Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1905-02-02
Meeting of the Commission.

| rc5eutatlN6 SatnciinS VI ~
lin, number Of ladies, and by noon
every chair was occupied and a large
number of people were standing. judge
Crumo and Messrs. Henry Fairfax and
| Henry Stuart presided, and Assistant
Chief Clerk Lanier and Bailiff Williams
were 10 their places. City Attorney
Gardner L. Boothe and Mr.. Leo P. Har'
low conducted the examination Of wit
nesses. and Mr.. r. Walton Moore APP
peared as counsel for the Washington,
Alexandria and Mount Vernon Railway
Company against which complaints have
been made OF inefficient service. Mr..
G. P. King, the president OF the road
and Mr.. J. Colviu, the superintendent
were 10 the court room.
When the court was called TO order
Judge Crump arose and stated that the
commission was sitting ss court 70
hea- complaints against the general
character of the service Of the MOUNT
Vernon Railway, and as hessrs.
Boo;he and Harlow would appear as
counsel for the State, they would have
the opening and closing.
Mr.. Booibs made the opening address.
He said that the complaints against tho
electric road we're not being made by q
few kickers, bat that the entire COM
munity objects to the miserable service.
He said the interests ofThe railway
company and the city and county OF
Alexandria should be identical, but that
aimee this railway was chsrtereiitpursued
a policy of autsgonism TO Alexan IRA and
unkspt promises to the people Mr..
BOothe said that people are daily being
forced to move from this city to Wash
inOton and that the interests OF the
city are correspondingly suffering.
He said that the prosecution would put
on the stand experts who would testiiy
that the rolling stock OF the road Is I'D
dangerous condition and others who
would state that il is not unusual for cars
IN he from one to two hours late between
here and Washington. Dir. boothe
stated that there has been an improve
ment in the sanitary condition OF the
cars 10 the past few weeks, brought about
nv constant complaints, but that the heat
ing arrangements are criminslly defec-
tive. Promises to hayethe cars properly
heated we're made last summer only to
be broken, he said, and the heaters are
now piled up at the Four-mie run power
house. He said the company has ample
electric power to heat the cars, but that
a conductor was authority for the state
ment that the one car that has been
equipped with heating apparatus was
not properly wired and the heaters had
as we'll not have been installed. Mr.
Boothe said that in twelve years the
electric railway company has purchased
one new car, and even that one has not
been kept in repair. He made the an-
nouncment that "the rolling stock OF
the road has been sacrificed to dividends
and read and compared the annual
statements of the company for the years
oO3 and 1904. In closing Mr.. Boothe
said that the people of Alexandria place
absolutely no confidence in promises
made by the electric railway officials,
and asked the commissioners to impose
fine of 800 per day Tor each day tnat
the mandate of the commission IS not
obeyod after a reasonable time. lie
then read list of what the public de-
mands "a follows: Ten new motor cars
10 be in service by August /; double
tracks from Alexandria to the Long
bridge to be in use by July /; heaters
in every car within ten days; the road
bed to be improved by July la modern
rotary snow sweeper to be on hand ID
thirty days and supply of ipcandescen'
lamp. in each car to promptly replace
lamps that are broken or burned out.
On behalf of the railway con-
pany Mr.. Moore said that ne re-
coenized that the interests OF the
oity and the company are Identical
and it was a mistake to say that the raii
way company has acted in spirit OF an
tacopism. He admitted that conditions
are unsatisfactory, but said that the mat
ter should be dealt with lie a temperate
and business like manner. Mr.. moore
said that his client was not ANXIOUS u
nrotrect this controversy, and unless SOM
startling statement we're made durlnt
the hearing he would remain silent III
said. however, that whatever might nav
hapnened in the past, he could state to
dav autboritatively that in the very nea
mture an exceptionally 6ne interuroal
electric railway will be in operation be
tween this city and Washington. AM
that later in the proceedings Mr.. King
the president Of the Mount Vernon road
would take the stand and tell frank
what efforts are being made to raise IN
necessary funds to bring abouttbis trans
formation. Mr.. Moore said that ne wa
in a position to know that the func
would soon be in hand, and he yer
tured a prediction that the people
r Alexand-is would very shortly be sau'
! fed with the service. -,
i The prosecution then placed on II
stand its frat witness, DR.. Charles
$ Lindsey, dentist, whose home is In tn
: citv and whose office is in Washington
: Dr. Lindsey stated that he had been
o commuter on the electric road since
e commenced operation and had recent
z made memorandums of instances OF Il
e efficient service. cold cars, etc. AT q
n request of counsel he read from the
n notes and commented thereon. Amor
d other statements that he made was tn
each motor car is equipped with sal
box, bu, he had noticed that wheneV