Evening star., 1898-10-18
RAILROAD GOSSIP
Capitalists Are Said to Have Recently
Inspected the Capital Traction.
CONSOLIDATION In TEE FUTURE
Addition to the Number of Trunk
Street Lines Here.
AS TO THE BELT ROAD

- One of the. current items of gossip in
street railroad circles is to the effect that
recently number of capitalists from other
cities inspected the plant and line Of the
Capital Traction Company. What the pur-
pose of the visit was is not definitely
known, and those who are prominent in
the affairs of the company are not credited
with knowing anything more about the
matter than outsiders. 1t is thought quite
possible that no special significance need
to be attached to the affair as 1t is not un-
common for people who visit the city to ex-
anime into the practical workings of the
street railroads here, for there is no doubt
that those of the lines here that have mod
ern equipments compare favorably with
those in any other city in the country.
A few weeks ego when the capitalists who
are Interested in the City and Suburban
street railroad came here to look over the
properties and franchise of the Belt rail
read, pending the purchase of a control Of
the bonds of the road, they also examined
other companies in this city. Every in
stance OF this sort is looked upon by some
as only another indication of the coming
consultation of the principal street rail-
reads in this city. 1t is believed by an in
ereasing number of men who have given
the subject consideration that it is only
question or time, and that not very dis
tant IN the future. when practically all the
railroads of the District will be, if not un-
Ger one management, yet in such relation
one to another that all the lines will tc
operated as one system.
TrackaEe Arrangements.
1t is believed that if the law requiring
street railroads to make trackage arrange
ments is decided by the court to be opera
tive long step in that direction will be
taken A case is now pending before the
District courts to test whether this law can
be carried out and If the decision sustains
the law then the railroads will have the
right to use the tracks of other roads
Up to this time there have been what
are known as two trunk lines of street
railroads. in this city, the Capital Traction
ana the metropolitan; but now all the ar
Fangements ran zen 5 having practically been made
Ior the building of the eastern extension of
the Columbia railroad, which will carry
that road to the bounds of the District and
the work of equipment is now in progress
OF the City and Suburban, formerly the
Ecklngton, as a modern street railroad. it
may De said that there are four trunk lines
The latter road will connect the country at
Hyattsvllle and beyond with the center of
the city. =, VI
About THE Belt Railroad
1t is expecting that those controlling the
CITY and Suburban will also purchase tho
Belt railroad but that road like the 7th
street line OF the. Capital Traction and the
Georgetown ends. of the Metropolitan and
Capital Traction, have no outlets beyonJ
the urban limits. The suburban roads in
the localities referred to, namely, the Great
Fails and the Georgetown and TenIevtown
ana the BrightWood, stop at the city
bounds, and passer gers are compelIed ,o
ieaVe the cars a8id enter another line and
pay anotheEIfareiin order tc be carried To
the center Of athe city.
Irackage arrangements, as understood.
WILL MAKE 1t possible for the cars of one
company 10 run over the tracks of the 9th
er thus giving the. continuous service for
one fare from the District bounds to the
residents in those localities as is now en-
Joyed by those who live along the Chevy
Chase branch of the Capital Traction road
the proposed routes Of the City and Sub
urban road and the Columbia railroad.
Not n Stub End.
1t is not believed that the managers of
the City end Suburban if they purchase
the Belt will be content to allow that line
to remain practically a Stub end" at 1lth
street and Florida avenue. as the 9th
street line of the Metropolitan and the TIN
street line of the Capital Traction now are
For this reason the opinion is generally
held that as soon as the control of the
Belt passes TO the City and Suburban and
the equipment of the road is completed
scme arrangement will be made by
which connection will be established with
the BrlghtWood, thus providing the outlet
to the north which it is believed will
seem to be desirable. If trackage arrange
ments are possible, then the connection
between the Belt and the Brightwood can
be easily established over the L street line
of the Capital Traction road.