Evening star., 1904-03-24
THE LOCAL RAIL WAYS
Proposed Extension of Old
Dominion Line.
PRES. DUNLOP OBJECTS
HEARD AT LENGTH BY SENATE
DISTRICT COMMITTEE.
President McDermott Also Voices His
Opposition-Another Hearing
Saturday Morning.
PRES. DUNLOP OBJECTS

with citizens of the District on the occasion
Of the hearing by the committee on the
Great Falls and Old Dominion railroad bill
pending before the Senate
Members Of the committee and others
present at the hearing were Senators CAL
linger, Dillingham;, Scott, Stewart Hans
brough, Foraker, Foster (Wash.) Burrowa..
Mallory, German, Taliaferro and Marvin.
The bill proposes to allow the Great Falls
and Old Dominion line to come into the
District from the northern terminus of the
Aqueduct bridge and run eastwardly to tho
union station, and thence to the northeast.
ern part of the District. The route do
sired by the new company begins at the
north end of the Aqueduct bridge and rum
ming to the reservation at the intersection
of M and Seth streets, with such construc-
ton as may be necessary to connect with
the tracks of the Capital Traction Com
pany; thence east along NJ street to and
around both sides of Thomas circle; along
M street to New Jersey avenue; southeast
erly along New Jersey avenue to Massa-
chusetts avenue at its intersection with
list street northwest; southeaSterly along
MassSa chuSettS avenue to north streetb
east along Z street to east I'd street; north
on east I'd street to F street; east on b
to Maryland avenue; ;northeasterly on Mary
land avenue to the Bladensburg road:
northeasterly along the Bladensburg road
to a point opposite Mount Olivet cemetery;
also beginning at the intersection of north
F street and east 10th street; south along
10th street to south M street; west on NJ
street to east 9th street; north on east
9th street to Georgia avenue, and north
eaSterly on Georgia avenue 10 edsI AV1n
street.
Former Senator Marion Butler appeared
for the railroad company.
Mr. George T. Dunlop, president or the
CapitaI Traction, objected to the propose0
extension as an invasion OF the chartef
rights of his company ana declared tnat
the project for the new road In the Dis
trict was merely bond or stock-1obbine
scheme primarily for the sale OF land in
Virginia and with no intention on the part
of the promoters to build the proposed ex-
tension. He declared that the new road
IL built, would not be of any service Ia tha
transportation of passengers from Both ana
NJ streets to the new union station.
President McDermott of the Washington
Traction and Electric Company also object
ed to the new road as paralleling the City
and Suburban line, which, he stated, ne
represented as the receiver for that road
He said that the objections OF the WASH
ington Traction and Electric system to the
extension would be stated later by Cen
Harries. who was I'LL at his home.
Mr.. Goldsborough, on behalf of the Greaf
Falls and Old Dominion line. said he wished
to protest on behalf of the promoters OF
that road against the charges made by Mn
Dunlop as to their motives. This he wanted
to especially as it referred to Mr.. John q.
Mclean, with whom he had been associ-
ated.
Upon adJourning the hearing there were
many persons who wished to speak for ot
against the proposed extension. and Senas
tor Gallinger announced that another hean
ing would be held at 10 o'clock next Saturs
day morning.
At that hearing Gen. Harries and repre-.
sentatives of various citizens associations
will be present.
On Behalf of the Road.
Former Senator Marion Butler presented
the case in favor of the granting of the
charter for the Great Falls and Old Do.
minion railroad. Mr.. Butler said that
was no objection to a cross-town road; h
fact. every one wants one. The Commis-
sioners had stated In their report that there
is a great demand for cross-town railroad
in the northeast. The sentiment on thak
question, he said, Is unanimous. The only
disputed matter was the location of thu
road.
The Commissioners had said the bill OF
fered by the Great Falls and Old Domino
ion line had many defects. but they had
offered only two amendments. They ha4
said this road should not have all the privie
leges granted to other railroads. He de-
cIared that II any railroad had any privts
leges the Great Falls and Old Dominion
should not have the law granting them
such privileges should be repealed. He SUBJ
mitted new paragraph providing that all
roads in the District should have the same
rights and privileges.
He read the section of the bill giving the
road the same powers, rights and privts
leges that 1t has in Virginia under its char
ter from that commonwealth. He said the
section would be satisfactory If Congress
would enact that the company be granted
rights and privileges allowed under its chars
ter from Virginia so far applfcab BILE to
the District, and stop with that provision.
M Street the Best Route.
Mr. Butler declared that M street offered
the best route for a cross-town line because
it is in the center of population. The Come.
missioners had said that IL the road y
placed on L street the street will have tc be
widened. the trees and lawns removed and
sidewalks set back. That would not be
necessary on M street. which is 40 feet In
stead of 80 feet. which is the width of Z
street. There are also. he said. sewers ana
water mains on L street that would have
to be removed On M street there is but
one short square that is 90 feet wide al
the balance of it is 40 feet wide.
1t would not be fair to the company
to force 1t to the great expense of che
changes needed on L street.
Senator Foraker asked why 1t would be
necessary to remove water mains and sew.
ers on L street
had said that the removal Of the water
mains and sewers would be necessary.
Mr. Butler said they were prepared to
take any route given them by the commit.
tee, but they hoped they wouldsget the II
street route.
He stated that II the provisions of the
Commissioners substitute bill are to apply
to this road it should apply to all the rail-
roads of the Dis srict.
Mr.. Butler referred to the COMMISSIONER
claim that the cross-town road should be
built by one of the existing companies be-
cause II could be built and operated cheap
or hv-one of them. But no existing road had
ever offered to build 1t and II could make
no difference to the people of the District
whether it would cost rore or less to build
md operate it. though he thought the new
company could do ii lust as cheaply as any
existing roads
Then he had no doubt that an independ-
ent company, being atiGer the laws of COM
petition, would give letter service than an
existing compsnv The claim would be
made If an existing ee-ap ny were to build
the road that Il dd n3t pay well enough
to allow the runniTe Frenuent cars. The
new company could be depsnded upon In it