The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1900-08-17

Prof George A. Hill, of the United
| States Naval Observatory, has written to
the Commissioners relative tc the right of
the Washington Traction and Electric
Company to issue certain regulations re-
garding transfers, and taking the ground
that the said company has exceeded its lie.
gal authority in the matter.
Referring to the fact that the Wash
ington Traction Company has issued GER
tain Instructions TO its conductors, and also
has posted in its cars notices that trans
ferS will be given only at the time the
fare is paid and a transfer viii not be
given on q transfer, l ask the Honorable
Commissioners upon what authority OF law
/ the Washington Traction Company as
sumes the right to issue and enforce such
Instructions, as far as they dictate a
passenger the conditions under which a
transfer VIII be issued, and also what
ton should be taken by a passenger upon
refusal of the conductor employed by that
/ company to issue a transfer at any time
:. might be desired.
! The question of transfers from and TO
all connecting lines In the District OF CO.
.umbia has been definitely decided by the
Get of Congress of August 2, 1894. and it
seems somewhat strange that the inter
ests of the public have not been protected,
as the act declared they should be, in the
present agitation OF transfers.
The Metropolitan and the Tenleytown
Roads. the former and the Brightwood
Road. not to speak of others, have been
brought within the control OF the act By.
the Washington Traction Company. when
il secured, permission to connect the
several roads as it has done, SO that
cars may run from one to the other. and
one is surprised at the arrogance of that
conlpapv in assuming TO issue such in
structiOns to it's employees, and totally 10
ignore the Commissioners who are the re-
spousibIe head in all municipal affairs in
the District.
The part OF the law that covers the
whole question Of transfers. to which
would invite your attention. will be found
IN eection of the act of August ,, 1894.
and - as follows:
That tie Metropolitan Railway Com
pa-iy is hereby authorized and required TO
make reciprocal transfer arrangements
with street railroad companies whose lines
now connect with its lines and to furnish
sucn facilities therefor as the public con-
Yeuience may require
The Metropolitan Railroad prior to the
time il passed into the hands of the Wash
ington Traction Company, and the latter
since that time, has carried out the pro-
visions of that law. as is the case with the
Ninth Street line and the Columbia road,
and ~ question has ever been made III re-
gard to transfers from one to the other
The following. which is the closing portion
of the act mentioned. indicates that it was
the intention OF Congress, in the event of
any railroad in the District of Columbia
making connection with another they
should also issue transfers.
. Provided that every street railway
company in the District Of Columbia hose
lines connect. or whose lines MAJ here
after connect with the lines of any other
railway company, is hereby subject to the
same requirements as to transfer and
trackage ARRANGEMENTS. upon similar con
ditions, in this section provided in the
case of the Metropolitan Railway Com
pany and the lines connecting herewith
IN joining the several separete roads as
has been done by switches and other con-
nections, and also using the several tracks
of those roads in common it would seem
the Washington Traction Company has
clearly brought the railroad SO connected
within the province of the act above quot
ed, and in view of that ! would be graft
fed to be informed upon what grounds the
Washington Traction Company assumes the
responsibility OF ignoring the law, and What
actil is necessary when ] ask for a trans
fer on a transfer 10 compel them 10 give it
to me-
DR.. /. S. Stone. of 1449 Rhode Island Ave-
nue. northwest, has sent a communication
to the Commissioners complaining o. what
he designates the unnecessary noises in
connection with the collection OF garbage
Allow me TO ask he writes, =" in the
name Of humanity that some method be
adopted which will prevent the most afro
cious noises made in our alleys by the men
who collect garbage. Every day we are
annoyed by the carts which pass over the
rough pavement. but worse than this, is
the yelling of the men when they start or
stop their horses. The blowing of the
horns, the rattle of the carts, and the loud
voices altogether constitute perfect bed
lam which is intolerabIe and to sick and
nervous people it is the worst hour of the
twenty-four and always dreaded by them.
1T is heartless and cruel to permit this
in such cases, but it is after all unneces-
sary. A bell could be provided, if neces-
sary, at or near the backgate of each lot
which would ring in the kitchen, but even
this should not be necessary for house
keepers should be compelled to have garb-
age ready during certain hours, which
may be collected without resorting to
horns, gOngs, or hideous noises of anv
kind.
My letter is written chiefly in the in
terests OF sick women in my private hos
pitaI but also in the interest of many
others who suffer from the above men
tened nuisance"
N reporting upon the matter at the re-
quest of the Commissioners the Superin-
,erdent Of Street Cleaning states that the
attention of the contractor Will be called
to the matter referred to in Dr. Stones
communication. Unnecessary noise he
says, in connection with this work will be
prohibited, and the contractor will be in
stTucted TO see that as little noise as pos
is bic is made in the vicinity of the Santa
rum on Rhode Island Avenue
The Commissioners have determined
t1at the complainant shall be informed in
accordance with the above report