Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-15
EcklNGToN RAILWAY. BILL
Passed With Amepdmspts by the House Of
Representatives..
Underground Electric System Provid.
ed for-Penslty I'm Event of
NOn-COmpletion.

Non-COmpletion.
After The Stars report Of the proceed
fFgs In the House closed yesterday the bill
for the equipment of the lexington and
Soldiers Home railway with underground
electric power was, passed.
Several amendments to the Dill were
adopted. and the measure in full as 1t
passed the House Is as follows:
That the lexington and Soldiers Home
Railway Company Of the District of CO.
iumpia be, and 1t Is hereby, authorized 20
purchase or lease the property and fran
chises of tie Maryland ard Washington
Raliway company ct the District of CO.
nimbla and the Columbia and Maryland
Railway Company OF Maryland, and the
Maryland and Washington Railway Com
pany is hereby authorized to sell or lease
its property and franchises to the said
lexington and Soldiers Home Railway
Company: Provided. That only one fare,
not exceeding the rate now authorized by
law, shall be charged for single contin-
uoIS ride over all the lines affected by
such purchase or lease.
Sec. 2. That the said lexington and Sol
diers Home Railway Company, under the
supervision of the Commissioners OF the
District of Columbia, shall fully equip its
lines within the city of Washington now
owned and operated, or hereafter owned or
leased within the city of Washington, with
al ouiu electric SySleLl, essentially
similar to the underground system now in
Use by the Metropolitan Railroad Company
in said city, upon plans to be submitted to
ard approved by the said commissioners,
ana snail nave It's regularly running
by said system within nine months from
the passage of this act: Provided. That be-
fore permits shall be issued to begin such
work all taxes and special assessments
due and unpaid to the District of Columbia
and all Indebtedness due the employees for
labor. or due Others for coal. feed. horse
shoes and other supplies contracted for by
the receiver of the said lexington and Sol
ciers' Home railway. duly appointed by the
court, and used on behalf and for the ben-
efit of said company during such receiver
ship, and to be approved by the court APP
Pointing such receiver. shall first be paid.
Sec. 3. That the route Of the lexington
end Soldiers Home Railway Company
shall be as at present with the following
changes to wit: Between the intersections
of I and Sd streets northeast and r and
ID streets northeast one track shall be
abandoned, and in lieu thereof a single
track shall be col strurted between the
same points on Z end I'd streets northeast;
between the intersections of lexington
place and Florida avenue and New York
avenue and 1st street northeast both tracks
shall be abandoned. and in lieu thereof a
double track shall he constructed between
these two points, crossing Florida avenue
and on list street: LetWeen the intersections
of New York avenue and 9th street and 9Th
street and G street northwest, unless the
roadway of 9Th street be increased to i
width of fortyfour feet between curbs, one
track shall be abandoned, and in lieu there
of d single track shall be constructed on
18th street northwest between New York
avenue and G street: single track be-
tween LIST and c streets and 4th and ID
streets northeast shall be abandoned, and
In lieu thereof q single track shall be con-
structed on d amidst streets northeast be-
tween these points: Provided. That II 9th
street be not widered as above stated. the
double tracks of the Belt Railway Com
rany on Attn street west between G street
and New York avenue north shall be aban-
doned and the Belt Railway Company
shall have the privilege, OF using the tracks ct
way Company between the points named
on G street. 5th street and New York ave-
nue.: Provided further, That the abandoned
tracks shall be removed, and the single
tracks, with all the necessary switches,
turn-outs, etc, shall be located subject to
the approval of the Commissioners OF the
District of Columbia. NJ
SEC 4 Tha the said lexington and
Soldiers Home Railway Company is hereoy
authorized to issue its capital stock ana
its bonds to an aggregste amount sum,
Client to cover the cost of the property ana
franchises whose purchase or lease is here
in provided for and the cost of the con-
struction. equipment and re-equlpment OF
the railway lines now owned by the said
lexington and Soldiers Home Railway
Company or hereafter to be acquired by
said company, and to secure said bonds by
mortgage deed Of trust of any part or
owned or hereafter to be acquired under
the provisions of this act subject TO any
prior mortgaged Indebtedness and before
any stock, bond trust deed shall be
executed the amount thereof shall be as
certained and fixed by the Commissioners
of the District of Columbia, and for this
purpose said Commissioners are hereby au-
thorized to subpoena and examine wit
nesses and take such testimony as may
be nee essary to enable them to make such
determination and fix the amount of issue:
And pr divided further. That an appeal may
be taken from the decision of said Com
missioners to the Supreme Court of the
District of Columbia, ard any stock or
bonds issued in excess of the amount
authorized by said Commissioners said
court, or in violation Of the provisions of
this act, shall be null and void.
Sec. 5. That within sixty days from
the date of the approval of this act the
lexington and Soldiers Home Railway
Company snail deposit $1,000 with the col
lector of taxes of the District Of Columbia
to guarantee the reconstruction, equipment
lied and prescribed by this act. If said
sum is not so deposited, then this act shall
be void. If said sum is SO deposited and
the said lines are not reconstructed equip
per and re-equipped as herein provided
for. then said sum of 5000 shall be for
feited TO the District Of Columbia and
this act shall be void.
Sec 6. That the power to institute con-
demnaticn proceedings conferred upon the
Maryland and Washington Railway Com
pany by section "a of the joint resolution
entitled Joint resolution to extend the