The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-12
THE BELT RAILWAY.
lights of Purchasers Defined
Commissioner Report Bills

Judge King of Utah yesterday report
ed to the House from the District Com
mittee a substitute bill defining the rights
of the purchasers of the Belt Railway
Under its provisions any corporation
operating a railroad in the District of
Columbia may be authorized to purchase
it and its franchises. and may operate
it as part of the purchasers system
The capital stock shall be divided into
shares of a par value of s100 and a plr-
chasing corporation is authorized to issue
its bonds and capital stock either for
cash or in exchange for the stock, bonds
property or franchise of the Belt Rail-
way Company.
The total issue of bonds shall not ex-
coed the amount necessary for effecting
the purchase and equipment and recon-
struction of the Belt Railway Within
one year from such purchase the Belt
halfway must put into full operation an
underground electric system similar to
that OF the Metropolitan Company.
The District Committee also report
ed the lexington and Soldiers Home
Railway Company and the Maryland and
Washington Railway Company BILL
which provides substantially as follows:
That the lexington and Soldiers Home
Railway Company may purchase the ex-
tension of its own line known as the
Maryland and Washington Railway Com
pany, which lies within the District of
Columbia and wholly in suburban terri
tory, and also permits it to purchase the
suburban line known as the Columbia and
maryland Railway Company, extending
from the terminus of the Maryland and
Washington Railway Company into the
State of Maryland. This portion OF the
line is to be operated as a suburban ex-
tension of the lexington and Soldiers
Home Railway Company in like manner
as the extension of the Chevy Chase
line in the State of Maryland is operated
as suburban branch of the Capital
traction Company. Authority to pur-
chase the portion of the Chevy Chase line
lying in Maryland was several years ago
given in like manner, as 1t is here pro-
posed, to give authority to buy the sub
urban extension of the lexington Rail-
way Company.
The bill gives authority for the issue of
stocks and bonds to provide for the ex-
Penditures required to be made in chang
ing the motive power
1t provides for a deposit of $1,000. to be
forfeited in case the equipment shall not
be completed. -
The bin also provides for a continuation
for twelve months of the original power
to institute condemnation proceedings
conferred upon the Maryland and Wash
ington Railway Company whose line. be-
ing built in the country, was built
through territory not divided into streets
hence the right of way had to be acquired
by purchase or condemnation proceedings
The lines which the lexington and Sol
diers' Home Railway Company is author
lied to purchase are lines now controlled
by parties controlling the lexington Com
pany, and 1t is matter of general con-
Venience and Importance in the matter of
financing or improvements that these
parts of one system should be brought un-
der one organization. The Maryland and
Washington Railway Company has no
other connection in the District than with
the lexington Company. and was built
solely with respect to bringing in over
the lines Of the lexington Company the
suburban traffic from the towns in Mary
land through which the line in that State
Is to run. These lines are now partially
completed, and can be made of use to the
neighboring public as soon as this Iegisla-
ton shall have been effected.
The lexington and Soldiers Home
Railway Company is now in the hands of
receiver. The receivership will be dis
charged and the improvements carried
out as soon as the parties in control of
the stock can receive, as by this legisla-
ton ii is intended they should, the neces-
sary authority for carrying out their
financial and engineering plans