The times., 1899-05-08
The Importance of Recent
Street Railway Deals.
Through Service and Single Fare
to Be the Features.
An Authoritative Resume of the
the Crosby-Stevens Syndicate.

legal parlance the Crosby-Stevens
syndicate, Washington will secure real
rapid transit Modern electric cars are to
be operated over every line of track inside
the city, and through service is to be in
augurated almost Immediately between
widely separated city and suburban points.
Lines within and without the city limits
are TO be linked, making it possible for
the public to travel from the business
centre of Washington TO its enyirons and
summer resorts along the upper Potomac
and elsewhere without change OF cars.
Among the assured blessings of the near
future will be through service from the
heart of the city to Glen Echo and Cabin
John Bridge by way of the Metropolitan
and Washington and Great Falls Electric
railroads, which will be connected at
Prospect Avenue and Thirty-sixth street
10 as to bring a continuous stretch of rail
from the eastern terminus of the former
10 the western terminus of the latter line
There will also be through service from
the city to Tenleytown, Bethesda, ROCK
VILE Takoma Park. Brightwood. and
Berwyn 10 be effected by making connec-
tions between the city and suburban lines,
and running through cars over the various
lines that have been thus amalgamated.
mammoth consolidation of traction proper
ties are daily at work in the small office
of the Potomac Electric Power Company,
in G Street, between Fourteenth and Fill
teenth Streets northwest, gradually evoiV-
ing the details of the scheme for COM
plete revolution in local passenger traffic.
Many difficulties have been interposed,
but most of them have been completely
overcome and the boon of through ser
Mill Ha NIT n in 10
reach of everyone as soon as engineering
skill, brains, energy, and capital can
transform the present antiquated tracks
into modern street railways, equipped
with improved rolling-stock and ether
paraphernalia-
Much of the structural work of several
of the lines included within the control
of the syndicate has already been COM
pleted. AS soon as finishing touches, such
as drawing feed wires into the cable con-
duits, have been effected cars VIII be
operated on that portion of the City and
Suburban line which was formerly the old
lexington Line. THESE cars have reached
the city and are being mounted at the
company's barns, preparatory to the open
ing of the road some time this month.
Service to he ReyoIutioEfxed.
Only the first step will, however, have
been taken when the first car leaves the
barn and starts down the stretch Of track
extending from lexington to the Treas
ury and the eastern terminus of the City
and Suburban line. 1t will be but the be-
ginning of a realization of the radical
changes which are contemplated and in
progress of being worked out by the as
soci ted transit promoters. Before another
twelve-month shall have passed virtual
revolution will have been effected in transit
changes
been made which will in measure be Sec
ond only to those brought about by the
enterprise of Governor Alexander R. Shep-
herd when he undertook to lift the Ma
tional Capital out of the mud more than
thirty years ago.
washington's beauty as a city is proverb-
ial, but there has always been an eye
sore and disgrace in the shape OF its So
called car lines operated by horse power.
Tourists, as well as residents have ex-
perieneed every possible lack of facility in
endeavoring TO reach certain portions OF
the city which have either horse cars
or nothing at all. Concerted effort
has been taken time and again, but
citizens associations and others have fail
ed to secure any tangible relief
Suburban settlements and suburbs like
Petworth, Brookland, Takoma, lexington,
Brightwood. Anacostia, and Congress
Heights have been isolated and their resi-
dents unable to reach the city over street
car lines without making one and some
times several changes of cars. In other
instances double fares have been charged.
Within the city proper whole sections
have been without any kind of rapid transit,
and persons living in such territory aave
in many instances preferred to walk seven
or eight blocks in order to reach a cable
or electric car line, rather than board a
horse car passing in front Of their own
doors The territory north of the Columbia
Railroad and east Of Sevsnth Street, as well
as some parts of South Washington. have
never known what transit over speedy
lines is, and have, after a struggle OF
years, given up a futile fight for better
service despairingly.
Looking Over the Field.
When. about i've years ago, the persons
interested in the present wide community
of transit interests began TO look over the
local field, the glaringly poor service was
the first thing that impressed itself on
their minds. Four of these gentlemen
Messrs. Oscar T. Crosby. F. c. Stevens
Charles A. Lieb, and II. ID. Mirick, be-
lieved that with proper reconstruction OF
the roads and great expense the old cal
lines might be rejuvenated and consoii-
dated in such a way that the investment
would be a paving one. This belief led to
the requirement by them at various times
and under different conditions, of every
local street line with the exception OF the
Capital Traction and Washington. Alexan-
dria, and Mount Vernon Railroad CON-
panies. in addition TO the two rival elec-
trio light and power interests OF the city
II is estimated that more than s25, ,000,-
coo has been invested by the syndicate il
the purchase and reconstruction of in
diyidual lines. franchises, rolling stock
and new equipment. This does not repre-
sent the total outlay, as plans are beini
prepared now that will involve much addi
tional expense before the final consolida
tion.
Wide Community of Interests.
Popularity, the interests which have EN-
barked in the enterprise have been and ar
known as the Crosby-Stevens syndicate
This is somewhat misleading. inasmuch a
il is stated that all the roads that hav
been bought viii not be consolidated i'm
mediately. II is authoritatiyely asserte
that many OF the lines will be operate
separately. generally speaking but tha
this arrangement will not prevent tn
linking of certain lines. and system O
reciprocal trackage arrangements, whereof
the through service project is to be con
summsted. There will be a relationship c
the closest kind between all the lines ths
have been purchased. Just as there ha
been a wide community of interests In a
the purchases that have been mad,
Messrs. Crosby, Lieb. and Mirick are inter
ested In all the lines, while Mr.. Stevens
directly interested in all OF them with tn
exception of the City and Suburban Rail
way. II is this that makes the term syn
dicate" as applied TO the mutually inter