Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-26
RAIL ROAD RIvALRIES
The Alleged Relations Between the Capital
Traction and Metropolitan.
Some Of the Current Gossip-One Com.
pany Meddling In the Others
Affairs.

There Is some interesting gossip afioat
In well-fnformed street railroad circles in
regard to the Metropolitan railroad. 1t is
said that some of the stockholders of that
road have in contemplation a proposition
Tor the appointment of an auditing COM
mlttee, similar to the one which has been
going over the books Of the Capital Trac-
ton Company for the past two years, to
perform that duty in regard to the books of
the Metropolitan. 1t is said this action has
been suggested in part by the COMPARE
son OF the last report of the auditing COM
mittee Of the Capital Traction Company
Instituted between the amount of salaries
paid by the Capital Traction Company and
the Metropolitan Company.
The name of the latter corporation was
not mentioned in the report Of the commit
tee. but reference was made to a corpora
ton of the same class in this city, and it
is generally understood that the Metropol-
itan was the one meant.
Authority for the Statement.
1t was then stated in the report of the
committee that tie Metropolitan company,
or rather tho company suggesting the com
parison was paying. in round numbers,
$4,000 for what The Capital Traction was
paying $4,000. tt is statement has natural
ly led to mole or less discussion of the af-
fairs OF the Metropolitan road and some
CuiiOSity mas Dee1 expressed as 10 Wnetnef
these figures can be regarded as entirely
accurate and if so who is the authority
for their accuracy.
1t is stated in this connection that there
has been no audit Of the proposed charac-
ter of the books of the company for years,
and, according to the gossip of the street,
there is a desire on the part of some stock
holders to have an examination made Of
the various items of receipt and expendi-
ture of the company by an impartial but
competent committee. 1t is not claimed
that there is any suspicion of wrongdoing
on the part of the officials of the road
but 1t Is believed that a statement of the
affairs of the company obtained in this
way would be of interest to the stock
holders and could not possibly be objected
to by the management.
Charges Against the Metropolitan.
In this connection there is a good deal
of comment in regard to what is alleged to
be a meddling with the affairs of the Capt.
tai Traction road by those who are more
or less identified with the Metropolitan
road. 1t is said that the management of
the Capital Traction road is very much in
censed by what is considered the attempts
made by those interested in the Metropoli-
tan road to injure the former road, and
to delay the installation of the new sys-
tenn, thereby prOfiting by the continuation
of the present increased business taken
from the Capital Traction. 1t is claimed
on behalf of the Capital Traction manage
ment that they have been misrepresented
before Congress, in that members Of that
body have been informed that the Capital
Traction Company did not really want to
build the proposed loop through Mount
Pleasant, and it is further asserted that
owing to this and other misrepresenta-
tons the Senate committee in its report
did not authorize the immediate extension.
1t is also said the Metropolitan road,
acting through the Columbia, is antag
onizing the proposed extension of the Cap
ital Traction road westwardly through F
and G streets by introducing In Congress
bill asking similar franchise.
Evidences of. Hostility.
Those identified with the nagement of
the Metropolitan rad, however deny these
statements. AS further evidence of the
hostility of the Metropolitan road to the
Capital Traction road, 1t is pointed out
that Mr.. Samuel L. Phillips. the former
pr resident of the Metropolitan road ana
now receiving salary from that road as
advisory counsel, signed the petition which
was recently circulated among the stock
holders of the Capital Traction road, ask
irg for reduction in the salaries paid
the officers Of that road. It is also assert
ed that Mr.. A. B. Grunwell, the vice presi-
cent of the Metropolitan railroad, got up
this petition and went about soliciting sig
natures. 1t is further alleged that Mr..
Truitt who ma de the report of the audit
ing committee on behalf of himself and
Mr.. Gaegler, Is son-in-law of Mr.. Grun-
we'll.
On the Other Side.
On the other hand while it is asserted
that all charges of interference on the part
of the Metropolitan road with the Capital
Traction Is without foundation, while it is
admitted the persons named favored a re-
duction in salaries, yet it is said their
part that they only share what they be-
lieve to be the opinions of a majority of the
stockholders, who, while, as they claimed,
did not go to the extent of signing the
petition, yet at the same time are in favor
of reduction in the salaries of the Of
ficers of the road.
All these charges and denials, as above
outlined, form an interesting part Of the
current gossip of the street. In this con-
nection it may not be uninteresting to note
that in spite of the rumors of hostility be-
tween these two street railroad corpora
lions, the belief is held in well informed
circles that in the near future 1t is likely
that the control of both of the roads will
ma go into other hands. and that the two