Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-02-14
ALEXANDRA A. AFFAIRS
OPINION HANDED Down BY COR
PoRATIoN COMMISSION.
tt-e 54 .
Copy of Review Agaist the W., : and
Mt. Vernon Electric Railway
General Notes.
~ p, 81
MI. !
Special Correspondence OF The Evening Star.


poration commission requiring the WASH
ington. Alexandra aid Mount Vernon Rail-
way Company to make certain important
improvements on this line was an opinion OF
the commission, founded, as were the sew
eral mandates, upon the evidence adduced
at the investigation held in this city FEB
ruary and 3. The. order was entered by
the tribunal February 8, and two days later
copies of the opinion were received by At
torneys Gardner l.. Boothe. representing the
city council. and Eeo-P. Harlow, represent
ing the Commuters, Protective Association.
A copy of this review. which has not here
tofore been published, was: handed to The
Star correspondent: sthis morning by MIR.
Boothe. In it the commission strongly con-
dennis the company for the miserable ac-
commodations for the transportation of pas
sengers. shown by the testimony of about
thirty-fve witnesses introduced by the COM
plainants at the hearing.
After the formal Introduction and a re-
cital of the conditions giving rise to the
heavy travel between. Alexandra ana
Washington, the commission states the 1oi-
lowing in the opinion 1t was shown
that for year and more past the COM
panys cars, during the morning and even
ing hours, were almost continually over
crowded to 9. degree not only uncomiort,,
able. but dangerous; that since the coia
weather has set in 1t is not at all an in
frequent occurrence during the most Sc
we're weather and, during snow storms. ior
its trains, consisting usually OF motor
car and trailer, to- be packed inside, with
the platform, crowded.. and 1t WAS SHOWN
that ladies have been compelled TO rlde
from Alexandria, to Washington, IN the plt-
terest weather, standing on the rear pat
FORMS. unable to get into the. car at hii'
1t was further shown. that there was q con,
tinual disregard of The schedule puDllSneu
as to the times for the cars or the trains
of motor and trailer to leave AleXahdrld'
so that when itsitra4ns did leave, there was
a rush to get in, them.i and by reason OF
the continual disregard OF the Scneauie, Tue
overcrowding of the cars was, TO sreat
extent. caused 1t WIS shown tilat py red
son of exposure to severe. weather persons
had been made i'll; and it was testlhed tha';
on account of the exposure and general
lack of accommodations, some persons re-
siding in the city of Alexandra hao peeh
compelled to move their residences 10 the
city of Washington, and unless condltions
were bettered others would be opiised 10
do so. 49,. So. .c,.
ouent occurrence for the trip from AleXan-
dria to Washington to occupy period OF
two hours, although the distance couid De
easily run on schedule time IN from twenty
five to thirty minutes. These frequent De
tays were caused bysithe' WORKOUT condl-
ton Of the rolling stock of the road, par
ticulariy in the 9nUtor equipments of the
cars When a breakdown of this sort would
occur on trip, With tie cars crowded and
no heat in them, with persons compelled TO
stand ON the pl9tfofrr" and bitter winter
weather prevailing, theSdommission cannot
feel surprised a, the violent protests made
by the citizens II Alexandria against the
Accommodation furndshed by the defendant /
railroad to its patrons '-~'
Should Know Patrons Needs.
After stating that 'this condition of al al
fairs. urquestionabSJy, calls for Immediate
and effeetiye relief and Expressing graf
ification at IL tie 1 proSiseg Of the president
of the road. ana also reviewing the dam
aging testimony 81 !ath expert electrical en-
eineer the opinfo1 Continues: 's'The line Of
the defendant: e4SaBanssss road was con,
structed some ten ef twelve years aa,i
had 5uit3ie Nffip to- atd6$nt itself with the I
needs of its apHtferis and the necess tles
growing out of the length and character Of
its line Having had nisHf7si winters expert
ence no excuse Gu n be offered for not haE-
ing such 4 necessary equipment as q siio"
sweeper and for not having its cars proo-
ery heat ted except the reason gwen ny Inc
,,r,lsident for the lack of equipment IN gem
era,-thut is that / he road has not been IN |
a financial condition to expend money ior
this purpose. Having reference 10 tae
a,nCunt of bonds and stock issued by ne |
road and the amount of interest on" the
honds and of dividend on the stock, tine
latter having been earned DURING the pas
three wears, it appears TO the commlSSi Ji I
that the road has earned sufhclent 10 nave |
MT if in better condition before this. II
should be noted that in regard to the fali-
ure to properly heat the cars, IT appearea
in the evidence that7the company hao pui-
chased in December. 1904, modern heate!S
sufficient To equip five Of its cars, and yet |
they had not been Installed on any OF the
cars. ~" -. -, i,
..1bis is NOT the fsts1fme that the de- |
PENDANT company has been before the COM |
mission on complaints made against II OF |
in deouate service and equipment between |
Alexandria and Washington About year |
ago in February, 1904 on compliant mace |
re Il -Yha- commission. had the same COM |
many summoned, land on the hearing mad
then it was clearly shown that the com
pany was not sufficiently equipped ana was |
not rendering reasonable ana adequate ac- |
commodation to its patrons.
After referring to the badly neglected
condition of the Mount Vernon division OF |
the road the commission concludes us oplh-
ion with a reference to the promises OF the |
president of the road and the order entered
by the tribunal j.. 90.
No Improvement Noticed.
IF anv Improvement in, the heating ar |
ranpements on the electric on the line |
hetween here and Alexandria has followed |
tho order of the state corporation commits !
sion If Is of a character that has not been |
discerned by the patrons Of the road. Inc |
order of the commission in this respect was !
as follows: THAT the company shall, with |
in ffteen DAYS from February 8. 1905, in |
stall on six of its motor cars USED between |
washington and Alexandria proper electri- |
cal heating apparatus" One-third of this |
ner;od has already passed, and passengers |
are complaining as bitterly as ever of the |
severe suffering endured on the long-drawn- |
ont rides ON frigid cars between Washing !
ton and Alexandria. No reason for the de- |
lay can be found, as it is we'll understood. |
as testified at the inyes legation, that the !
company has at the power house sufh- |
Client apparatus for supplying the cars with |
at least some heat.
Last night great distress was experienced |
nv those who were compelled to travel be- |
tween here and Washington on the electric |
line. The schedule went to the winds, |
trains were crowded tei overlooking, and |
many of the cars were absolutely without |