Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-02-01
CHANGES IN AGREEMENT,
Railway officials to Meet for Consideration
of Mutual Interest.
Receiver COwen of the b. and o. Is
sues n Statemcnt-Elevated
Tracks in Washington.

It is expected meeting will be held in
few days in Philadelphia of the officers, re-
spectively, of the Philadelphia and Reading
railway, the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
ana the Central Railroad Company of New
Jersey to consider a number of changes in
the agreement which has been in force be-
tween these three roads for the past ten
years regarding travel between Washington
and New York. The first meeting between
these roads was held a few weeks ago, but
owing to the large number of details which
had to be looked after, the work of COM
plotting the changes could not be accom-
plished at that time.
When the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company began to run its trains between
this city and New York the business was
not very heavy, but since then there has
been a gradual increase, until at the pres
ent time it has assumed large proportions.
The passenger business has also grown and
the trains are now usually filled with pay
ing passengers. The outlook is encourag-
ing, and owing to this a change has been
deemed advisable. The various railroads
interested have not only their chief Of
GcerS present, but a number of other Of
ficers as well. that any question, no mat
ter what it relates to. can be answered off,
hand 1t is stated that all the companies
are anxious for a change, and there is no
reason why the matter cannot be settled
UP within short time.
Denies a Report.
Mr.. John K. Cowen, one of the receivers
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany, last evening denied a report that
has been extensively circulated to the eff
feet that the receivers We're anxious to buy
the interest of the state of Maryland IN
the Washington branch of the Il. and o.,
and continuing. said:
1T may not be anliSS for me to say that
the authorities of the District of Columbia
are pressing the receivers and the officers
of the company for a decision as to the best
manner of elevatipg the tracks of the
Washington branch in the District, so as
to avoid grade crossings in the city of
Washington. There has been a persistent
effort for many years in Congress to COM
pei the company to take such action. The
company has done all possible to prevent
hostile legislation, but Congress. the
District Commissioners and the public of
the District seem determined to no long IT
permit delay.
THE cost of the elevation of the WASH
ington branch in the District of Columbia
cannot be far from 81 100000 to 1900 900
This sum the Washington branch will pro-
vide. and the Improvement. when made,
will not add one dollar to the earning ca
pacity of the line. 1t is simply another of
the constantly recurring instances where
railroads are called upon to make vast ex
penditures to meet the demands of the i'm
perious public, in making costly improve
mentS which do not add TO the profits of
the railroads, but which serve the public
better"
Il have on my desk a letter from our
counsel in Washington stating that the
District Commissioners insist that the man.
ayers of the company shall at an early date
indicate the form and method of making
this improvement of the Washington branch
within the District; they. of course, reserv-
ing the right to approve or disapprove of
our suggestion.
To Enforce Payment.
The suit of the trustees of the Johns
Hopkins University against the receivers
of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Com
pany to enforce the payment of G per cent
per annum on the preferred stock of the
road owned by the university will be heard
before the United States circuit court of
appeals at Richmond. Va, Thursday next.
The United States circuit court decided
against the trustees. and the latter carried
the case to the court of appeals The mat
ter will not be finally settled until the
United States Supreme Court has passed
upon it, The bondholders are resisting the
suit of the university.
The receivers of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company will today begin paying
the coupons due February 1 from the Bal
timore and Ohio ComDany's consolidated
mortgage bonds in the hands of the public
These coupons amount to $2D 100. They
will not pay the coupons due today from
Messrs Speyer & Co. of New York an
nounce that they will buy such of these
coupons as may be presented to them.