The evening times., 1899-01-21
HEARING THIS AFTERNOON.
Citizens Appear Before
the District Com issiOners.

An echo of the big rapid transit meeting
held at Haynes Hall, Anacostia, last night
was heard at the District building this
afternoon, when a hearing was granted
the citizens of Anacostia by the District
Commissioners. The change of sentiment
which occurred at the meeting as the re-
suit of the apparent earnestness exhibited
by Messrs. Crosby and Stevens, the street
railway leaders, in the speeches which
were made by them at the mass meeting
was manifest in the speeches made before
the Commissioners today.
Dr. K. b. Buckley, Henry Johnson, T. j.
Moore, Mrs. E. l.. Eaton, and others were
present in behalf of the people OF Anacos-
tia, and Mr. +. c. Stevens represented the
railway interests and explained what was
intended to be done by the companies to
remedy the situation between the present
time and the construction of an under
ground electric system over the Capital
Railway and Anacostia and Potomac RIN-
er Railway systems.
Dr. r. b. Buckley was the first speaker
at the hearing. He told what was done at
the mass meeting last evening and reclted
the change of sentiment which was caused
by the promises of the purchasers OF the
TWO old systems. After hearing Messrs.
| Crosby and Stevens last night, said DR..
| Buckley, The people of Anacostia feel that
| the gentlemen are in earnest. We are con-
| tident that il is their intention eventually
| to give US method OF transportation such
| as We deserve. We are not a small village,
| with picayune population. We are 15.000
strong and should be accommodated. All
we ask is that the gentlemen give the best
| service they can during the interim be-
tween now and the construction of the
| proposed underground system
Henry Johnson was the second speaker.
| He endorsed the words of Dr. Buckley and
read copy of the resolutions which were
| adopted at the mass meeting.
B. NJ. Tucker, president of the Congress
Heights Citizens Association. was the
next speaker. During his rema Ks he
asked whether Messrs Crosby and Stev-
| ems intended to continue to opeI ate the
electric cars from Anacostia to CongTe:s $
| Heights. This line is operated by trolley
| and not by the Brown system, as is the
| Eleventh Street end of the Capita! Rail-
| way.
| Mr. Stevens replied affirmative!y, eX-
| planning that the company further o.
| posed to double track that part of tle
road in order TO provide quicker service
| between the centre of the city and Con-
| gress Heights.
| +. c. Stevens stated TO the Commission
| ers that the Brown system had been dis
| continued because it Is regarded as dan
! gerous to the public. He referred 10 GER
| tain accidents and asserted that during
the recent snowstorm the sleet and ice
| covered the iron contact boxes so thickly
that men had 10 be dispatched early in
| the morning 10 remove the ice before cars
could be operated.
| Mr.. Stevens referred to an accident
which occurred last Sunday, when a horse
was shocked by touching one of the con-
| tact boxes. He stated that the driver
| jumped from his carriage TO learn what
was the matter with the animal and was
badly shocked when he touched the ground.
| He said the injured party had sued the
| railway company for damages I'VE do
| not propose to continue to use a road
which is operated by a system dangerous
| to the public. That is why the service
| was discontinued. We will now avail our
| selves of the best means possible to give
| the people of Anacostia and Congress
| Heights fairly good system until we can
install our underground system. We know
| the people of these places have been
greatly inconvenienced. and do not blame
| them for protesting. The underground
| system will soon remedy the evil. The
special work has already been ordered for
| the new system.
| In order 10 provide temporary service
| | will enter into negotiations with the
| Capital Traction Company for an agree
" WIN tudI TOdu at the cor
| ner of Eighth and NJ or Eighth and c.
| streets, provided the Commissioners will
| permit us to run horse cars on our line
! from the Navy Yard Bridge to the navy
yard until we can put down an under
| ground system.
1t is understood that the Commissioners
have agreed to permit the use of horse
cars, and that the Capital Traction Com
| pany and the Capital and Anacostia Rail
| nor,in will
Eighth and M streets southeast or at
| Eighth and G streets southeast This will
| temporarily remedy the transit problem
| in Anacostia.