The evening times., 1900-10-18

Since the publication in The Times
few days ago of the list of tracks and
parts of lines abandoned by the Washing
ton Traction and Electric Company, at
tention has been called to the peculiar
circumstances surrounding the disuse OF
the NJ Street line in Southwest Washing
ton. This line of street railway forming
part Of the Anacostia and Potomac Riy-
er railroad, and formerly operated by the
company, is practically the only line for
a large part of that section of the city.
Its abandonment 1t is claimed. has left
all that portion of Washington in the vi
ciity of Washington Asylum and the
Congressional Cemetery without street
railway facilities.
What is known as the M Street line be-
gins at Second and Canal streets south
west. as shown on the map OF abandoned
railways in the Office of the Engineer
Commissioner. and runs along Second
Street to NJ Street and thence to Eley
enth Street southeast. and thence over
other streets eastward to q point near
the entrance to the Congressional Gene
terry.
The matter of the abandonment of this
important branch of the AnacCstia sys-
tenn was called particularly to the atten-
tion of the Commissioners recently by
communication from William II. Ram
sey, OF 621 F Street northeast. who en-
quired of the Commissioners whether the
company was not required by the terms
of its charter to run cars over the M
Street line.
For long period of time he writes.
perhaps two or three years, the Anacos
tia and Potomac River Railroad Company
has permitted its line OF street railway
known the NJ Street line TO lie un-
used. VIII you kindly advise me wheth
er the terms of the charter of the said
railroad company permits it thus TO ne
glect the franchise granted 1t by Con-
gress? Is it not required by the Sc, ms
of the charter or by law TO continue TO
run cars over the said branch road, as
above described
Mr. Ramsey explains that while he does
not live on the line of the abandoned road
in question, he has OCCASION to go once OF
twice each week to the Bruen Branch of
the Central Union Mission, which is on
the branch described. For this reason,
he says, that he has been made to feel
the effects of the non-use OF this road as
much as those more directly interested
who live on III Street and adjacent there
to.
The matter has also been made the
subject Of petition and complaint on the
part of the residents along NJ Street and
in other parts of Southwest Washington.
The burden OF these complaints has been
that the tracks cuInber the streets. that
they do not serve the section where they
are. and that the terms OF the charter of
the company require that should run
on the tracks or that they be removed.
AS one complaint TO the Commissioners
put the case the company has wantonly
disregarded the obvious rights of the peo-
PIE in Southwest Washington, and have
done this in violation of their charter and
in defiance of the wishes of the Commis-
sfoneTs.
The abandonment of the NJ Street line
is perhaps more fragrant act on the part
of the railroad company from the fact
that il is long line and that it has been
abandoned much longer than sopie of the
other tracks not now used by the opera
ting company of the Anaeostia and other
lines