Evening star., 1898-02-18
A RAILWAY HEARING
The Metropoitan's Proposed E1ten-
sions Discussed.
ARGUMENTS OF ITS ATTORNEY
The Brightwood's Representative
Has Something to Say.
CHARGE OF MPT

in the absence of Chairman Babccck
Mr.. Nathaniel Wilson. in behalf Of the
Metropolitan company. said the extension
of the system into the suburbs is a ques-
tfon of concern to the company, and the
company prefers that streets should be
or ened and graded before the road is ex-
tended, but, realizing that extension is de-
manded by the people, the company Is
willing to execute in good faith anything
required by Congress The company feels,
however. that 1t has right to say a word
in respect to the route of the proposed ex-
ter sion. -
An Impracticablc Route.
The company had from the beginning op-
posed the extension up Sherman avenue.
The company has used all means in it's
power to ascertain whether that route Is
practicable and the company claims that
in the judgment OF its engineers and ex-
perts in the matter the route is not practi-
cable. The grade is about II feet for nearly
one miie. 1t drains large territory. and
In transforms the road would be Swamped.
The territory Is not improved. is not graded
and ten cross streets, none of which Is
paved lead into Sherman avenue, which is
itself unpaved. All kinds of debris is
, brought down from the intersecting streets.
Mr. Wilson read the report of the en-
glneer officers of the District upon the use
of Sherman avenue, which report has been
published in The Star. and does not rec
Ommend the use of Sherman avenue in its
present condition.
Don't you think" asked Representative
King, 'that within five years Sherman
avenue will be so improved that you will
derive more passenger traffic than from the
other route?"
Mr.. Wilson answered in the negative.
Mr.. Odell suggested that i'll return for the
franchise the company might itself afford
to pave Sherman avenue.
Mr.. Wilson said this would be burden
on the company which should not be i'm
posed
4 Pretty Cheap Franchise.
'Well. You have a pretty cheap franc hise
up to date" replied Mr.. Odell
Mr.. Wilson said the construction Of an
underground system was matter of great
difficulty and skill. 1t was a system de-
signed for city travel, and the whole sys-
tenn should not be imperiled by extension
INTO territory where danger would exist
Mr.. Wilson read letter from the General
Electric Company, the constructor of the
metropolitan system. stating that the con-
d1tionS existing on Sherman avenue make
the route an unsuitable one for the install
lation Of an underground electric system.
He also read letters from other engineers
to the same effect.
Il ask you,' said Mr.. Wilson, tsif cor
poration having much money invested
as ours should not be guided by the reports
OF practical engineers in contemplated ex-
persons not informed upon the subject?"
Mr.. Wilson exhibited a model of the
mechanism which furnishes the electricity
to the motor cars used on the Metropolitan
railways. Here is the insulation which
makes the system perfect, he said and the
completeness of-the insilla ton depends utou
the conduits and conductor bars being dry.
The Insulation would be destroyed by water
and mud in the conduit
Mr.. Wilson said it would be better to go
up 1lth street, IL that street were opened
instead of Sherman avenue. In the mean
time the route proposed in the pending hill
should be used until 11th street is opened
Representative Richardson asked WHY tn.
Metropolitan Company would not be willing
to connect with the Brightwood railway
at Ith street. proceed over the tracks Of
that road. as now constructed up 1th street
and across Marshall and Kenyon streets to
14th street. -.
Mr.. Wilson said one reason IL that a troll
ley road Is now operating on that line and
he doubted II that company would want the
Metropolitan to come in. =
Suppose that trolley company should In
vfte you to do so?' suggested Mr. Richard-I
son.
well, if the company would make over
its franchise to u.s." said Mr. Wilson. I'VE
would probably give a qaiet answer to the
proposition.
The Mt. Pleasant Loop.
Mr. Wilson said. in respect to the Park
street and Howard street loop in Mt. Pleas
ant, that the Metropolitan Company wants
10 preserve the right for the joint use of
that loop by the Metropolitan Company
with the Capital Traction Company. The
metropolitan Company would share the ex-
pense or construction and maintenance of
the loop.
He called attention 10 the recommends
tion 9f the Commissioners in respect to the
JOINT occupancy of that territory
MI. Wilson said the Metropolitan Com
pany also wants to extend its tracks from
18th street and Columbia road, along that
read to old 10th street, thence north on
10Th street to Park street. He said that
extension would be made and the road
operated within six months from the pas
Sage Of the bill authorizing it.
The Brightwod Roads Claim.
MT AG. Stafford, representing the Bright
wood railway then addressed the commit
tee. He held that the Metropolitan rail-
way was not a completed road He said
the Metropolitan charter required that COM
pany to enter into a trackage arrange
ment with the Brightwood railway, upon
completing it's line. In order to avoid that
arrangement the Metropolitan company re-
Trained from completing it's line from 9th
TO Ith streets: He said Congress had pro-
vided a way for the Metropolitan company
to get into the suburbs over the existing
tracks of the Brightwood railway.
Congress should hold the Metropolitan
ItdllNdy company In contempt, SAID MI
Stafford. 'for not fulfilling the require
ments Of the act Of 1894"
In answer to a question, Mr.. Stafford said
the Brightwood company was willing to let
the Metropolitan &C mpany come over It's
tracks as far as the Metropolitan company
might desire, even to the terminus. Mr..
Stafford quoted the statute requiring the
Metropolitan ct mpsry to make traffic ar
rargements with any line with which 1t
intersected at the time of the passage of
that act.
THE Metropolitan company did connect
with our tracks at that time,'' said Mr..
Stafford. but does not do so now, because
tine Metropolitan company did not put in
its underground construction on the full
length Of line where it's old tracks extend
ed. There Is thus left blank space. so
that our cars cannot get onto the Metro
politan tracks.
Mr.. Stafford said that as the law now
stands, the Brightwood company ought to
he running it's cars from Takoma Park into
the heart of the city. The Brightwood
company had offered the Metropolitan com
pany the use of its tracks into Mount
Pleasant.
Mr.. Wilson's Explanation.
Mr.. Wilson was called upon by the COM
mittee to explain why the Metropolitan
Company had not made the connection with