Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-01-13
CAR WITHOUT FARES
lexington Railroad Trying to Save
Franchise.
TWO SQUARES ON new YORK AVENUE
Merchants Want the Long Unused
Tracks Torn Up.
WHAT nay II a ? P f n

new phase has developed in the effort
70 compel the lexington and Soldiers
Home Street Railway Company to remove
the tracks on New York avenue between
9Th AMI Ith streets northwest, that have
been practically abandoned since the over
head trolley service was discontinued in
July. 1896. Steps We're recently taken by
order of the Attorney General to compel
this company TO remove the tracks through
the medium of prosecution in the Dis
trict supreme Court, and as the case stood
up to last AIoniay morning there seemed
little doubt of the success of the endeavor.
That morning. however, the business men
on the block between 9th and 9TH streets.
who have been earnestly fighting for the
removal Of the tracks for over two years,
were surprised TO ncte the presence on the
tracks of an lexington horse car, running
occasionally between the curve at 9Th
street and New York avenue and the ter
minus at 1th street.
4 Car Without .Fares."
The car was drawn by two horses, as are
all cars of this company and its corporate
associate. the Helt road, even the two an
tiquated apologies for rapid transit that
now constitute the entire service of the
Attn street line. But the presence of two
horses was not demanded by the exigencies
of the travel accommodated by the car. AS
far as is known, the car has not yet car
red single fare" the patronage consist
ing almost entirely of gaminS, who have
rejoiced and reveled in the luxury of gra-
ruitous rides rack and forth The car was
and is in command of driver. but boosted
of 10 conductor. for obvious reasons. there
being no fares 10 collect no transfers to
dispense. and no particular excuse for driv-
ing the small boys off the platform. mas
much as they constituted the sole need, on
the surface. for the presence of the car on
theSa tracks.
But there is d deeper reason for this aG-
vent. The district attorney is now investi-
eating the case placed in his hands by the
Attorney General a few weeks ago. with
the view of prosecuting the corporation for
obStruCting the street by maintaining use
less tracks. The travel on the Eckingto ton
read from the eastern and northern terri
tory contributory TO the line has for many
months been diverted from the New ork
avenue terminus by way of the 9TH and CT
street lines, and it is all too apparent that
the sole purpose of the company in now
putting the car in service on this hitherto
abandoned track is to save the franchise
covering this stretch of two squares.
The Do Nothing Policy.
When the lexington company was orig
inally chartered by Congress in June, 1855.
TO construct it's line privilege was given to
run cars by horse. electric or cable power
from the corner of New York avenue anG
eth street. along New York avenue and by
way of Sd street to and through lexington,
with the privilege of extending to Brook
land. BY an act approved April 80. 1890.
Congress granted certain extensions. stipu-
lating that those constructed in the city
should be operated by underground cleo
tIicity. if by that power at ALL and spe-
officially commanding the abandonment OF
the overhead wires within the city limits
by the LIST of July, 1893. or three and a
quarter years thereafter. No effort was
made by the company to comply with this
provision, although experiments were con-
Quoted for time with storage batteries IN
the hope that that form of motive power
would economically supplant the overhead
system. and thus avoid the heavy expense
of the underground construction. These
experiments however. We're not SatiSfac-
tory, but after the determination to that
effect was reached nothing practical was
attempted for the abandonment of the
overhead service inside the city. and Feb
ruary -, 1893. five months and half be-
fore the trolley privilege expired. act
was approved extending the overhead wire
franchise for two years, in other words.
until July l. 1895.
Notwithstanding this further grant OF
time nothing of any sort was undertaken
by the company-which had changed in
personnel since the organization-durin;,
the interval within which the trolley ser
SNItF WIS 10 remain legal during the
spring Of 1895 further effort was made
by the company TO obtain still another ex-
tension Of overhead trolley time. but public
'pirion was greatly aroused in antagonisnl
and Congress refused to grant the plea
and permitted the Law to stand terminal
ing the trolley privilege until July of that
wear When that date arrived the com
Iany refused to comply with the request of
the Commissioners to remove the poles am!
wires within the city limits carrying the
case into court on an unfounded plea that
congress intended to permit the wires to
remain In use. but the courts held decisive
~ to the contrary, and. after "A few weeks
or maneuvering in and out of court durin,
which popular resentment against the
company was reused To a high point the
poles and wires were removed under direct
pressure from the District building and
the entire city service was placed on 4
horse ear basis.
The Use of Horse Cars.
Under this plan of operation the horse
cars were run from the terminus of the
trolley road Florida and New York ave
nUes down New York avenue to 9Th street
thence down 9TH TO the Baltimore and Po-
tpnac station. leaving the tracks on New
York avenue from 9Th TO eth streets unused
FOR any purpose Thus for about two and
"ne-half years these tracks have been put
To no use whatever. but have been main
taine1 by the company in a bad condition
The spaces between rails are paved with
cobbest0ne, and thus the greater part OF
the street Is occupied by an obstruction 10
travel that has been found by the mcr-
chants along those blocks and by the regt-
lar users of the thOroughfare to be a seri-
Gus hindfance and even a source of danger
Tnos" tracks are about the worst in the
city in point Of roughness and bicyclists
and drivers complain that it Is hazardous
70 cross them except at the lowest posi-
Bile rates of speed Under the orders of the
Commissioners a few months ago some
patching was done at the intersection Of
9Th street and New York avenue but the
larger part of the tracks on this stretch
was left IN its bad condition
There is considerable heavy hauling ALONG
New York avenue between 9th and 1th
and. in addition. much traffic Of a sort thai
Is easily embarrassed by these obstructive
tracks There are two or three liver,
stables on the north side of the street and
on other accounts il is one of the busies1
blocks IL the city The merchants of the
rorth side Of the street have been practicaI
~ unit In urging the Secretary of the In.
terror and, through him, the Attorney Gen.
cral 10 take action for the removal of the
tracks. and they are now chagrned to find
mat the company has sought TO eyad,