Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-30
Will Not Accept Presidency of Local
Railway System.
PLANS OF THE new ORGANIZATION
Equipping Its System With the
Modem Improvements.
G A U S E O E D E L A Y

General Leonard Wood and Mrs. Wood
returned to this city this morning, having
BEEN in New York city yesterday. With
the prospect of busy day before him Cen
eral Wood left the Richmond as soon as
possible after breakfast, having then seen
several visitors When on his way to keep
an engagement with the Secretary of War
he stopped for a minute to speak to a Star
reporter
In response to a question as to what de-
cision he had reached in regard to the
offer made to him of the presidency of the
Washington Traction and Electric Com
pany, General Wood replied:
Il have declined it and am going back to
Cuba"
He added that he intended to leave this
evening or tomorrow for his post of duty
at Santiago. While General Wood did not
go into the reasons for his declining the
opportunity of being at the head of the
new system of street railroads and electric
lighting companies which has recently
been formed here, it is understood this de-
cisiOn is largely based on considerations
which suggested the wisdom of his remain
ing in the army.
No One in View.
1t is stated that those in control Of the
properties referred to have at present no
one in view for this position but at the
same time 1t is thought there need be no
haSte IN fIl1ng the position. 1t is thought
the management of the system can safely
be intrusted, for the present at least, to the
capable men who now fill the important
executive offices. 1t is expected that the
board OF directors of the holding company
VIII be changed, and that other names will
be substituted for those mentioned in the
3ftlc4eS OF lQcOrDOrati tiOT he WaS chi
traction and Electric Company The boards
OF directors of all the constituent companies
W ot the hoidlns company, with the exception |
oI the metropolitan and Columbia com
pdny, are composed of the same men with |
MI: MI frederick {. Stevens as president |
rms afternoon meetings are being held |
aru VIII De he!d of the directors of the
metropolitan and Columbia railway com
panleS, when the directors will resign and
nose nose representing the new owners will he
CHOSEN In their places.
The New management
Inc personnel of the new boards is not
"lilouiced put when the shares of the
STOCK OF the two companies recently pur-
''if'Seu were transferred to the holding
company, couple of weeks ago, one share
was transferred to the following: Freder-
lck {: Stevens, o. T. Crosby, c. A. Lfeb
Ar. kountze of New York city Geo " |
ounS and A. NJ. German.
II IS not expected that all of the above
companies and of the holding COMPANY but
1t IS thought they represent pretty well the
membership of the boards of directors of |
the companies referred to.
Mr.. Frederick c. Stevens expects to sail
tomorrow for Europe to join his family
Mr. o. t. Crosby is making arrangements |
TO go to Europe also, 50 that the represen-
tauNes in this city of the purchasers of |
these properties will soon be away enioyfng
much needed rest.
Lack of Iron Rails.
Although the active management of the |
metropolitan and Columbia street railroads |
wiz be transferred to the new owners to- |
day. it is not expected that it will be possi- |
Bile to make any change in the operation of |
those roads. in their rela lions to the other |
lines in the system, for at least couple |
of months 1t seems an easy thing to con-
tinue the metropolitan cars on the tracks |
OF me 1enieytOWn road. for example as |
tht TWO lines intcrSect, ana il is an under |
taxing of no great magnitude to make the |
connection; providing. of course, the iron
work can be procured.
Although the orders fer iron cur;-es RI |
make connection at this point, as well as |
other points on the system, were given to |
the iro9mIkers Some time ago IL is innos |
sible to have them filled. The demand for |
material of this character is so great il is |
sall, that at the iron works no attempt is |
made to fill complete orders but a certain |
amount Is allotted to each and in this vav |
he ma terial Is distributed in small uuan- |
titles. |
To Chesapeake beach |
Rails are beginning to be received here |
for use on tn Brishtwcod road and also |
on IN" i1ta street line, and ii will be pos |
sihle in 4 short time to begin what IS |
Known as the StIaet work or laying the |
tracks. Fortunately the orders for rails |
that We're 10 be used on the extension of |
the Columbia road were sent in a good |
many months ago, and all that will be |
needed are on hand. and it is believed that |
by the early part of next month this ex- |
tension Will be in operation.
As IS well known, Il road has been com
structeG from Chesapeake Beach to con- |
meet win TINS extension, and it is thought |
that by the early part of next month that |
StctlOn Will also be ready for use
The work of constructing these lines. ex- |
cept the road to the Beach, as well as the |
genera! direction of the railroad properties |
IS under the direction of Mr.. F. L. Hart |
the general mahager OF all the street rail-
ROADS IN the new system. Mr. Hart has un-
oer MN a general superintendent and in |
ADDITION there are division superintendents
W men the new ownership assumes active
management of the Metropolitan and CO.
iurnbia roads the entire Organization can |
be completed