Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-13
FOR CROSS-T0
Another Hearing Granted by
House District Committee.
VIEWS IN OPPOSITION
EAST WASHINGTON WANTS MORE
STREET CAR FACILITIES
Representatives of Existing Companies
See No Necessity for Admitting
the Old Dominion Line.
VIEWS IN OPPOSITION

IhhotiiNA hSoiHi6 "oS SA>N ~
the House District committee to-
day to those persons interested in
the proposed cross-town line to be
built by the Great Falls and Old
Dominion railroad.
The additional hearing on the proposed
cross-town car line bill which was granted
by the House committee on the District or
Columbia was held this morning from lO:3o
until II o'clock in the District committee
room. Former Senator Marion Butler OF
North Carolina, former Representative Yo-
der, w. ]. Frzzell of the East Washington
Citizens Association and Thomas w.
Smith, president Of the East washington
Citizens Association. spoke in favor of the
bill. Ex-senator Butler appeared as coun-
sci for the Great Falls and Old Dominion
Company, the corporation that Is endeavor-
ing to obtain the right Of way across wash
ington. Those who opposed the granting OF
the franchise and contended that there was
no real necessity for a line across Washing
ton, were President Dunlop of the Capital
Traction Company, Gen. George H. Harries,
vice-president of the Washington Railway
and Electric Company: ex-senator James
X Jones, who is now resident OF this city,
and former Assistant Secretary Hackett.
Among the other well-known citizens of
Washington who were present owing 70
their interest either for against the
granting of the franchise were Mr.. c. C.
Glover, president of the Riggs National
Bank, and Barry Buckley. secretary of the
Business Mems Association. Representa-
tive Babcock of Wisconsin, chairman of
the House District committee. presided, and
ten members of the committee were present
and listened with interest to the arguments.
In Behalf Of East Washington.
Mr.. Yoder was the first to speak. He
said that he had lived in Washington for
twenty years. had invested his savings In
East Washington real estate, and for many
years had been endeavoring to secure ade-
quate car facilities for that section OF the
city. You have granted franchises to ex-
listing companies Mr.. Yoder said, but we
have not seen the road The East Wash
ipgton Citizens Association is the mother
of all such organizations. and we endeavor
to be conservative and not to ask too
much. But we certainly think we are en-
titled to a croSS-town line, and that Is the
reason we have been devoting our energies
to securing a favorable report on the bill
at present before you 1 think there Is no
doubt that there is a general agreement
that there should be a cr0ss-town road. L
think both sides have agreed to that"
Don't talk for me when you're talking,
interjected General Harries, "rll speak for
myself later"
IAN the existing roads run east and
west" continued Mr.. Yoder. East of North
Capitol street there is not a single cross
town north and south road. and / beg to
call your attention to the fact, gentlemen of
the committee, that one-third of the citi-
zens of the District live east of this imagin-
airy dividing line"
Mr.. Yoder insisted that If the road was
to be built. the Great Falls and Old Do
mnion Company should be given the priv
ilege. He had very little faith, he said.
that the existing roads would build the
read. or If they did construct II, that they
would run 1t properly and efficiently. "Their
only reason for building and opera ting it,"
he remarked. would be to keep some other
corporation from doing 1t. II the road was
constructed by the Capital Traction Conf
pany. 1t would be a partial paralleling of
the tracks of that company. and conse-
quently 1t would not be to the interests of
that corporation to give the most efficient
service on the crosS-town branch. The
ether company Is in a measure in the same
boat. While If the Great Falls and Old
Dominion Company were given the fran
Chise the new road would be the main line
Ct that concern and consequently 1t would
lie to the interests of the management and
the stockholders to give the most efficient
service possible. Gen. Harries promised
something in the nature of a flying ma
chine an automobile. which would in.
measure relieve the crying needs for an
extended car service but it has not yet
materialized.' remarked Mr.. Yoder. in con-
ciusion.
Tracks on M Street.
Ex-senator James X. Jones, who then
spoke In opposition to that provision of the
bill. permitting the Great Falls and Old
Dominion Company to lay its double tracks
on NJ street. said he appeared before the
committee entirely his own behalf. Il
own modest home on M street." said Mr..
Jones, land | am perfectly sure that
running m n door
would lower the value of my property by
at least one-half. Furthermore, a double
track on Nj street would make it practically
impossible to drive up at my door with
vehicle of any description. OF course,
everybody else on the street is in the same
boat, but l am speaking for myself alone. 1
will say however that Mrs. Sommers,
whose school is on the corner Of 18th and NJ
streets has been building up her institution
and her property for the past twenty years
One line now runs in front OF her property:
A line on the other side would make II
practically impossible to approach her
would simply mean the ruin OF her property
There Is. moreover so far as can ascer-
tain, no demand for q cross-town line L
haven't heard of any and believe would
IL it was as apparent as is commended. l
will add further that the petition which
was circulated last year signed by resi-
dents NJ street contained the names OF
tenants and not property owners. or over
300 names only eight owned property along
that proposed right of way"
Mr. Jones then aroused the interest of
the committee by stating that he had heard
IL intimated that the Great Falls and Old
Dominion road was simply using the re-
quest for a cross-town line franchise in
order to secure a right of way to the new
union station now in course of construction.
He was informed by Representative Bah
cock that the committee would take care
that nothing of that kind was allowed to
happen.
Senator Jones insisted, however. that it
was not sufficient to provide that the right
of way should be used for such and such
purposes. There should be. he thought.
specific provision, prohibiting its use foi
definitely defined purposes.
Lack Of Street Car Facilities.
w. ]. Frzzell of the East Washington
Citizens Association then spoke briefly in
favor of the bill He began his remarks
by complaining of the service now sup
piled to residents of East Washington.
stating that it was inefficient. lacking in
schedules and cars and almost everything
else He told of citizen standing on
the corner for fifteen minutes the other
night waiting in vain for a car to come
along.
Representative Babcock INTERRUPTED the
witness during a statement as to the few
cars run by the Washington Electric Rail-
70,