Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1905-04-15
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
COMMUTERS NOTING PROGRESS
ON RAILWAY IMPROVEMENT.
Electric Company's Compliance With
Recent Order to Be Considered
General News.
Special Correspondence of The Evening Star.

Special Correspondence Of The Evening Star.
ALEXANDRIA, Va, April Is, 1905
The improvements in rolling stock and
general service which are being made on
the Washington, Alexandria and Mount
Vernon electric road will be fully consider
ed at the annual meeting of the Alexandria
and Washington Commuters Association,
which will be held early in May. The meet
Ing was to have taken place in March, but
1t was postponed in order to give time for
securing accurate Information as to meas
ures adopted by the company to comply
with the orders Of the state corporation
commission, issued after the session in this
city February 2. 1t is understood that a
comprehensive report of the several means
which are being used by the company to
improve the service will be made at the
commuters meeting. In particular the
work already accomplished will be reported
and discussed. The action of the associa-
ton in the matter will, of course, be based
upon the data furnished 1t is understood
that should it appear from the report that
the company has signally failed in any par
ticular to comply with the rulings of the
commission steps will be taken to make
representations to the state board.
Probably the most important item to be
considered will be that of the installation
of new motor equipments on the cars, and
the purchase and operation of new motor
cars. The first of the four orders entered
by the commission provided that the COM
pany shall have In operation before May l.,
1905 four new complete motor cars suffi
cient to seat fifty-two passengers each,
equipped with four modern motors of not
less than fifty horsepower, with double
flooring. and that two new fifty-horsepower
motors be put in on some of the cars then
in service before the date mentioned. The
order also required two additional new
motor cars before August 1. 1905, but it is
those provisions Ringing upon the earlier
date that will be discussed at the meeting
of the commuters.
One Car Equipped.
The company has fully equipped and is
now operating one old motor car in accord
ance with the order. This car, No. II, was
put on the line few days ago, and looked
SO bright and clean that many passengers
thought 1t was new. 1t is provided with
high frame and double floor, thereby pro-
tecting against the fires which have been
such frequent occurrences breaking out in
the bottoms of the cars. The four new
motors received have not yet made their
appearance on the line
The association, it is understood, is not
much concerned at present with the
third order of the commission, that requir-
ing the double tracking of the line between
here and the bridge over the Potomac, as
its fulfilment is contingent upon more dis
tant date, August l, 1905. Notwithstanding
this, the gratifying progress being made
with the double tracking will doubtless be
reported and favorably commented upon.
General Matters.
The business of the local post office has
grown SO in the past few years that the
necessity for additions to the local force
has been called to the attention of the
Post Office Department. The work has
been SO heavy that some of the collections
and distributions heretofore regularly made
have had to be abandoned and the employees
have been severely pushed to handle the big
volume of mail 1t is hoped by the people
here that the request for additional en-
ployes will be speedily granted.
In the corporation court yesterday, Judge
Barley presiding, the jury returned a YER
dict for the plaintiff for $40 and interest in
the case of William Rogers against the
Metropolitan Life Insurance Company.
Funeral services over the remains of Mrs.
Lillian M. Radcliffe, whose death occurred
in Washington Thursday, will take place
tomorrow afternoon at the undertaking
rooms of B. Wheatley, on King street The
deceased was the wife of Mr.. Frank 8.
Radcliffe and was former resident of this
city.
Mr. A. D. Brockett of this city delivered
the response to the addresses of welcome
by Mayor William Jones and Mr.. r. H.
Mann of Petersburg at the opening Of the
annual state convention of the Travellers
Protective Association in that city yester-
day. Mr.. Brockett is state president.