Evening star., 1898-11-21
\ Street Railway Fight,

10 the Editor Of The Evening STAR
The fight between the Anacostia and Cap.
ital railways has now become almost pic.
turesquely interesting. Through the col
umns of The Star this struggle is familiar
to ALL Now comes change in the antago-
nists Mr. Crosby and syndicate have
bought the Anacostia bonds and other Sc
curities of the road and will now take up
the fight for this company.
Mr.. Randle, the president of the Capital
railway, alone has to protect his road and
is evidently awaiting developments
Both Mr.. Crosby and Mr.. Randle are south
ern men. One went to West Point, the other
to the University of PennsyIvania-one a
fighter the other a diplomat. The follow
ing is brief review of the fight between
the two roads. Mr.. Randle owned Congress
Heights, a subdivision overlooking Anacos-
tia. He offered Mr.. Griswold to extend the
Anacostia road to Congress Heights and ali
low MIN to operate it in order to develop
his lands. Mr.. Griswold declined to accept
this Offer Mr.. Randie informed Mr.. Girls
void that if he didn't he would get an act
Of Congress and build the road himself.
running over the Anacostia tracks on the
bridge and up 11th and NJ streets, and get
free transfers over the entire Capital Trac
tion line, and would ultimately get through
connections to all parts of the city. Mr.
GriswOld did not believe this was possible
Mr.. Rand.e introduced this bill in Congress
tor a charter allowing him the above fran.
chises, and from that time the fight be
lween the roads has continued After the
niii passed both houses OF Congress it was
neld up in conference for over three weeks
out it came out just as Mr.. Randle wanted
it. Almost Immediately after President
Cleveland signed the bill the free silver plat.
form was adopted in Chicago and money
could hardly be had on government bonds
Still Mr.. Randle built the road within the
time limited by Congress. Notwithstanding
every conceivable obstacle was put in his
way by the AnacoStia road. That road
fought him bitterly before the courts, the
Commissioners and Congress, but he won in
every case.
At one time the Capital Railway Com
pany's underground system was ordered
cut, but Mr.. Randle matched Senator Mark
Hanna against Mr.. Griswold's reinforce
ments and again won the fight.
In this last matter Mr. Randle criticised
the Commissioner. Capt Black, who then
demanded that Mr.. Randle turn the man.
agement of the road over to some one sat.
isfactory to him. The company having ex.
haUsted its right to install an under.
81 ound system and the time having
expired in which to put in a system
satisfactory to the Commissioners, as
required by Congress, it meant either a
forfeiture of the company's charter or the
surrender of the management; therefore Mr.
Randle yielded the management of his road
to a party satisfactory 10 Commissioner
Black and Immediately went TO Congress
and got bill through giving the right to
any time limit. He also got the time eX.
tended to build the 11th street line to con
Eect with the metropolitan road at Lin
coin Park Now Mr.. Hams, the Commits
sioner's manager, has rendered his resig
nation, and ii is understood that it will be
accepted on Mr.. Randle's return, who is
out of the city at present. Although Grip.
pied with over a hundred thousand dollars
Of suits against his company for an acci.
dent which occurred since he gave up the
management, he must now take up the
fight again. Mr.. Crosby had an option on
the AnacoStia road when Mr.. Randies bill
was introduced in Congress and had paid
$4,000 upon ii, but upon the passage of the
Capital Railroad COmpany'S charter he for
feited his $io,G39, saying that the Anacostia
road was worthless with the Capital Rail
way Company turning the travel over to
the Capital Traction at the navy yard
Siace the accident, however, it seems he
has changed his mind and fight to the
finish is expected between the two roads
unless a consolidation is made. 1t would
give Mr.. Randle through service 10 Con-
GreSs Heights if the two roads united. If,
however, it comes to fight it is almost
certain the Capital Traction and Metropoli-
tan will back Mr.. Randle, because the Cap
ital railway is now d profitable feeder to
the Capital Traction and, besides if the
Anacostia road is electrically equipped it
will parallel the Capital Traction for over
two miles, then it will run over the tracks
Of the Metropolitan for q mile and a half
through its best territory.
CONGRESS HEIGHTS.
November 49, 1898.