The evening times., 1897-03-31
HERDKs TO RUN NO MORE
All These Public Conyeyanees
Will Be Withdrawn Tonight.
A PAYING ENTERPRISE, TOO
Whole Outfit Bought From the Potts
Estate by One Man, Who Now
Wants TO Sell Twc-Wheelers to
BE Continued Large Number of
Men Thrown Out of Work.

The herdics which for seventeen years
have piled on the streets of Washington
will tonight at midnight he withdrawn and
the franchise surrendered The first news
of this purpose, which was as much of "a
surprise TO the employees as to the general
public, WAS notice posted in the herdics
yesterday morning as follows:
The herdic coaches will be withdrawn
from operations hy the Heroic Phaeton
Company at the close Of business March
81, 1897 All persons holding tickets of
this company can have them redeemed upon
presentation at office, Tenth and streets
southeast"
II was known, however, that ever since
the death OF Col. Joseph D. Potts, The
principal stockholder and practical owner
of the company three years ago, his heirs
nave been anxious to dispose OF the prop
erty as whole, and settle the estate.
deal to this effect was Consummated
on the Goth OF this month, when q meet
ing of all the stockholders transferred the
property to single purchaser. The COM
pany tbeTeupon dissolved and its whole
business has since been conducted by the
new owner. The deal was consummated
so quietly that not a whisper Of the affair
reached the public.
The details of the purchase have not been
divulged. butitis known ttat the purchaser
is wealthy resident of Chester county,
Pa, and that the consideration for which
the transfer was made was highly salts
factory IT, every stockholdcT.
The order withdrawing the herdict serv-
ice emanates from the new management,
which has decided to dispose OF it either
as II whole or by an auction of its effects.
The property will be held until week
from today, awaiting purchaser Of the
lines in their entirety; after that the
ncrdcs, harness. horses, and property will
ne advertised for public sale in sections
The herdic cabs, seating four persons,
will, however, be continued by the owner
under the management of Samuel q Eb
crly, treasurer aud superintendent of the
dissolved company.
Besides the stables at Tenth and c
streets southeast, the property includes
two other buildings. one at No. 1912
street, and another at Eighteenth and
NJ These viii be sold with the remainder
of the property, but lease will be AIKEN
on them a. stables for the cabs =
one hundred and fifty men employed as
drivers by the herdc lines will be thrown
out of employment when the service is
discontinued tonight Between 500 anu
700 horses Will be thrown on the market
The Herdic Phaeton Company was or
ganiZed in 1879, the first coach being run
on New Years Day, 1880. The herdics
ran ON two routes, one from East Capt
tol and Tenth streets TO the Capitol,
down the Avenue and out to the Bound
airy, via Sixteenth street. The other
route was from II street northeast to
Fifth street, to street, To Fifteenth
street, and along Pennsylvania avenue
between Fifteenth and Seventeenth streets
thence TO Twcnty-second and Il streets
northwest. The passengers transferred
at jackson place and the Avenue opposite
the Lafayette statue.
Col. Joseph ID. Potts, who originally or
ganized the company invested $250,0o0
in it. A mortgage of S10o eco was further
placed on il, but this was paid off in
few years. The venture has been profit
able from the first and today is on sub
stantiai paying basis. AT one time in its
history, when rapid transit was intro
duced by the competing street railways,
its profits fell off for a time. but re-
ductiou of the fare from ; tc 3 cents
made UP for the difference
Much dissatisfaction will he felt along
the routes now run by the herdics il the
servicei is stopped. as the company supplied
a want rot filled by the other railways
It's hoped however, that a purchas will
turn up before the allotted week is out.