columbia is 7 OF the legal successor of the
city of Washington 1t is doubtful whether
this provision could now be enforced. The
Columbia Railway Company, chartered
March "A, 1870, by the tenth section is re-
qured to run It's cars as often as public
convenience may require, but 10 penalty
Is provided for failure to run cars accord
ing to schedule. The Anacostia and Poto-
mac River Railway Company, by amend
ment of its charter August 1, 1883, Is re-
quired to run its cars as often as public
convenience may require, in accordance
with a schedule or time table adopted by
the company. to be fled with the Com
mission ers, and to be approved by them
but no penalty is provided for failure to
observe the schedule.
The amendment of the charter of the
BriFEtwood Railroad Company provides
for Il time table but no means of enforcirg z
compliance with it.
The bill may not be passed at present in
Its entirety, that is, as distinct measure,
but care will be taken that the penalty
stipulations will be distinctly stated in all
bills relating to local corporations, whether
granting original charters or amending
franchises The policy of the Senate COM
mttss now Is TO hold the recipients of con-
gress:onal favor very rigidly to their
promises and duties, and It is probable that
ere the end of the present session the Com
missioners will find themselves fully en-
powered to enforce severe penalties upon
the street railways that neglect refuse
to comply with their charter requirements.
The Sunday Rest Bill.
The House District committee will give
a hearing next Monday at 10 o'clock on
the Sunday rest bill.
4 Star Editorial Commended.
A letter was received today by Senator
Mcmillan from X. B. Buckley, citizen Of
Anacost,a. inclosing the editorial printed
in last Tuesdays Star regarding the Ana
costia street railway, and saying: This
about expresses our sentiments. We are
to hold a meeting Thursday evening and
expect to pass some resolutions there of i'm
portance. We are a unit on this question
and 1esiie TO bo relieved of this clog to
our prosperity as a suburb"
To Abolish Days of Grace.
Senator Mcmillan today received from
the Commissioners a letter recommending
favorable action on Senate bill 2153 to
abolish days of grace on promissory notes,
etc, In the District. They also transmit
copies of petitions received In favor of the
passage of the bill. one signed by represen-
tativeS of the principal financial institu-
TORS, and the other by representatives of
general business interests in the District
The Commissioners quote from one of the
petitions the reasons given by the adyo-
Gates of the bill for its passage, in which
they concur.