The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1898-03-15
DISTRICT DAY IN THE HOUSE.
A Large Number OF Important Meas
ures Disposed Of

ures Disposed OF.
1t was District day in the House yes
terday. and a large number of important
accumulated bills were disposed of. Four
of these were railway measures and one
provided for street railroad taxation. The
first of these measures to be passed was
the bill providing for an overhead trolley
across the Navy Yard Bridge for the use
of the Capital Railway Company. The
next on the list was an act to authorize
the Washington and Glen Echo Railroad
Company to obtain right of way and
to construct tracks into the District of
Columbia 500 feet. The act provides:
THAT the Washington and Glen Echo
Railroad Company. a corporation organ
lied under the laws of the State of Mary
land and operating a street railway in
said State. the eastern terminus being at
or near the northern boundary Of the
District of Columbia in Chevy Chase, be,
and said corporation is hereby. author
lied and empowered to obtain right Of
way and construct it's road and lay double
tracks thereon into the District of Co
lumbla distance of 500 feet. and no far
Their, from the point in the boundary line
of the District where said railway eX-
tended crosses the boundary line of the
District and from said point TO a point on
the west line of Connecticut Avenue ex-
tended, on a route to be approved by the
commissioners of the District of Column
bia, said corporation to have full power
and authority to operate cars upOn said
road for the purpose of its traffic; said
corporation to use electric motive power
in propelling it's ears: Provided, That no
fares shall be charged or collected within
the District of Columbia; And provided
further. That unless the extension herein
provided for shall be completed within
six months from the date of the approval
of this act, then this act shall be null and
void
An amendment was added TO the bill
before it passed providing that the appIi-
ances of the railway company shall be
approved by the District Commissioners;
also that passenger houses shall be sup
piled and that the commissioners shall
regulate the speed to be used by the cars.
and that the portion of the road within
the District lines shall be subject to taxa
ton
roads within the District of Columbia was
considered and passed. 1t provides:
That every street railroad company
operated within the District of Columbia
shall annually pay franchise tax to the
tax collector of the District OF five
eighths of one per cent of the entire
gross earnings of such company. There
shall be levied and collected, in addition
to such franchise tax, upon all of the real
estate of said companies, a tax in the
same manner and TO the same extent as
upon all other real estate in the District
of Columbia. The following named COM
panies. to-wit. the Capital Traction Com
pany, the Metropolitan Railroad Company
and the Columbia Railway Company.
shall each pay in addition to the fran
chise tax, an annual tax Of four per cent
on their entire gross earnings. All other
of such companies within the District
shall pay an annual tax of two per cent
upon their gross earnings in addition to
said franchise tax.
That all laws now in force in said Dis
trict with reference to the collection of
taxes, the creation of liens therefor. and
the time and mode of making assessments
and collections, are hereby made applica-
bic to the subjects OF this act. except in
so far as the provisions herein may be
incompatible Herewith; and all laws,
parts of laws. or provisions in any char
ter of any OF said companies to the con-
trary or inconsistent with the provisions
OF this act are hereby repealed.
That this law shall take effect from and
after the first day of July, 1895 at which
date the taxation herein provided shall
begin.
In connection with this bill the commit
tee submitted a carefully prepared report
which set forth that:
THE Committee on the District of CO.
lumbia have examined very closely the
present system of taxation of street rail-
road corporations within the District and
find the following inequalities:
The Anacostia and Potomac River Rail-
way Company is assessed upon its real
estate the same as all other real property
in the District, and , per cent on the
gross earnings as personal tax. This
company. however, has not been paying
| this , per cent assessment for the past
eight or ten years, and 1T present tine
owes the District in unpaid taxes and
accrued interest about $S,r91 which mat
! ter is now pending in court.
Your committee understands that their
refusal to pay this per cent assessment
is based upon the following provision in
their charter:
And said company shall pay to the District OF
Columbia. in lieu of taxes upon personal property
including ears. tracks, and motive power for the
next ensuing year. two per centum for the first
per centim OF its gross earnings upon the trafic
| Tor the preceding year, as shown by said verified
| statement
! for the reason that they have never com
| pleted their road as specified in their
| original charter which this company
| claims eXempts them from the payment
| of the tax upon the gross earnings. The
| reported bin will settle this matter, so
| far as future assessments and payments
| of taxes on gross earnings are concerned.
and will make this company liable here
| after for the payment of ; per ccutum
| upon gross earnings.
the Belt Railway Company. the Co.
! lumbia Railway Company and the Metro
| politan Railway Company are taxed. I'M
| der the act OF March 4. 1871, section H.
| as follows:
That the capital stock of all generations in said
District not herein exempted snail be appraised in
bulk by the assessor. and the corporation issuing
the same shall be liable for the tax thereon accord
ing 10 such value aud the shares in the same shall
| not be assessed against the individual owners
thereof; but from the appraised yaUe OF the stock
shall be first deducted the value OF any real estate
of said corporation III said District which shall be
separately taxed against said corporation
there being in their charters no provisions
| in reference to the amount of taxation or
the method of assessment. Under this
| section the assessor OF the District of
| Columbia has been taxing these three cor
poratiOns on their capital stock based
| upon the calculation of per centum on
| gross earnings. from which amount he
| has deducted the assessment on real es-
! tate which deduction is provided FOR by
! this section.
1.-THE Brightwood Railway Company the
Capital Traction Company. the Ecking-
ton and Soldiers Home Railroad Com
| pany, the Georgetown and Tenleytowu
| Railroad Company and the Washington
| vi Poi