Evening star., 1898-05-11
Rapid Transit LCgislatiOn.

The situation in Congress regarding rapid
transit legislation for the District is such
as to demand prompt attention. even in
the midst OF the pressure of war measures
upon the time and opportunity of the
houses The most urgent necessities are
represented in two bills, each of which has
passed the House. One of then has been
approved by the Senate committee and the
other is now before that body. These bills
provide for rapid transit extensions into
the two principal suburban sections now
unprovided sufficiently with those facilities
One enables the lexington company to
equip itself on modern basis, affording
the necessary legislative permission for
financing the scheme and Strengthening out
as lar as may be, the legal tangle into
which that road and its corporate associate,
the Belt, We're enmeshed by their former
owners. The new owners stand ready, ac-
cordlng TO their representations to under
take the equipment of the roads Immediate
ly upon the approval of the pending bill
They merely await the word of the Con-
gress. This improvement will affect not
only the suburban section that the Ecking-
ton road feeds, but also a very large por-
tion of the city itself. covering many square
miles of urban territory with the branches
of the lexington and Belt. a continuation
u
wrechinG enterprises of the former manage
ment is Il Disgrace To the capital. The SER
vice rendered by the roads at present is in
desCribably bad, but il can not be bettered
without legislation. Hence the need of ac-
loH at the earliest possible moment in or
der that work can ne begun on the i'm
provemcnts before the construction season
Is too far gone To permit the completion of
the equipment by winter.
The other bill, permitting the Metropoli-
tan Company to extend its Connection, ave-
nue. line by way of Erie and Seventeenth
streets into Mount Pleasant practically
solves the problem of adding to the rapid
transit facilities of that growing suburb
The proposition to permit the Capital Trac-
ton Company to build loop has for the
present been negatived. The House passed
the Metropolitan bill yesterday. Thus the
House has amply provided for the immed-
ate necessities of the District in this regard
and it remains for the Senate to seek an
early opportunity to put both of these
measures upon their passage.
The Mount Pleasant problem has present.
ed awkward complications for several sea-
sons. The rivalry of the two great traction
systems for the privilege of entering that
populous section has somewhat embar-
rassed the Commissioners and the commit
tees. The Metropolitan extension provides
for the Immediate needs of the suburb and
all complicating considerations affecting
the 1nter-relations of the two lines are
wisely postponed for future consideration
gratifying feature of the bill that passed
the House yesterday is the provision that
the Metropolitan extension shall continue
the underground electric system which has
proved so satisfactory within the city and
which should be carried into the suburban
areas as rapidly as the financial limitations
OF the various roads now entering that sec
ton will permit the substitution OF the un-
foreground for the overhead system. With
the improvements provided by the bills
whose passage is now urgently desired by
the citizens the District will be finely
equipped with rapid transit facilities and
the suburbs will enjoy needed opportunities
for expansion and communication with tn,
main city