Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-05-16
LEXINGTON RAILWAY BILL
The Sepase Gives IT Consideration For
Three-Quarters Of an Hour.
The Pettigrew Am<ndment Giving
District Right 10 Purchase After
Ten Year. Defeftes b, Ii to IS.

of Columbia occupied the attention of the
Senate for three-quarteEs of an hour this
morning with the result that the Eckins-
ton and Soldiers Home railway bill was
laid aside SO that the war revenue bill
might be taken up. Unless some agree
ment is reached between Senator Mcmillan
and Senator Pettigrew by which this and
other street railway bills can be voted ON
with little or no debate, 1t does not appear
likely that the Senate will allow these
measures to be considered until after the
revenue bill has been disposed of.
Mr.. PettiErew on His Amendment.
Immediately after the consideration of
the routine business this morning Mr. Nc
MILAN called UP the lexington and Sol
diers' Home railway bill and Mr. Pettigrew
of South Dakota proceeded to speak in
favor of his amendment limiting the length
of the charter granted to this road and
providing that after certain period the
Commissioners might have the right to
purchase the road without taking into con-
sideration the value of it's charter The
amendment as originally introduced by Mr.
Pettigrew provided that this right to pur-
chase the road might begin any time after
five years, but he amended the amendment
to make this period ten years in order, as
he said, to secure the votes of other sena-
tors on the floor
Mr.. Pettigrew said the purpose of his
amendment was to do away with the grant
ing of perpetual charters to street railway
companies in the District of Columbia. He
said the District already had one great cor
poration stocked for So, 100000 upon prop
erty not worth more than $1,000. 600 or Sc
900, 900 at the outside. In the near future
he said, the people of this city must pay
interest on this large amount of stock. He
did not want to continue the practice of
granting perpetual charters to private COM
DaneS for the of the
Street railway charters WERE he said the
only charters in the District of Columbia
which Congress had retained the right to
alter or repeal at any time. This provision
he said, was intended to mean lust what
his own amendment said in more specific
terms.
Mr.. Pettigrew's Explanation.
Il have been surprised" continued Mr..
Pettigrew, by the course of the people of
Washington on this subject. When we I'M
dertook to reduce telephone rates here the
business men We're up in arms. This was
simply because 1000 of them used tele-
phones. These are the men of thought and
the rich men of this city. They were very
active in organizing a business mems
league. which resulted in saving few dol
lars to each one of them. When we I'M
dertake to control the watering of stock
and the limiting of the power to mortgage
franchises and incumber streets of Wash
lngton these men are found on the other
side. They do not ride in street cars. 1t is
the poor man who rides in street cars-the
bulk of the people OF Washington"
MIR. Pettigrew CONTINUED to say that If
the business men of " ashington took no in
terest IN this matter senator's in whose
Charge the interests ofJtha District were
placed should see tb:it that these matters
properly disposed of The fact, he said
that 81 per cent Of the American people
have no property Of apy kind and that the
bulk or wealth IN this country is in the
hands of comparatiNalytfew persons is the
direct result of grantfngto private corpora
tons rights which Gelonf, to the whole pao-
pie. He said 1t was-a Question whether the
institutions under republican form of gov
eminent could be maintained with these
things allowed to 80 ono
Mr.. Mcmillan BREEZY said that he did not
favor Mr.. Pettigrew's amendment, as he
believed it would preyeAt the construction
of modern rapid transit road on the Eek
iifSton and Soldiers Home lines. he said
the committee on the District OF Columbia
believed this legislation is ecessary to give
the people better street railway facilities
and he hoped vote would be taken on the
bill at once.
Mr.. Chandler said that he could not vote
for Mr.. PettiSrew's amendment, but that
he was willing to vote for limitation of
the charter of street railway companies to
twenty years. He said he would prefer
separate bill with this object III view, bear
ing equally upon all the railways of the
District of Columbia.
Pettigrcw Amendment Defeated.
Mr.. Pettigrew's amendment was then vot-
ed on and was defeated by vote OF II to
80. Those voting in the affirmative were
Senators Allen, Bate, Berry. Clay, Heit-
field, Jones of Arkansas, Mills, Morgan.
Pettigrew. Teller and Turley. Mr.. Pet
tigrew then offered another amendment
limiting the charters granted by the pend
ing bill to twenty years.
Mr.. Allison, chairman Of the committee
on appropriations, said that he would like
to have an understanding about the amount
of time that was To be taken up with this
railway bill. He said that the revenue bill
an important measure and should not
be displaced any length Of time.
Mr.. Pettigrew said he thought he could
defeat the lexington bill and carry his
amendments inside of an hour, but MI
Allison remarked that he knew what an
hour meant, and that it probably meant
that a whole day would be given over TO
this railway business.
Mr.. Mcmillan said that he realized that
the revenue bill one of great import
ance, and consented that the railway bill
be passed over in order that the revenue
bill might be taken up.