The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-27
AN INTER-ClTY RAILWAY.
Electric Line to Be Built Between
Washington and Baltimore.
The City md Suburban to he Ex-
tended From Berwyn to EIIicott
Chy-WOrk to Begin Mt Once, and
the Laurel Branch to he CompIeted

| the Laurel Brnnch TO lie Com let d
The long-talked-of electric line between
! this city and Baltimore will be built in
the near future. il present plans are car
ried out. fast through service between
| the two cities will be installed and a way
| train service also will extend the present
suburban facilities of the railways to all
| the intermediate towns.
Such line is TO be built by the City
and Suburban Railway of this city and
by the United Railways and Electric
Company of Baltimore, which owns all
the electric railways of that city. The
two companies are to combine in the
work, though it is understood that the
City and Suburban will not be required
to advance any capital for the enterprise.
Briefly, these are the facts disclosed to a
Times reporter in interview with an
officer of the Washington Traction and
Electric Company yesterday. The state
ment was made by the officer with the I'M
Outstanding that his name should not be
mentioned. but as to the authenticity of
the facts there can be no question.
The Washington-Baltim electric line
will run by way of Hyattsville, Berwyn,
Laurel. and Ellicott City. 1t will en-
brace the line already built and in oper-
alton from this city to Berwyn. Md. and
also the line from Baltimore to Ellicott
City. The grading between Berwyn and
Laurel and for a portion of the way be-
tween Ellicott City and Laurel, which
was done two years ago. will be utilized
in the new construction. Work on the
remaining construction will be begun i'm
mediately.
1t is said that the management of the
new line has already made arrangements
to have gangs of workmen busy on the
portion of the line between Berwyn and
Laurel within the next week This por-
ton of the construction will be COM
pleted first. All the grading having been
done. 1t will be necessary only to lay the
ties and rails to put the roadbed in readi-
ness for operation. The Washington
Laurel division will be put in operation
as soon as completed and then construc-
ton will begin on the balance of the line.
1t is hoped that the Washington-Laurel
division will be completed inside of three
months.
The City and Suburban Company has
made application to the town of Laurel
for permission to run the line through the
town and it is understood that Mayor
Phelps has assured the company that it
will have no trouble in getting the best
possible RICH: of way. All other neces-
sary rights of way also have been OBJ
tanned, it is said.
The plan of the new line Is to compete
actively with the steam railways, both
for through and for suburban passenger
traffic between the two cities. The state
ment is made that express trains can be
run at a faster rate than the steam rail-
way expresses, and at such a low cost
that the fare can be reduced materially.
In the same way it is said the fares
charged for the suburban traffic will be
much less than the Baltimore and Ohio
charges between the same points The
fares to Berwyn and intermediate points
on the line already constructed are much
less than the steam railway fares TO these
points Another branch of business that
the new line will attempt to develop in
an important way, it is said, is freight
traffic.
1t is not understood that this new plan
of the City and Suburban Line has any
bearing on the affairs of the Washington
Traction and Electric Company. which
owns controlling interest in the City and
Suburban. The Washington Traction
Company is at present in the hands of a
receiver. The suggestion was made yes
terday by some people in f Street who
an important plan must mean that the
receivership is to be terminated shortly
and that the financial affairs of the syn
dictate company are to be cleared up.
While no statement is made by officers
of the Washington Traction Company
regarding their recevership, it is stated
that there is no connection between the
receivership affairs and the proposed Bal
Washington line.
From another source it is learned that
developments of Importance may be ex-
pected regarding the Washington Traction
Company in the near future 1t is under
stood that the Bondholders' Committee
has completed a plan which will be acted
on at once by those interested.