The times., 1898-08-05
The Metropolitan Company Will
Oppose Restrictions.
TROUBLE OVER A HIGHWAY
Attempt to Close Michigan Ave-
nue. by Erecting n Fence Across
the ThorOuRhfare, But Are
Thwarted by Prompt Action by
the District Commissioners.

r. d. Weaver, president of the Metro
politan Railroad Company, yesterday
sent a letter TO the District Commission
ers protesting against the desire of the
board TO place certain restrictions upon
It's methods of street car operation on ac-
count of the accident last month on the
line of the Capital Railway, near Ana
costa.
The Board of Commissioners recently
invited the different street railway com
panies of the city to make such sugges-
tons as would in their opinion prevent a
repetition of the accident. Two reasons
impeled them to write to the railroad
presidents-first, as a matter of courtesy
% the companies, and. second, through a
desire for additional information upon
the subject before attempting to promul-
gate new regulation requiring all street
railway cars to carry emergency as well
as ordinary brakes.
In his letter to the Commissioners Pres
ident Weaver says that the accident in
question has no application whatever to
the conditions under which passenger
traffic is carried on on the Metropolitan
Railroad, as IL has no steep grade, and
because the brakes used on its cars are
sufficient to control them.
President Weaver, in his letter, pro-
! tests against the accident being made the
| pretext for any restrictions upon the
| rights of his company. and he threatens
| to carry the matter into the courts If
| the Commissioners pass regulations i'm
| ;r Of
! brakes. President Weaver claims further
that the limiting of the number OF pas
sengers to be carried would be unreason-
| able. He thinks further that the power
| TO do so is vested only in Congress.
| Among other things the letter contains
| the following statement:
The physical characteristics of the
| Capital Railway Company, with the ex-
eessively steep and long hill on the Ana
costa road, bears no analogy TO any
grade upon any part of the Metropolitan
tracks, and what might De reasonable
| and proper regulation as I'd that company
might be very oppressive and unusual 10
| the Metropolitan.
AT no time in the history of the Metro
! politan has any person been injured by a
car falling al any moment to be under
/ control. and even if ii should be, the linn
! iting of the number of passengers to five
| or ten less would make no difference in
| the results.
Assume that the regulation was made
| and the company prohibited from carry
| ing ten standing passengers on ;ts trains,
the effect Of the regulation would be the
exclusion of only per cent Of the load,
which would be absolutely nothing in the
result of a runaway car.
/ The power of the Commissioners TO
make police regulations affecting the
| safety of the public is confined by express
limitation to what is usual and reason
| able.
Whose duty should it be to enforce
such regulation? Should the conductor,
by force of arms, resist a passenger anx-
ious to proceed on his journey?
This whole affair bristles with difficult
ties, which it IS entirely unnecessary 10
awaken, and from which no correspond
ing safety will be attained