Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-01
Question at Issue Between the Met
ropolitan and Brightwood.
Mr.. WILSON TO THE COMMISSIONERS
interesting Comment on His State
ment by Mr.. Williams.
CITY AND URBAN ROADS

providing for extensions of the system of
the Metropolitan Railroad Company in the
northern suburbs, Mr.. Nathaniel Wilson.
the representative of the company at the
hearing, made a statement which attract
ed some attention. He had stated eh 1t the
efforts made by the Metropolitan company
TO extend its line along U street from 9th
to 7th, and therce to its house on the
1th street road, where it is proposed to
build loop, were stayed by an iniuuc ton
by the Capital Traction company. He then
said his company is ready to continue its
tracks from 9th street out the eth street
road, if the Capital Traction company will
agree to allow the Metropolitan company to
Use both the northern and southern tracks
OF it's U street branch from 9th to 7th
street. He said the Capital Traction COM
pany now allows his company 10 Use one
of these tracks.
Mr.. Dunlop, the president of the Capital
Traction company, who was present, in re-
sponse TO this, said there was agree
ment between the two companies which al
lows the Metropolitan company to use both
tracks providing it does not use any ma
chinery which will prevent the operation Of
the cars Of the street branch of the
Capital Traction company over the same
tracks.
Mr.. Wilson then said as reported in YES
terday's Star, IF that is So the Metropoli-
tan will provide for the use of both tracks,
extend its line out Ith street to It's prop
erty and make the proposed loop at the
very earliest date practicable.
Brfghtwood Company Project.
The management of the Brightwooi Rail-
road Company has been attempting for
some time. as shown in the correspondence
recently placed before the House District
committee. to induce the Metropolitan Rail
road Company to comply with the act OF
August 2, 1894, which authorizes and re-
quireS that company to enter into recipro-
cal tfGckaSe arrangements with connect
irg roads, and this provision is made to
apply to every street railway company
whose lines conr ect or whose lines may
hereafter connect with the lines of any
other street railroad company
Owing. however, as Mr.. Charles p. Will
Jams. the treasurer and general manager
OF the Brightwood company. pointed out in
the correspondence. to the failure of the
METROPOLITAN company to continue it's
tracks from 9th street east along U street
ard thence up the 7th street road to the
property of the company. it is not con-
Meeting line with the Brightwood company
and so, he asserted, in this way the COM
pany evaded the law of Congress
In order to provide remedy as alleged
bill was introduced recently in the House
of Representatives, reciting the provision
OF law above referred to and the failure of
the Metropolitan company to euuip and
ard requiring, in the event the Metropoi-
1tan company does not. within ninety days
from the approval of the act complete its
line in all respects, as required by the sec
end section of the act of August g 1891
said company shall forfeit and pay to the
District Of Columbia the sum of 500 for
each and every day after the expiration OF
the said ninety days that it shall fail 10
nave its line of cars equipped and in opera
ton from the intersection of Florida ave-
rue ard 9th street northwest, easterly to
ub street west, and thence northerly along
ctr street to point upon that street where
Its line of road was laid and operated on
the I'd day of August, 1894"
The bill further provides, in case the
METROPOLITAN railroad does not build this
connecting link, the Brightwood Railway
Company shall be empowered to do it and
also to recover from the Metropolitan COM
pany the cost of the work.
MIR. Williams Views.
Mr. Williams was asked this morning by
Star reporter what he thought of the
statement made by Mr.. Wilson yesterday
In reply Mr.. Williams said:
The agreement between the Traction
Company and the metropolitan Company,
referred to In the hearing yesterday, is
understood to be in substance as follows:
The Metropolitan Company under the terms
Of that agreement, was to install it's sys-
tenn on the south track of the
Traction Company's line on u street
between 7th and 9th streets, and If the
same should be operated successfully in
conjunction with the system in use on the
U street branch by the Traction Company
the Metropolitan Company should be al
lowed to continue and complete its tracks
around on the 7th street road to it's car
house, and also to re-equip the north track
on L street.
That this system has proved to be a
practical success Is demonstrated by the fact
that the Metropolitan Company has been
operating car in conjunction with the
Traction Company's system on u street
tetween ith and 9th streets for over two
years, and the further fact that the Trac-
ton Company has adopted the system now
in use by the Metropolitan Company and
PROPOSES to re-equip its U street line with
that system.
Under these conditions there Is no reason
why the Metropolitan company should not
complete it's chartered requirements and
extend its lines to the car shops on 7th
street except an unwillingness to do SO.
Mr.. Wilson's statement made before the
Comnilssloners at the hearing yesterday,
that the Metropolitan company would make
this extension at the earliest practical day
was evidently made for the purpose of in
f1uencing the action the Commissioners
might take In relation to the approval of
the pending bill, and with the hope that the
Commissioners, in view of Mr. Wilson's
statement, would report any further legis-
iation Is unnecessary II this Is the pur-
pose Of the Metropolitan company, and II
iO dCtioH Uy congress Is taken,
then the Metropolitan could continue to
maintain its present position and not COM
ply with the present law, alleging, as they
now do, that the injunction of the Capital
Traction Company, which has never been
answered in court by the Metropolitan COM
pany, stands in the way"
The Tracknge Arrangements.
As stated above, the law providing for
trackage arrangements between connecting
roads is one that applies to every street
railroad line thus situated in the city. In
the event. however. that trackage arrange
ments are made between the Metropolitan
and the Brightwood roads, as would seem
to be indicated by Mr.. Wilson's statement,
1t will be the first instance under that
law.
The law of 1874 simply provides that the
schedule and compensation for such track
age arrangements shall be mutually agreed
upon by the railroad companies. In the
law referred to above to compel the Metro
politan company to complete the building
of its line along street and out 7th
street. 1t Is also stipulated that the Bright
wood Railroad Company shall have the
right to ran its own cars over the tracks
Of the Metropolitan company to the ter
mini thereof. and as compensation for the
use OF the tracks Of the Metropolitan COM