The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-10-05
COMMISSIONERS HAVE
POWER OVER RAIL WAYS
Can Compel Forfeiture of Charter Through Courts for
Infraction of Schedule, Asserts Blair Lee,

To the Editor Of the Washington Times:
The cartoon on the first page OF your
paper Saturday shows your sympathy
with the travelling public in the District
Of Columbia.
The illustration. however, falls to
show the size Of the crowd which nearly
always succeeds in getting on the
BrightWO0d Avenue cars. at the busy
part OF the day. and which would indl-
cate the rapid growth OF population on
the line of BrightWood Avenue. 1t is
fair 20 say, I'm behalf Of the COMPANY
that they have improved their service
IN the last six months very consider
ably. IN response, doubtless, 20 just such
proddings as you are giving them.
Power Of Commissioners.
It has appeared by reports In The
Times and otherwise. that Commission
er Biddle stated that the Commissioners
have no power 70 compel a better
schedule on this road. May call your
attention &C the following provision OF
law contained in the act Of Congress
approved July 26, 1892. amending the
charter Of the BrightwOOd road. and
which provides, among other things as
follows.
"That the road shall be supplied
entirely with new cars OF the most
approved pattern. which shall be
run IS the public convenience shah
require, but not less frequently than
one car every fifteen minutes from
each end of the line, between
o'clock ante-meridian and u o'clock
midnight"
This provision applied to the then
existing line on BrightwOOd Avenue.
and would now apply to the road from
the District line on Brightwood Avenue
70 Florida Avenue
On the Takoma Line.
Section 2. Of this same act, which au-
tho-ized the construction Of the branch
from Takoma Park 10 BrightwOod Ave
nue., also provides as follows;
'-.rhe cars used shall be hrst-cisss
ia every respect. and the schedule or
running Of cars shall be subject 70
the approval OF the District Commis-
siOners, but cars shall be run as
often as one every fifteen minutes
between the hours OF O'Clock ante
meridian and y O'Clock midnight
Section ( provides that any failure 10
comply with the provisions OF this dcE
shall work forfeiture OF the charter
While. as already stated. the service is
improved nevertheless It can easily pe
sho I'm Gas the Commissioners are doubt
less iuformed) that cars are run from
the District line on BriEhtwood avenue
at intervals OF thirty minutes through
the greater part OF the day, regardless
Of the statute requiring a lfteen-minute
schedule. There are also longer inter
walls than the statute requires on the
Takoma end OF the line
What Could Be Done.
If compelled by a proper legal proceed
ing 70 run all cars from Takoma and
from the District line on BroghtwOod
Avenue every fifteen minutes, the result
would be not only a fifteen minute
schedule from these points, but q seven
and a half minute schedule for all points
south Of the junction, at point on
BrizbtWoOd Avenue a little to the north
of the Fort Stevens Cemetery
The question that arises upon this
plain staten euz5Bf the law Is whether CT
net. it. is not the duty OF the Commls-
sioners to Investigate and ascertain the