Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-09-24
LICENSE APPROVED
SEEING WASHINGTON CARS MAY
CONTINUE OPERATIONS.
Corporation Counsel Renders an Opin-
ion Sustaining the Action
of the Commissioners.

VIM Beckton, who has been directing the
fight of certain hackmen against the Sc
ing Washington cars, recently protested
to the Commissioners against the licensing
Of these cars as public vehicles. He said
they were street cars and should be rated
such and not allowed to charge more
than five cents for continuous ride. Beck
ton first complained to the authorities that
The cars were being run without a license
and as result of this license fee of ST.
for each car was eXacted of the company,
the assessor deciding that they should be
claSSed under the head of public vehicles
carrying more than ten passengers THIS
action was not satisfactory to Mr.. Beckton
and he again protested as stated above.
The matter was referred to the corpora
tlon counsel and he has now replied as fol-
lows:
1T appears that the Washington Traction
and Electric Company leases certain of its
cars to the Seeing Washington Car Com
pany, and applies the power to run the
cars over certain portions of the routes OF
the several companies operating as the
Washington Traction and Electric Com
pany.
The Seeing Washington Car Company
mas Its conductor and guide upon these
cars and a charge of 80 cents Is made tor
the trip. The route is defined and adver-
tised route"
Provision Of the Law.
Corporation Counsel Duvall quotes nara
graph IA. section I, of the last District an
preparations act. referred to above. which
defines the duties Of the Commissioners in
the levy OF licenses upon street cars. cabs,
carriages, etc. The law specifies that We
hicles with seating capacity not exceed
Ing ten passengers shall be charged a
license fee OF SO per annum, and that a
vehicle with seating capacity exceeding
ton
$l2 per annum.
"On August 81. 1902. the Commissioners
approved the report of the assessor that
licenses be issued for these under the
provisions OF the law above quoted
THE writer objects to the licensing or
these cars. claiming that under the several
charters of the railroad companies they are
required to give continuous ride for 5
cents, and to sell six tickets for % cents
whereas the Seeing Washington Car Com
pany charges 80 cents for single trip He
further objects to the rating of these cars
as vehicles or hacks. as regards the license
fees.
No Interference With Schedule.
1t Is quite true that the several railway
companies are required by law to give one
continuous ride over their respective lines,
with transfers, etc, for 8 cents, and to
sell six tickets for % cents, and 1t is the
duty OF the Commissioners, among other
things, to see that their proper time sched-
ules are maintained, but there is no sug-
gestton that the Seeing Washington cars
In any way interfere with the time sched-
ules of these companies, or that the right
of the public to one continuous ride at the
charter rate Is in any way impaired there ,
by.
II am further of the opinion that these
cars are within the provisions of the above
quoted section Of the license law. and thar
the Commissioners have authority to pass
the order approving the issue OF the
license"