Evening star., 1902-03-15
RAILWAY TRANSFERS
System Advocated by Mount
Pleasant Citizens.
PENDING LEGISLATION
TEXT OF BILLS INTRODUCED IN
SENATE AND HOUSE.
Alleged Monopoly Of Sections = In
stances Noted Where Short Ride
Requires Two Fares.

Members of the Mount Pleasant Citizens
Association are deeply interested in the
passage by Congress of Senate bill 1901, IN
troduced by Mr.. Mcmillan which provides
for free transfers between street railway
lines in the District of Columbia. The bill
was introduced February D. and was read
twice and referred to the committee on the
District of Columbia A bill embracing the
same points is also pending in the House
The association has had prepared maps and
has fortified itself with data and facts that
will be utilized in presenting to Congress
what 1t considers the need of the passage
ot a law that will remedy existing condi-
tions.
The Senate Bill.
The bill introduced by Mr.. Mcmillan is as
follows:
BE 1t enacted by the Senate and House
OF Representatives of the United States Of
America in Congress assembled, that the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
are hereby authorized and directed to pre-
pare, upon the passage of this act, and
from time to time thereafter. may be
necessary, schedules of the points of inter-
section and conjunction Of street railway
lines in said District at which persons must
transfer from any railway line to any other
railway line of the same or any other rail-
way company in order to travel by the
most direct route from any part of said
District to any other part thereof.
Sec. .. That each and every street rail
way company operating within the District
of Columbia is hereby directed and required
to issue free transfers to and accept free
transfers from the lines of other street rail
ways in said District at all points on It's
lines included In the schedules provided for
in section one of this act. and to issue free
transfers to it's own intersecting lines at
such points as may be included In said
schedules.
Penalty Provided.
"Sec 3. That for every violation Of this
act the company violating it shall be deemed
guilty of a misdemeanor and shall be sub
ject to a fine of twenty-five dollars for
each and every day of such violation. which
fines shall be recovered In the Police Court
Of said District, in name of said District,
as other fines and penalties are now recov-
cred in said court.
Sec f. That this act shall take effect
from and after It's passage, and all laws or
parts of laws which conflict with it's pro-
visions are hereby repealed"
At the present time, 1t is alleged num-
ber of sections of the city are served with
one street railroad system only and other
sections Of the city by the other system.
AS for instances. the north side Of George
town, the Tenleytown road, Connecticut
avenue in the neighborhood Of Dupont cir
Gle, 11th street, Brightwood avenue and
Washington Anacostia and the section near
the Long bridge are served only by the
Washington Traction and Electric Com
pany. The lower part Of Georgetown, the
distinct west of the State Department, 14th
street northwest and Mount Pleasant, L
street northwest and Connecticut avenue
extended. Pennsylvania avenue and the
Navy Yard and part of 7th street north
west are served only by the Capital Trac-
ton Company.
Exclusive Territory.
1t is obvious, maintains the Mount Pleas
ant Citizens Association, that at least one
third Of the District is monopolized by one
of the companies and another third by the
other company, and two fares are now re-
quired to get from any part of this eXcius-
i've territory of one company to the excus-
i've territory Of the other There are num-
erous instances, the association claims.
where a short ride between important
points requires two fares. To go from Du-
pont circle to Washington circle, from
Dupont Circle to Thomas Circle, requires
two fares. To go from any point Oh the
Capital Traction Companys lines to the i'm
portant shopping district at 11th and +
and q streets requires two fares. 1t re-
quires two fares to reach the government
printing office, the pension office, the Dis
trict building. the bureau of engraving and
printing, or the Soldiers Home from any
point on the Capital Traction lines. On the
other hand. two fares must be paid to reach
the Geological park, the Navy Yard or the
State, War and Navy building from points
on the Washington Traction and Electric
lines.
Saving in Time.
While the railways object to the transfer
bill. it is obvious, the association main
tains, that its provisions would shorten
the distance through which people must be
carried for a single fare in many Instances
and save time correspondingly for the pat
rons of the lines. Thus to reach the Car
nege library from Thomas Circle one is
now required TO go via L street or via
Pennsylvania avenue, whereas q transfer
from the 14th street line to the New York
avenue line would cut down the distance
and the time required more than onc-half
The system of transfers proposed would
probably lead to the shortening of
routes betweeno different parts of the city
by the building of connecting lines. Thus
a short line Florida avenue between
Connecticut avenue and 18th street would
cut down the distance between Georgetown
and the entire north end of the city by at
least one-third
The Associations Argument.
The association declares that the forego-
ing points in favor Of the transfer sys-
tenn, but the passage of the bill now before
Congress is demanded upon the broad
ground that railway lines are built prmari-
ly for the convenience of the public, and
that they should be operated under such
regulations as to best meet this require
ment.
In nearly all cities at the present time,