Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-04-01
RAILROAD VA TIERS
Uncertainty About Chesa-
peake Beach.
SOME SUGGES TONS
ffG
MADE BY GENERAL MANAGER
WATERS TO PRESIDENT SMITH.
YE4T
Latter Expected in q Few Days, When
Whole Question viii
Be Settled.
SOME SUGGES TONS

Just what to do with the Chesapeake
Beach railroad and resort Is a problem
which is agitating the officers and mana
gers of that property at the present mo-
ment. The question presented Is that of
getting the trains Of the company across
the District line and into the city. The
necessity for this has been demonstrated
during the three seasons the road has been
in operation. 49,.
Before his retirement as president and
general manager Of the road last fall, Otto
Mears purchased a terminal site for the
company at H street and Florida avenue.
The tracks of the road were extended to
this site and terminal sheds built 1t was
trains of the road hauled to and from the
District line with a storage" electric To-
connective. This locomotive. being the first
one ever constructed. was declared to be a
failure, the result being that the new ter
minal facilities cannot be used until the
road within the District is equipped with a
trolley. or some other means Of using cleo
trio power.
Since the retirement Of Mr.. Mears and
the election of Syl T. Smith Of Denver as
president. the terminal problem has been
allowed to rest. Mr.. Paul Y. Waters Of
ant general manager to, general manager
Of the road upon the retirement Of Mr..
Mears, has been in correspondence with
President Smith and the board Of directors
of the road on the subject. and has sug
gested that the road be double-tracked and
changed to an electric system throughout.
This suggestion. however, has not met. so
far as known, with the approval Of the
owners Of the property.
President Smith Expected.
President Smith is expected to reach
Washington in a few days and take the
terminal matter up personally. with a view
to reaching a conclusion. There Is said to
be some inclination on the part Of the d.
rectors Of the road to allow the resort to
remain closed during the coming summer.
This idea. 1t Is predicted. will hardly pre-
vail. however. in view Of the business done
by the road last season.
To double track the road and equip 1t
with motors and cars for electric trains
would cost between 800. 600 and $500 600.
upon it could not be carried into effect at
once. and the suggestion which General
Manager Waters will make to President
Smith is that there be operated usual
during the coming SEASON. and that any
contemplated changes (which may be de-
cided upon shall be begun An the fall. If
this program is decidedeupon it Is not I'M
likely that efforts will be made to provide
a means of operating the new terminal be-
fore the present season closes, that the
trains of the road may be run into the oity
Ninety per cent of the stock and bonds of
the Chesapeake Beach railroad and resort
are owned by David H. Moffat Of Denver.
Mr.. Moffat is reputed to be worth some
thing like SEQ 900 900, and The Chesapeake
Beach road, which is valued at 100000,
Is regarded as the least9of his railroad in
terests. and something OF a plaything in
his hands. Mr.. Moffat is Just now con-
structing 600 miles OF read between Dem
yer and Salt Lake City, as a link in the
Gould system. This road Is to- be known
as the Denver Northwest and Pacific. and
President Smith Of the Chesapeake Beach
road is also president of this new road.
Mr.. Smith has been associated with Mr..
Moffat for many years in his railroad
projects. Mr.. Smith began his railroad ca
reer on the Burlington system, Of which
he became general manager of the Denver
and Rio Grande road. He Is now president
of nine mining companies and three rail-
roads.
ager Waters will strongly urge in connec-
ton with the Chesapeake Beach resort will
be the abolition Of the Monte Carlo fea-
ture. It is his purpose to do away entirely
with the gambling feature of the club
house and build up the place entirely as a
family resort. Last year over 125O 600 per-
sons were carried to Chesapeake Beach
over this road. AS the same company owns
the resort and as 1t Is estimated that every
person who went to the resort on a week
day spent 81 besides his fare. and those
who went on Sundays and holidays spent
81, 1t can be seen that the question Of shut
ting down the road during the coming sea.
son will be most carefully considered be-
fore such action Is decided upon. Each
year the business Of the company has in
creased over the year preceding about 80
per cent, and should the road be operated
this year the same rate OF increase is ex-
pected.
New Erie Terminals in New York.
The Erie road is to abandon its Pavonia
avenue terminals in Jersey City, and is to
locate immense new terminals, with five
ferry slips, five blocks north, at the foot
Of 18th street. The New York terminal
Is also to be reconstructed and the new
ferry boats put into commission. These i'm
provements are being paid for by the
recent $JOOOOOOO loan made by the Erie
company. Plans for these improvements
have just been completed, and the work
will be undertaken within the next two
years.
A special meeting of the stock and bond
holders of the Wabash system has been
called for May B at Toledo, Ohio for the
purpose of voting a $1O.O00,O0O bond issue
for the purpose Of charging the terminal
fac1lltles or the system at st. Louis Kan
sas City. Chicago. Quincy, Toledo. De-
trodt and other cities.
Seaboard's Favorable Showing.
The comparative statement Of approx
mate earnings of the Seaboard Air Line
System for the third week in March shows
$27S, 1852 an increase Of $48.7O8 over the
same period of last year. For the three
weeks ended March 20 the earnings were
$SO3.SOS. an increase of $50, 26O. From July
! last to March % the earnings were
S9.O57,317. an increase OF. 1924. 1872 over the
same period OF the previous fiscal year.
III
mi.