Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-03-28
LOCAL RAILWAY w A r
Contest Between Washington and Potomac
and Chesapeake Beach Companies.
President Green of the Former Road
. Addresses q Letter to Repre-
sentatives I'm, Congress.

nat Is DelleveQ Dy some OF those inter
ested as likely to be one of the hardes
fights in the railroad history of Washing
ton has been started between the owner.
of the Washington and Potomac road once
known as Washington and Point Lookout
and the owners Of the Chesapeake Beach
road. now being pushed to completion be.
tween this city and the Chesapeake bay.
1t Is alleged that the Chesapeake Beach
Railroad Company, said to be backed by
Colorado capitalists who are represented
in this city by Mr.. Otto Mears, has taker
forcible possession of the Washington and
Potomac's line inside of the District, and
which extends from Benning to the Mary.
land line, and has made 1t a part of theil
own.
The Washington and Potomac company
as now constituted, is understood to be
composed of New York and Massachusetts
capitalists, with Mr.. Charles II. Green OF
New York as president Mr.. John P. Poe,
a former attorney general OF Maryland, has
been retained by the new company to look
after it's intere SITS, especially those relating
to proposed legislation before Congress.
Mr.. Poe is expected to be in Washington
within day or two.
President Green's Letter.
President Green has also sent to each
member Of Congress a letter, in which he
claims that the House bill to allow the ex-
tension aas.erly of the Columbia railway is
in the interest of the Chesapeake Beach
road, and sis an attempt to coniiscata vest
ed rights now owned by the Washington
and Potomac Railroad Company"
Continuing. Mr.. Green says:
THE territory through which this extern
sion would run is covered already by the
charter granted by Congress and owned by
the Washington and Potomac railroad.
The Washington and Potomac railroad Is
chartered and intended to run from Ben
hing in the District to Point Lookout, ON
Chesapeake bay, supplying Washington
with an additional railway. This company
has done considerable grading and laid
some miles of steel rails, all within the
District. Besides, 1t has twenty-one miles
of road built and in operation in the state
of Maryland, and forty miles in addition
graded, ready for the rails. The entire line
would have been completed long ago, but
it has been impossible, during the last few
years, on account of the hard times, tn
raise sufficient capital to finish it. Arrange
ments are now being made, however, to
complete the entire line from Benning to
Point Lookout.
In the meantime the Chesapeake Beach
road in the attempt to get into the District
of Columbia, took forcible possession of the
portion of our road completed in the Dis
trict, and knowing full well that Congress
would not recognize such high-handed deal
ing In defiance of our rights, has succeeded
in having this bill introduced in it's interest
by the Columbia railroad, and have Con-
gress legalize its high-handed and fraudu-
lent action in taking possession of our
property.
Il desire to call your attention to section
Z of the bill. which authorizes them to
lease this extension, which discloses the
real object of this bill. 1t is to give the
Chesapeake Beach road an entrance into
the District of Columbia, through territory
occupied by us by virtue of our charter
N..S1 H.
they could not obtain by direct. applica-
ticn TO Congress.
There has been expended on the Washing
ton and Potomac road about $500, 900, which
would be lost If its chartered rights within
the District were not fully protected. This
money has been expended in full confidence
of the inviolability of these rights The
passage of this bill would destroy these
rights by permitting the territory covered
by or charter to be occupied by another
road and prevent the completion Of our
road at an early date, as now contem-
plated
Benefit to Washington.
The completion of the Washington and
Potomac road would, it is believed, be of
great benefit to the city of Washington,
and would also be an influential factor in
inducing more active efforts than ever on
the part Of the Reading and other railroads
to extend their trade south. Point Lookout
would, it is said, with the addition of prop
er terminal facilities. make splendid
depth of water sufficient to accommodate
the largest shin afioat