Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-02
NEW BELT LINE BILL
1t Was Considered by the House Distric,
Committee Today.
Opposition to the Twenty-Ffve-Ycnr
Limit Clause-The Text of
the Measure.


vorahly reported the Senate bill OoSI au-
thorizing and directing the Secretary of the
Interior to quit claim and release to Fran
els Hall and Juriah Hall and their heirs
and assigns all the right. title and interest
Of the United States in and to the east
twenty feet front by the full depth of one
hundred feet Of lot 2. in square 493. as laid
down on the original plan or plat of tie
city.
The committee also favorably reported
House bill SG02, providing that all real
estate lying in the District Of Columbia
heretofore purchased by and conveyed to
charlotte j. Gottwals, prior to the passage
OF this act, be relieved and exempted from
the operation OF an act entitled IAN act to
restrict the ownership of real estate in the
territories to American citizens" approved
March 3, 1887. and all forfeitures incurred
by force Of that act are in respect O, such
real estate remitted
The New Belt Line Bill,
The committee considered the new ReIt
line bill, but reached no conclusion. Attor-
ney Brown appeared in behalf of the Belt
bondholders to urge a favorable report
upon the bill. He said the road would be
sold by order of the court within two
months and the purchasers would euuip
the entire sixteen miles OF the line with
underground electricity for a motor power
Ihere was discussion in the committee
over the proposition which was made in the
House on the last District day to incor-
porate in the bill clause putting a twenty
hve-year limit on the life of the new char
ter. Mr. Brown insisted that the proposed
new plans could not be put through with
this restriction in the bill
Sclne members OF the committee held the
view that the time limit was really an ad-
vantage. as it was in the nature of a con-
tract preventing congressional interference
with the road for twenty-five years
The new bill, which, Mr.. Brown said. had
received the appreciation of two-fifths of
the bondnOlders, the other three-ffths be-
ing inaccessible, is as follows:
Text Of the Measure.
THAT any corporation operating a street
railroad within the District of Columbia be
authorized to purchase the property and
franchises of the Belt Railway Company
under any sale thereof by decree of court
or otherwise; and such corporation so pur-
chasing may operate the property and
franchises SO purchased as a part of its
system, subject to all rights and obligations
imposed by existing legislation or by this
act so far as the same shall be applica BILE;
ana in case the property and franchises of
the Belt railway be purchased by any per-
son or persons at any sale thereof under
decree of court OF otherwise, such person
or persons. and his or their associates and
assigns. shall possess and enjoy all the
corporate rights, privileges and franchises
heretofore conferred on the said Belt Rail-
way Company by act of Congress approved
March 3, 1875. and the acts amendatory
thereof and supplemental thereto, as well
q the right to be q corporation under this
act, and the right to acquire by purchase
or lease the property and franchises of any
other corporation operating street rail-
road within the District of Columbia.
THE Incorporation as hereby provided
ha ha a1
whenever the said purchaser or purchasers
and his or their associates or assigns shall
file for record with the recorder of deeds
for the District of Columbia a certificate of
incorporation hereunder, duly acknowi-
edged, specifying the name Of such new
corporation, its officers and the names of
it's directors fer the first year, and the
amount of its proposed capital stock and
bonds.
THE capital stock of the corporation
herein authorized shall be divided into
shares each of the par value of s1o3; AMI
any corporation so created and organized
hereunder is authorized to Issue its bonds
and capital stock either for cash or in eX-
change for the stock, bonds property
franchises Of the said Belt Railroad Com
pany: Provided, however, That the total
issue of said bonds and stock shall not in
the aggregate exceed the amount necessary
for effecting any such purchase, and for the
construction, reconstruction and equipment
of said Belt railway.
4>o Stoth SHdii ot isSutu al JOuSe
of the Supreme Court of the District OF CO.
lumbia shall approve its issue and certify
that it is issued in conformity TO the pro-
visions of this act. and within one year
from tine ratification by the court of such
sale the existing railroad company purchas-
ing the said Bel: railway, or the corpora
ton created and operating hereunder, shall.
under the supervision of the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia, construct and
rut into full operation on the entire line of
said railway as now constructed an under
ground electric system similar to the orc
how in use by the Metropolitan Railroad
Company. upon plans to he submitted to
and approved by the said Commissioners.
Congress reserves the right to alter.
amend or repeal this act