The Washington times., 1905-05-27
TranSfers-The Law.

There is much discussion concern
ing street railway transfers; there i
talk OF the rights of minority stock
holders and of the railways; there /
also some reference to the rights O
1he public, from whom all raflwa,
charters are received.
IN this phase of the matter it ma,
not be improper to suggest that tn.
law on the subject is rather plain. ant
is embodied in certain statutes passed
by Congress at sundry times. These
statutes, in part, are as follows:
Sec. 5. That the Metropolitan Rail
road Company is hereby authoriz
ed and required Immediately TO make
reciprocal transfer arrangements witt
street railroad companies whose lines
now connect with its lines. and tc
furnish such facilities therefor as
the public convenience may require
Provided, That every street
railway company in the District OF
Columbia whose lines connect, or
whose lines may hereafter connect,
with the lines OF any other street rail
way company, is hereby subjected to
the same requirements as to trans
fers and traclsage arrangements, and
upon similar conditions, as in this
section provided in the case of the
metropolitan Railroad Company and
the lines connecting herewith" Act
OF August 2, 1894; 2S Statutes at
Large, pp. 217, 218, ct seq.
The crucial word is connect" and
the public may be interested to know
whether the intersecting switches at
Ninth and G streets northwest. at
Fourteenth and G streets northwest, at
First street and Indiana avenue
northwest, and other places too num-
erous to mention. do not place the
City and Suburban Railway and the
Metropolitan Railroad under the pro
visions of the above act. This paper
cannot undertake to say, bur il has
its own opinion on the subject.
All the statutes cannot be cited in
the space Of this article. but it may
be interesting TO the public to sug-
gest that a careful reading of all the
acts indicates that the intention of
Congress has been TO have free trans
fers for every continuous ride in any
or directions, within the
limits of the District of Columbia.
Perhaps the broadest declaration of
that intention is found in the Act of
May 2s. 1896; 90 Statutes at Large, p.
188. hich says:
Sec. 3. That the Capital Railway
Company, the Metropolitan Railroad
Company, and the Capital Traction
Company are hereby required to issue
free transfers at the point OF intersec-
ton Of their respective lines, so that
for the payment OF one fare pas
senger on either road shall have the
privilege of riding over the lines Of
both''
Not TO exhaust the subject, the lines
Of the Metropolitan Railroad and OF
the Capital Traction Companies plain
II intersect at Seventh and F
streets. at Ninth and Pennsylvania
avenue. besides connecting under
the other statute on c street, Della
ware avenue, and B street northeast.
Has anyone yet received a free trans
fer between these lines?
These statutes are all IN force to-
day In order that 10 one may
imagine the duties of the railways,
with regard to transfers. has been
affected by the recent mergers, 1t may
suffice TO cite from the Act OF June 5,
1900. which authorized the consolida-
ton Of these lines with the Wash
Ington Railway and Electric Com
pany:
"All obligations imposed by law up
on any corporation whose road or
route is acquired in accordance with
the provisions of this Act, except as
the same may be expressly modified
or repealed by this Act, shall con-
-inue to be applicable to such acquir-
I'd road or route and shall be con-
fined thereto, and such road or route
shall be acquired subject to such OBJ
legations and with all the rights and
powers possessed by the selling cor
poration."
The vice of ali these statutes is
simply the lack of penalties for failure
% comply with their provisions and
Perhaps Congress, if
appealed to. might declare it's policy
With respect to free transfers in
general act and make that act, effec-
i've by a penal clause
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