Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-20
EXTENSIONOFRAILWAY
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF BILL
BY COMMISSIONERS.
Changes in Measure in Interest of
Washington, Spa Spring and
Gretta Electric Road.

Provisional approval has been made by
the Commissioners Senate bill 1865
which proposes ito authorize the Washing
ton. Spa Spring and Gretta Railroad Com
ps.ny of Prince George county to extend It's
street railway into the District OF Column
bia." Certain changes in the projected
measure deemed necessary, though the
Commissioners expressed the belief that
trolley line along the route proposed will be
a great convenience.
The report. which was forwarded today to
Chairman Gallinger of the Senate District
committee, reads in part as follows:
"A street railway Hne on Radensburg
road is believed to be very desirable for the
interests Of the people in the District of CO.
lumbia. 1t would be preferable, in the opin-
ion of the Commissioners. that such a line
should be built by an ex sting street railway
company on account of the easier connec-
ton which would thereby be Afforded 10 the
center of the city over existing lines, but II
this IS not done, the proposed extension OF
this railroad should be constructed
Road Should Be Widened.
THE Biadensburg road has a variable
width, averaging about sixty-sax feet. and
no railroad should be constructed on 1t UNI
til it is widened to ninety feet which is
the approved width for highways in the
District of Columbia. A bill is pending in
feet, and II this bill is passed the railroad
can be constructed the road without re-
quirng the railroad company to widen 1t.
but If the bill is not passed, the widening
should be done by the railroad company
before 1t IS allowed to construct its tracks
thereon. The Commissioners therefore rec
oyrmcnd that the following proviso be IN
serted at the end of section / of the bill:
Provided that before said railroad COM
pany shall have the right to lay Its tracks
in Bladensburg road, said road shall ne
Ix.,itt z,,t n
Columbia to a width of ninety feet between
building lines, and If condemnation pro-
ceedings are necessary to secure such
widening said railroad company is author
lied to institute the same in the manner
provided in the code of law for the District
of Columbia
THE Commissioners. before making this
report invited suggestions from the Citi-
zens' Association representing that portion
of the District of Columbia lying adjacent
to Bladensburg road, and in response the
Some of these amendments have been in
corporated in the bill. One amendment
suggested proposed however:
" That the company should be required
to enter into reciprocal transfer arrange
mentsi with the Washington Railway and
Electric Company, whose Columbia car
line runs along H street northeast TO
point where the tracks of this proposed
company terminate, it being the intention
of the proviso that passengers be carried
over the lines Of both companies for sin
gle IdTe
Regulation of Transfer System.
The Commissioners have submitted to
Congress a bill to regulate the operation
of street railways In the District of Column
bia. in which bill it is provided that the
Commissioners shall regulate the transfer
system Of all street railroads in the Dis
trict Of Columbia and they believe that
such transfer arrangements should be made
in the manner provided for in the bill rather
than that such a requirement should be
made in any specific case. Another amend
ment suggested was to require the railroad
company to deposit $50 900 to guarantee the
construction of the road as provided in
the bill, said sum to be forfeited upon the
failure to construct and operate the road
within the time limit by the charter The
Commissioners recommend This deposit be
fixed at 81 900, which is the usual amount
required to guarantee construction of street
railroads. They believe that if a deposit
of such q large sum as $50 eco is required
it would probably prevent any action being
taken toward the construction of the
road.
railroad company shall pay a franchise tax
or personal tax in an amount equal to two
per centum per annum of Its receipts for
the first five years; three per centum per an
mum for the second five years and four per
centum per annum thereafter. The usual
requirement in these cases is that all street
railway companies operating in the District
shall pay tax of four per centum per an
mum on Its gross earnings instead of a
sliding scale of percentages, such as pro-
vided in this bill and the Commissioners
therefore recommend the bill as amended
so as to require a tax of four per centum
to be paid by this company.