Evening star., 1897-12-04
QUESTIONS TO BE MET
Work to Come Before the Senate District
Committee.
senator Mcmillan. the Chairman,
Talks About the Need Of Local
improvements.

Senator Mcmillan, chairman of the Sem
ate committee on the District of Columbia
arrived here last night from his home in
Detroit MIR. Mcmillan was seen by Star
| reporter today. and. in response to in
qulries. outlined the main features of the
work he thought would come before his
committee during the coming session of
Congress.
When I reached the city last evening"
ne salo' one OF the first things l saw was
SINAI! one-horse car being dragged over
a road that had been constructed for rapid
transit at cost of $4,000 per mile. This
car was forcible suggestion of the great
heed OF this city for an improvement in its
street railway service 1t seems very odd
~ strangers dropping into Washington to
see sueh an example of a modern street
| railway service combined with the ve:y
oid horSe-car system.
The results of the underground eIoc.r;c
system achieved by the METROPOLITAN Rail-
way company have been so satisfactory
mat mat 1eel sure all the other roads will
nave TO adopt the same system When wa
nave The underground electric svst.n, in
use oy all the street railways of this CITY
ana universal transfer system in force
washington Will have the finest eauipmeut
OF street railways to be found anywbera
nave no doubt that the street Railroads
tnat nave not given us rapid transit in this
CITY VIII proceed to do So and if they 10
not they should be compelled to bring
Their systems into conformity with mode-1
methods.
increasing the Water SuppIy
our water supply" continued Mr.. Nc
MILAN, lis another matter that think will
engage the attention of the Senate com
mittee on the District of Columbia. You
VIII remember that a paragraph was en-
bocied in the District appronriatio, hin
during the last Congress providing for the
completion of the Howard University reser-
TolT ana what is commonly known as the
Lydecker tnnnel. That provision was elm
mated from the bill in the House 7 think
the same legislation should be pushed for
ward Soiously during the coming session
we should not only have an ample supply
water should be filtered / think the neoni'
mere are entitled to clean, pure water.
"hich they DO not enjoy at present
Abolishing Grade CROSSINGS,
A th1rd question that is likely to occupy
the time Of the District committee is that
relating to our steam railroads l think
the .eliort which has been made to do away
Win grade crossings on the lines of steam
raii"aHS IN the city can be brought to a
heao very soon. There is no doubt that the
rallroad companies and the Commissioners
edh agree on plan to accomplish this pur-
pose nope that during the coming ses-
compiishing this will be fully settled in re
gard to both the Baltimore and Potomac
ana the Baltimore and Ohio companies.
Inc question of lighting the city and
4ori Iuni.e ,puiiulnss py the use of power to be
derived from the Great Falls is a matter
l thnk should be considered very carefully
by Congress. The placing of our electric
wires OF all kinds underground is another
important question:
Mr.. Mcmillan was not informed REGARDING
the change of ownership of the lexington
ana other railway properties connected
Win II between this city and Baltimore
~ luI ~tiler tiiah such reports have been
published here. He remarked that the bii
passed at the last session gave that com
pany the right to experiment with the air
motor, with the provision that if it should
prove a laiiure the company would imme-
diately equip with the underground eJnctric
system, and he appeared to be satisfied
that this would now be the course pursued
without unnecessary delay.