Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-10

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
In your issue of Friday last an editorial
appeared in adverse criticism OF the request
for congressional authority in the matter
of the reconstruction of the lines of the
lexington Railway Company
Such congressional action as is provided
In the bill introduced by Senator Mcmillan
is made necessary for the following rea-
| sons:
l. There is no clear provision of law by
which either stock or bonds of the Ecking-
ton company can be issued for the money
required to change said lines to the under
ground electric systematic amount of
money thus required is very large.
= Quite aside from the question of money
there is no clear authority for the issue OF
permit for the doing OF this work. The au-
thority to which your editorial referred as
extending to June 80 1898, is unfortunately
clouded, from the fact that Ii is now I'M
settled question as to whether the COM
pressed air was was not adopted on or
before July L, 1897. Those previously in
control of the company certainly made
some beginnings in the matter of equipping
the lines with compressed air motive power
and made application to the Commission
ers for authority to apply this system to
the cornpanys lines. The Commissioners
finally granted this authority. though I'M
der conditions which, according to the
views Of those then in control, made the
grant an impracticable one. The COM
sion. This is matter of no concern, except
that the right to put down the underground
electric system as being extended to June
30, 1898, seems to be connected with the
fact as to whether the compressed air sys-
TEN was or was not adopted on or before
July /, 1897.
3. While not absolutely necessary, yet it
is a matter of very grave Importance in the
financing of such an enterprise that the
lexington, Maryland and Washington and
a certain portion of the Columbia and
Maryland should be authorized to CONSOLE
date.
Finding it necessary, II for no other rea-
son, Yet on account of the reason first
above stated, to ask for congressional ac-
ton, il seemed also far better to clear up
all question of the time limit within which
the underground electric work should be
accomplished, by such language as would
remove the matter from any doubt caused
by the compressed air complication above
referred to.
Should Congress pass the bill promptly,
We hope and believe it will, the actual eX
| tension beyond the period you refer to would
| be only a few months, and since for the
reason first above stated the work cannot
practically begin until few days after the
passage of the act Of Congress, and since a
heavy penalty is fixed for completion with
in the said period. the justice of giving such
| an ordinary building time nine months
seems apparent. We believe the work can
| be done in shorter time, and shall make
every endeavor to have it done early
possible. Our interest certainly lies in
doing the fastest work that can be done
while doing good work.
The bill. as introduced by Senator McMil-
| Ian in the Senate and Mr.. Curtis of Iowa in
| the House, provides for nine months as the
| time within which the work must be en-
| tirey completed .. T. CROSBY.
January 8, 1888.