Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-15
ALEXANDRIA AFFAIRS
BUSY DAY FOR STATE CORPORA
TON COMMISSION.
City Electric Plant Supplanted by
New Company-Woman's Sudden
Death-General News
Special Correspondence OF The Star.

Special Correspondence OF The STAR i
ALEXANDRIA, Va, February Is. 1905.
The state corporation commission is to-
day engaged in hearing complaints pre-
ferred by commuters against the Wash
ington, Arlington and Falls Church Elec-
trio Railway Company. Judge Beverley
T. Crump is presiding and Is being assisted
by Mr.. Henry c. Stuart. also a member OF
the commission. The hearing. which is
being held at the Alexandria county court
house. commenced about IL o'clock this
morning The charges affect both freight
and passenger traffic. Among the charges
alleged in the complaint filed are: Improper
heating of cars; published schedule not suit
able to the demands of the travelling pub
lie: trains not operated in regular order.
and that certain rates are not uniform and
some are excessive.
The commuters are represented by Attor-
neys r. c. l.. Moncure Frank Lyon, e. w.
r. Ewing of Alexandria county and Luther
M. Walter of the Interstate commerce COM
mission. Attorney r. Walton Moore of
Fairfax is representing the railway COM
pany.
Attorney Moncure made the opening ad-
dress in behalf of the commuters in which
he enumerated the grievances that the COM
muters have against the railway company.
He was followed by Attorney Ewing. At
torney Frank Lyons then succnctly out
lined the numerous grievances of the COM
muters, in which he stated that the road
did discriminate against their passengers.
Mr.. X. Walton Moore of Fairfax county
called the commissions attention to the
minute character of the complaints brought
here. A struggle was being made. he as
serted, to arouse prejudice against the rail-
way company. Continuing, Mr.. Moore said
the cars were not by any means anti
quated. lin regard to the heating capacity
of the cars the speaker said he did not be-
neve that the cars were always satisfac
torily heated.
Equity in Railway Rates.
Referring to the prevailing rates in oper-
alton on the road Mr.. Moore took occa-
sion to say that the rates were on an equal
basis with other roads. The sixty-seven
stopping points along the road, said he,
were for the general convenience of the
road. In conclusion Mr.. Moore said that
ten miles of the road was operated at an
approximate loss of $4,000
At the conclusion Of Mr.. Moore's remarks
Judge Crump took occasion to state that
the commission has full power to examine
into the rolling stock of and general equip
ment of the road. or through an expert.
The examination of witnesses for the road
was taken up this afternoon, and will not
be completed until late this evening. when.
1t is expected, the examinat ton of wit
nesses representing the commuters will be
taken up. Fully two hundred witnesses
have been summoned, and the examination
will not, it is thought. be completed before
tomorrow afternoon. Among the witnesses
are large number Of government en-
ployes.
The decision of the commission will not
be rendered for several days after the
hearing. The first witness placed on the
stand this afternoon was Mr.. F. B. Hub
bell, vice president of the road who gave
detailed account Of the rates prevailing
on the road. The rates. he asserted. were
in the hands Of the corporation commission,
and were also posted at the various ticket
Offices of the company.
After an adjournment for lunch the hear
ing was resumed. and Mr.. Hubbell was
again placed on the stand, and was follow
ed by other attaches of the road.
Passing Of City Electric Plant.
The city electric light plant has at last
passed into oblivion. the new plant oper-
ated by the Alexandria Electric Light Com
pany taking Its place. The new plant COM
menGed lighting the streets last night and
the light was pronounced to be up to the
standard. Everything. it is stated, per-
tanning to the workings Of the new plant
was entirely satisfactory, and from hence
forth this company will furnish the city
with electricity. Within a short time the
new company will take down the old plant,
formerly owned by the city, as it Is stipu-
lated In the contract made with the city
that they are, as soon as the new plant Is
In working order. to take charge of the old
plant and pay into the city treasury the
sum of s., 500. The plant formerly operated
by the city gave employment to six men.
Most of the old employees of the city's
plant have secured employment with the
new concern.
Miss Mary Callahan, thirty years of age,
died about 1890 o'clock last night at her
rooms at the old Braddock House. Her
death was very sudden. as she had been
out that evening and aDnarantly
i'll. Owing to her sudden demise Coroner
Moore was notified and after examining
into the case deemed an inquest unneces-
sary. and will give death certificate from
natural causes. The funeral arrangements
have not been completed.
The funeral of Mrs. Cora Tatspaugh
noon at ST. Paul's Protestant Episcopal
Church. Rev. P. P. Phillips, rector. Off
GATED and the interment was made in the
Methodist Protestant cemetery.
In the police court this morning George
Massey and Walter Robey were charged
with drunken and disorderly conduct at
the Opera House. Justice Cation fined each
of the accused $3.50.
Camp, Confederate Veterans. will hold a
special meeting at $50 o'clock this after
noon, when considerable business of i'm
portance to the association will come up
Tor consideration.
An illustrated lecture was delivered last
evening by Mr.. P. ]. Haltigan Of Washing
ton at the Lyceum Hall. His subject was
THE Irish in the American Revolutionary
War" The lecture was under the auspices
of the Ancient Order of Hibernians of this
city.
The George Washington Birthday Asso-
citation will shortly announce the list of
speakers for the banquet to be held at
Armory Hall February % in honor of
Washington's birthday. All other arrange
ments have practically been completed.
In the corporation court yesterday after
noon Harry H. Simpson was appointed adj
ministrator of the estate of ]. E. Welsh.