Evening star., 1896-12-07

promptly be made ready for delivery to the
highway commission; these details
spread upon forty-five sheets, twenty-four
by thirty inches. and drawn, generally. to
scale of one inch to one hundred feet.
The plan provides a wide parkway. similar
to the Piney Branch parkway of the first
section, from the southeastern corner of
the Soldiers Home to about the middle of
proposed park along the Eastern branch
above Massachusetts avenue; these park
ways form links of complete circuit of
wide driveways, connecting the grand
parks of the District.
The plans for the third section (west of
Rock creek) are in an advanced state. The
question of grades here has been trouble
some one; the plans contemplate in some
parts rather heavy cuts and fills. it having
been deemed proper 10 allow for them in
view of the very desirable location of such
parts and their probable increase in value.
In the very hilly parts excessive grading
will be obvIated by the curved streets and
long blocks of the plans.
The remainder of the county is comprised
in the fourth section. A tentative plan of
he whole section has been drawn on large
scale contour maps: about one-half the ter
ritory has been carefully studied and
street system selected for it. The very ir-
regular topography of a large part of this
section compels liberal departure from
the rectilinear system. Anacostia and con-
uguouS subdivisions make the city system
impracticable without an expense not justi-
fled, 1t is believed. for this locality.
fourth sections is partly curved highway,
connecting sites of the late defenses of
Washington from Fort Slocum. north of
The Soldiers Home, to Fort Grebe. nearly
opposite Alexandria,: this road, popularity
called Fort drive, generally follows the
ground contours and is laid along the tops
OF slopes, giving delightful and ever chang
ing views; the sites of the forts, where not
now covered by improvements. as Ina a few
cases, are taken as reservations. The Fort
drive In the first and third sections follows
rectiiinear streets,
Street Railways.
The Metropolitan Railroad Company as
required by the act of August 2. 1894. ccm-
pleted the underground electric construc-
lion on its east and west lines, and COM
menced to operate its electric cars thereon
regularly July Z. 1886 The new system
of propulsion having been in Use on the
companys 9th street line for about a year
and a half. including rough winter, and
on both of its lines for several mont hs
without any serious interruption, and in
fact. working for some time with full salts
faction throughout d large extent of install
lation, cannot be considered experimental,
but Is certainly a fine mechanical success.
As to that portion of lines covered by its
charter from Florida avenue and 9Th street,
eastward Oh Florida avenue 10 7th street
| and thence to its terminus, on Brigh.wood
road, only one track of the underground
electric system from 18th to 7ih streets has
been constructed; this part is being oper-
ated with one car.
The Washington. Alexandria and
Mount Vernon electric railway com
pleted the construction OF an un-
derground system like that of the
Metropolitan company in August. 1896. over
routes authorized by the act Of August %.
1894, except on street east Of IL L. street
and on the line of l4th street south Of
Maryland avenue to a ferry slip. The
underground conduit terminates with a
plow-pit in 1ith street $50 feet north of
the north rail of the Pennsylvania steam
tracks, at which point the propulsion is
| changed to the overhead trolley and the
cars run over the Long bridge on the steam
tracks.
The construction of the Metropolitan ard
| the Mount Vernon roads, also the Co.
| lGmbia railway, is frst-claSS, especially as
| to track surface. Permits for construc-
| ton in the streets prevented as far pos
sfnle projections above the street pave
ment; in consequence .he obstruction TO
travel in line of these tracks has been re-
duced to minimum. and the certa MY ard
efficiency of tion of wheel guard tenders
have been greatly promoted.
The Maryland and Washington Railway
Company graded a double rack roaabed
and partly laid tracks and ballastad them
| on the line of Rhode Island avenue from
ith street east to the District line. Work
| is now suspended and the company is in
| the bands of a receiver.
The Georgetown and Teuleyt own Railway
Company, under authority given 10y its
charter. extended its tracks southwark
along i2d street and a private right of
way to the Potomac river.
The Capital Traction Company com
menced 10 run its cars westward on NJ
street to a point opposite the Union sta
| ton site on June ~, 1896 Owing 10 an
enlargement of the building for purposes
| other than a union station and TO much
| difficulty of construction, the Structure is
only now nearing completion. The COM
4 hos aa1a
1th street continuous by cast welding.
| The Anacostia and Potomac River Rail-
road Company did not and does lot now
operate its Congressional cemetery brarch
and the piece of its road on M street from
ID to 7th streets southwest.
The lexington and Soldiers Home Rail-
way Company failed to remove its long
| abandoned tracks and replace the pave
ment on T and I'd streets, lexington, as
notified to do so; the Belt line also failed.
after notice. 10 remove certain abandoned
| tracks at Sd and B streets southwest.
The lexington company discontinued the
use of the elcetro-ma gnetic system of pro-
pGlsion and the appliances therefor on
| North Capitol street north of New York
avenue. Pursuant to the act OF June 10,
! 1885, the company commenced to run cars,
| drawn by horses, about the 9TH of July.
over its branch from New Jersey avenue
| and G streets northwest via G and North
| Capitol streets to T street. Since October
the company has ceased full compliance
ard on the Brookland trolley branch.
On September Is. 1896. cases in the name
of the Commissioners were brought against
| the lexington and Belt line companies to
recover the sum of $500. being for six days
penalties in each case for failure to COM
mence to equip their respective lines with
compressed air motors. required by sec
| tion one of the act Of June 10, 1896
On the next day judgment creditors of
said companies filed bills in the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia, alleging
their insolvency and praying the appoint
ment of receivers, and on the 2lst of Sep
tember the court appointed a receiver of
both companies, and on September % au-
thorized him to incur Indebtedness for feed
| fuel and employees.
On October 10, 1896. Judgment was re,-
dered in favor of the Commissioners in
both cases to recover penalties above re-
ferred to. On October -, 1896 the re-
ceiver was authorized by the court to in
vite proposals for equipping both of said
roads with compressed air motors, and on
November 10 the receiver made a report to
the court submitting proposals for such
equipment, but before action on said re-
allowed to intervene and be heard on the
question of issuing receivers certificates to
equip the roads with air motors. On No
vember q, after hearing, the court re-
fused to authorize the receiver to equip the
reads with air motors.
Because of the fact that these railway
companies went into the hands of a re-
ceiver shortly after the proceedings to re-
I