Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-13
Regulations Governing Use of Space
ataDepots.
CONFORMING TO- DECISION OF COURT
The Owners Of Public Vehicles
Given Sixty Feet.
MENDMENTS ADOPTED

The District Commissioners, after con-
siderng the matter for some time, today
amended the police regulations relative to
public conveyances. and hack stands 80
that they will, in their opinion. conform to
| the recent decision of the Court of Appeals
in the matter By the act of Congress OF
June I, 1898. the Commissioners were au-
thorized to locate on the streets or parts OF
streets adjoining the station of any rail-
road company a stand for cabs, carriages
and other vehicles for the conveyance OF
passengers to and from said railroad sta
tions said service to be established by the
railroad companies. Such a service was es-
tablished by the Philadelphia. Wilmington
and Baltimore Railroad Company. and the
Commissioners. by amending the police reg
ulations, provided for such a stand by
designating certain space adjoining the sta
ton of the Baltimore and Potomac Rall-
road Company on 9Th and b streets
In a test case taken to the Court of APP
peals that tribunal held that the Commls-
sioners were without authority TO set aside
all the space at the station Tor the use OIL
the company's cabs, and also decided that
the Philadelphia. Wilmington ana Baiti-
more Railroad Company, the company
named by the Commissioners, mas no sta
ton in the District. 1t also appeared that
no penalty attached to the regulations first
promulgated by the Commissioners, and SO
it became necessary for them TO 50 amend
them as to conform to the decision OF the
appellate court. Under the regulations
adopted today 100 feet will be set aside on
the street side of the 9th street station
of the Baltimore and Potomac Tor the Penn
sylvania) Railroad Company for the use
of both public and railroad cabs. The east
ernmost 100 feet of this space Will be for
the exclusive of the railroads vehicles,
and the remaining sixty feet Will be set
apart for the exclusive use of the pubic
! h i.ln- ON he h ctr act nj A.
ton certain space, will appear from
the regulations given below will be jointly
occupied by the vehicles of the company
and by the public ones.
Commissioner WiEht's View.
"Since the decision of the Court Of APP
peals," said Commissioner Wight today, to
Star reporter, when the court held that
Congress was without power to authorize
the establishment of stands for vehicles ad-
jacent to thegrailroad station for the OK
elusive use Of the railroad companys cabs
and carriages we Nave bean endeaVo"ing to
devise some plan which would provide for
the companys vehicles as Congress APP
pears to have Intended, and yet not infringe
upon thu rights of the public hackmen AL
though the Court Of Appeals said that If
the principle of equality can be 5ubscrVed
by the assignment OF portion OF the stand
in question toithe railroad company ard
portion to other persons, 1t is possible that
the joint resolution! might be taken as un-
objectionable 1t wuHld seem that upon this
point the court expressly reserved its de-
cision, remarking that no such case was
before it, But in making the new ragula-
tionS the Commissioners acted upon this
intimation of the court that an appor;ion-
ment of the space available for stands at
railroad stations might be within the scope
of the power granted to them by Congress,
and not obnoxious to thu Constitution, .
p is understood that Commissioner Ross
IS not in accord with his associates as to
a
9th street station. he being of the opinion,
it is said that the cabs and other vehi
Giles of the railroad company should alter
nate with the public ones-that is, that
there should in all fairness be first a cab
belonging to the railroad company and
then one owned by the public hackmen
and cabmen, and so alternately through
the entire space. But Commissioners
Wight and Beach, while having no desire
to be unfair to the public hackmen and
cabmen but merely desiring that the pub
lie snail enjoy every convenience, think
that the disposition of the matter provided
for IN the regulations adopted today are
proper. They also trust that If there is
any question as to the rights of either the
railroad cabmen or the public hackmen it
will be possible to carry the matter TO the
Supreme Court for final determination
The Amended Regulations.
The amendments to the regulations which
set forth the action of the Commissioners
| today are the following sections of article
| ":
Section II. That so much as NAV he
necessary of the west half of 9th street
from the south building line of B street
northwest to the line of the south wall of
the baltimore and Potomac Railroad Com
pany S station building be, and the same is
| hereby designated and set apart as a stand
| for omnibuses Of licensed hotels, and so
| much Of the west half of said street from
| the line of said south wall to the line of the
| md of frni -h.a.}
| required for the convenient transact ton of
| public business pertaining to or connected
| with said railroad station, and including
the receiving, handling and delivery of
mails, baggage. express and freight is
| hereby designated as stand for hacks and
| vehicles plying for hire, the north one-half
of the space so allotted to hacks and
vehicles of the Baltimore and Potomac
| Railroad Company engaged in carrying pas
| sengers to and from its station.
| Section 13 That so much of the south
half of b street north from the line of the
west wall of the Baltimore and Potomac
Railroad Company station building west
erly to a point 100 feet therefrom as may
| be necessary to accommodate double line
| of vehicles placed parallel with the curb
| be and the same is hereby designated and
| located as stand for hacks and vehicles ply
| ing for hire; provided, however that the
| easternmost 100 feet in length of said space
| by it's entire width is hereby set apart for
| the sole of the cabs, carriages and other
vehicles of the said railroad company en-
gagged in carrying passengers to and from
| its station.
| Section IA. 1t shall be unlawful for the
| driver of any hack or other vehicle other
| than those belonging to said railroad COM
| pany to occupy oftattempt to occupy with
such hack Orsyehiqic, or to loiter or wait
near by any portion of the stands above
| designated and located for the cabs, car
| riages and other vehicles OF said railroad
company. "a 4s-
Section Is. ANY person violating any of
| the provsionsio of this article shall, on con-
viction thereof, be punished by fine of not
| more than $40! s5i.