The times., 1898-01-06
THEIR REPORT SUBMITTED.
Commissioners Discuss the Met
rOpolifan Lines Extension.
FACTS SET OUT IN DETAIL
None of the Many Bills That Have
Been Submitted Is Endorsed rs
commissioners Refer to
the difficulties Encountered in
Arriving at Conclusion.

The District Commissioners yester-
day completed their report to Congress
on the various bills which have been
submitted &c them providing for the
extension of the lines of the Metropoli-
tan Railroad Company. The object If
the bills is to extend the lines of the
lead to Columbia Heights, on the east
side of Fourteenth street, and to Mount
Pleasant Lanier Heights, and Ingle-
side, on the west.
The Commissioners say. in part:
Tie proposed routes may be divided
into three sections.
ta)From Eighteenth street and Columbia
the present nottlern terminal of the Ninth
street line to Lydeckef avenue tc)The
portion crossing Fourteenth street and con-
Meeting the two extensions named above,
The extension from Eighteenth street
and Columbia road northwest VIII pass
through a section but thlnly settled at pres
ent, and over streets which are not yet
opened. This territory, in course OF time,
VIII afford an exceedingly valuable route
to some company and VIII be OF great
utility TO the people of the District at
large, not only Tor the purpose or accom-
mo,iating the residents In these suburbs. but
by affording an easy and direct means or
access To the Geological ana Rock Creek
parks. As the streets are not yet opened
neither the metropolitan nor the capital
Traction Company desires to make the
extension within any definite period OF
time owing TO the engineering difficulties
in passing over ungraded streets, and to
the great expense which would be involved,
although ii is believed that the iiEnt OF
way over the unopened streets could be
obtained today without difficulty
me Commissioners deem 1t mex pedlent
Ia recoiunend any franchises SO Indefinite
in ulI.-nnIt oI voIisIruCIIOII, Ditt tiiiii .uat
the interests or the citizens would be better
serveu by waiting until one of the coin-
pant IS is ready 10 proceed at once TO eN-
tend it's line along through Seventeenth
or Eighteenth street, preferably the latter.
The extension or the Nintn street llne
demands careful consideration as to the
routa To he followed. Taking the exist
ing streets between Seventh ala Il Fourteenth
streets, because OF the grades sherman
avenue offers the only practicable route
as Tar as Irving street. I then beooiIieS
q question whether the route should pro-
ceeuout > herman avenue or westerly tilfoogl
Irving ana Roanoke streets 10 1hirteehlh
street, aId then out Thirteenth street.
The Commissioners note that Sher
man avenue as it exists at present is
a narrow unpaved street, which re-
ceives large amount of surface water
and is generally full of mud. This fact
will make the operation OF road along
the street expensive until il is paved.
They suggest that Sherman avenue
between Florida avenue and irving
street, the present terminus, IS the
and that this must be used uncer
which every plan is adopted Beyond
Irving street the difficulties are not in
surmountable. they say.
With regard TO the width of Sherman
avenue they say:
Ii is proposed to widen Sherman avenue
under the highway extension act 10 luo
feet, which VIII afford ample room Tor
street railway purposes, and In tue mean.
time beyond irving street the presence OF
tracks III the narrow roadway would rot
seriously INCONVENIENCE travei, as tbe street
streets are but thirty feet wide be
tween curbs, while Thirteenth street is
hut forty feet, aud it II not expected tnat
these streets Will be Wlueneu utoer the
highway extension act along the proposed
route. Thirteenth street is also partiaHy
punI up, and now forms hahdsoihe resi-
way. With rapid transit lineson fourteen5I
street and on Sherman avenue ~ Wouu
always be favorite road for driving III
This portion OF the city
The Commissioners repeat their rec
concentrations on formed elils that
street railways should not be put on
streets which have hot sufficient width
to allow vehicular traffic as Wen as
railway lines. They state that shouit
it be decided to authorize the extension
through Irving, Roanoke and Thir-
teenth streets with double track pro-
vision should be made for giving in
creased width without expense TO the
District.
The remainder of this part of the ex-
tension. the route through Lydecker
avenue and the Mattingly tract to
Fourteenth street extended, Is recon-
mended for approval.
In the matter of the part of the
route between Fourteenth street eX-
tended and Eighteenth street extended,
the Commissioners take the action ex-
pected. After calling attention to their
recommendation. made few days ago,
that the Capital Traction Company be
allowed to build a loop out Howard
avenue and back via Park street, they
recommend that the metropolitan road
be authorized to use this loop. They
add the recommendation that the loop
be constructed by either company for
the general use of the two, in such
manner that both may readily and
conveniently use it. The second COM
pany, before entering upon the loop, is
te, pay half the cost of its construction
They suggest that the District supreme
court be given complete jurisdiction
over all disputes which may arise be-
tween the two companies over the
widening of streets, building or joint
occupancy of the loop
The last recommendation is that the
bill make the completion of the extern