Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-20
NECESSITY DOES NOT EXIST
Probable Notice Respecting the Railway
Loop on Fourteenth Street
The Reasons Urged by Capital Trac-
ton Company I'm support of
It's Application.

1t is probable that the District Commits
sioners will in day or two inform the
Capita. Traction Company, in reply to an
inquiry of its president, Mr.. George T. Dun
Top, that no public necessity exists for the
construction of the loop which the COM
pany proposed at the Mt Pleasant terminus
of its 18th street line. If the Commission.
ers so inform the company, the application
for permits to construct the loop and the
passenger station in the square bounded by
18th and 18th streets and Kenyon street
and Whitney avenue will be, it is believed
promptly withdrawn by the company.
That the proposed loop, which has been
so vigorously opposed by the property own
ers and residents of Columbia Heights and
Mt. Pleasant, would not be constructed un-
less specifically authorized by Congress
was exclusively stated in The Star several
days ago. As has been heretofore ex-
planned in The Star the application of the
company for the permit to build the loop
and passenger station supposed to DE
based on the alleged fact that the business
of the road and public convenience required
their erection. Now, SO 1t would seem
from a letter addressed recently to the
Commissioners by Mr.. Dunlop. the Capital
Traction Company merely desired to make
the proposed improvements in order to
avoid parking its cars on 14th street.
President DunIop's Letter.
Before answering your letter OF the ID
instant, the directors of the Capital Trac-
ton Company desire to learn definitely from
you whether not you have formally de-
termined that the convenience of the public
| in II is District requires any further pas
senger room or depot at or near the pres
cnt temporary end of their line Of street
cars on 14th street near Whitney avenue.
| II you have not SO determined they will
be obliged if you will proceed to make such
formal determination, and to notify them
thereof.
I'm view of what was stated at recent
hearing to Mr.. Dunlop, Mr.. Glover and Mr..
Perry by your president, without dissent
| from any of your board, that this company
| is not obstructng the public street at the
point named, and that it would be going to
useless expense to construct loop and depot
near that point, the directors feel that they
could not Justify such expenditure to thu
stockholders of their company nor do they
desire, in view of the local opposition to
| such loop, to antagonize the wishes of citi-
zens in urging a measure not in Your opin-
| ion necessary"
Commissioner Wight Explains.
In explanation of Mr.. Dunlop's reference
to his remarks at the hearing mentioned
Commissioner Wight said today that he
| merely told the officers of the company
| that In view of the fact that the company
| is now obviating the parking of its cars
| on 18th street by observing the law appli-
cable In such cases, it appeared no public
necessity existed for the proposed loop
1t is true, said Mr.. Wight that the Com
mlSSioners are opposed to the parking of
the company's cars on 14th street, and that
| they would be much pleased to see the
| practice discontinued, but he said he has
never held that the only way in which the
practice could be wholly done away with
would be through the medium of the loop
proposed by the company.
The law allows the cars to remain on the
street a certain length of time, not over
| five minutes. and as it appears that the
| company is observing that requirement. it
would seem that no public necessity for
| the loop exists.
: 1t is believed that Mr.. Nights associates
| will take the same view of the matter and
| in that event, in view of the company's let
| ter, 1t Is expected that the application for
permits to build the loop and passenger sta
ton will be withdrawn