The times., 1899-02-22
RIGHT OF ENTRY FOR
A SUBURBAN RAILWAY
The Proposed Extension With
in the District Line.
A Favorable Report Expected From
the Commissioners.
4 Controversy Over FreiEht-Carry-
ing by Street Cars-Route
of the New Line.

1t is expected that the District Commits
sioners will soon make a favorable report
with certain conditions on House bill 1l55S
and Senate bill 1902, which authorize an
extension of the Maryland Suburban Rail-
way into the District of Columbia thus
giving it an entry into the city.
Engineer Commissioner Beach has pre-
pared a draft Of a report on the bill which
he has submitted to his colleagues for ap-
prevail This report explains that there
was some question concerning the track
age arrangements proposed in the bill. A
hearing was granted before the Commis-
sioners to the officials of the Maryland
and Suburban Railway and Messrs. Crosby
and Stevens, of the City and Suburban
Railway, over lines of which the former
company expected to reach this city The
parties interested in securing the eXten-
sion and the officials of the City and Sub
urban Railway agreed upon modified
bill which was presented to the Commis
sioners. Commissioner Beach recommends
that the modified draft be reported 10
Congress as better than the original bill,
and that favorable action be recommended
upon this draft with the exception of that
portion which authorizes the railway TO
carry freight. The intention of the COM
pany is TO carry small freight. parcels.
milk, and garden truck 10 and from the
city. Commissioner Beach says:
1t is believed to he inadyisabIe to permit
street railway company to serve 4 freight line
also. The officials Of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company have stated to the Commits
Sioncrs that II does not appear TO them entirely
equitable tor the authorities 10 put them To the
expense Of abolishing grade crossings, thing
which will be done in the near future. and TO
permit other railroads to occupy the streets OF
the city for general railway purposes without
having the safeguards which they will adopt.
The Commissioners, however, regard il CON
trary to good public policy TO permit street rail-
ways TO serve is freight lines. and they, there
fore, recommend that the words parcels, milk,
garden truck. and other small freight" be
stricken out OF the bill.
The route agreed upon by the officials
of the Maryland Suburban Railway after
a conference with the City and Suburban
Railway officials, and as approved by the
District Commissioners, is as follows:
Beginning at the boundary line of the
District of Columbia, at the intersection OF
that boundary line with the east side OF
the Metropolitan branch of the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroad Company; thence south
erly along the said railroad to Tahoe
Street, thence west on Tahoe Street, Ia
koma. to Fourth Street west; thence south
ON Fourth Street west, extended, to Flint
Street extended. from Brightvood Park:
thence east on Flint Street extended to
North Capitol Street extended: thence
south on North Capitol Street extended to
the curved avenue leading past Fort Tot
ten. and shown on the highway extension
plans of the second section: thence follow
ing said curved avenue to Third Street
east thence south on Third Street east TO
Hardwood Road, to the Bunker Hill Road
thence east on the said road TO Fourth
Street east to the tracks of the City and
Suburban Railway Company on Fourth
Street east.
At this point the cars will pass onto the
tracks of the City and Suburban Railway
and will enter the city over the lines OF
that road under plan OF reciprocal track
age arrangements.
The original bill provided that the Mary
land Suburban route should coincide with
the City and Suburban route from the
corner of Fourth Street and Bunker Hill
Road TO the corner OF First Street and
Florida Avenue northeast, from which
point the Maryland and Suburban line
would pass along Florida Avenue in a
westerly direction to the corner OF Sew
enth Street and Florida Avenue. The
idea was to make freight connection with
the Capital Traction and Metropolitan
Railway Companies at that point. To this
the officials of the City and Suburban
Road objected strenuously, declaring it un-
fair TO grant the Maryland Suburban peo-
pie the right to come into the city over
portion OF their road and then connect
with two rival companies. The City and
Suburban Railway officials were willing
however, TO permit the Maryland Subur-
ban ears TO traverse their lines provided
they would go To the centre of the city
over the same line. This the latter agreed
TO do. and it was in this manner that the
Florida Avenue spur of the road was elm
mated from the original bill in the draft
which will in all probability be submitted
to Congress by the Commissioners.