Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-19

| been taken out. Since 1888 hundred miles
or suburban railroads in the District have
| never paid dime Of dividends. When he
had called for subscriptions of stock for the
| lexington and Soldiers Home road he had
| received no money from people In the coun-
| try who were to be benefited by the ROAD.
| And yet later the people who were bene-
| fitted opposed the extension of the road
| from eth street and New York avenue
| further into the city because they said the
schedule was not satisfactory. They were
| then given a twenty-minute schedule. The
| enterprisng people who had put their
| money into the roads were the pioneers In
| electrical development of railroad systems
| which have today become so efficient.
Mr.. Truesdell declared it to be true that
| New York people had paid too much for
| the roads. but he thought they should have
! the gratitude Of the people Of this COM
munity. They should not be met with hos
| tility.
Power to Destroy Railroads.
"The power to make schedules is the
power to destroy these railroads." asserted
| Mr. Truesdell.
| The speaker had a high regard for the
| District Commissioners, but he said 1t re-
| quired men trained In the railroad business
| to make schedules. 1t would take too much
| of their time also, which time should De de-
voted to other matters.
Mr.. c. c. Lancaster wanted to know
whether Mr.. Truesdell objected to giving
| the public any control In the management
dell replied that the charters of the rail-
| roads provide all the control that Is neces,
| sary and he does not believe there should
| be any power outside the board OF directors
| to manage the company.
Mr.. William G. Henderson said that ne
| regretted that Gen. Harries was not pres
| ent. He regarded him as more familiar
| with street railroads than any one else
| here. and he knew that II he were present
| he could present statistics in his persuasive
way that would seem to bring conviction to
terests could have no better man than Gen.
| Harries to look after them.
Now or Not at All.
| Mr.. Henderson said that If anything is to
be done at any time on the subject under
| consideration it must be done now or not
at all. But if the railroads were not ably
represented at the meeting, as the speeches
| which had been made indicated was the
| case, he would not press for action He
| said it was not a question whether the
Commissioners of the District of Columbia
| should operate the street railroads.
| The purport of the proposed amendmeht
was simply to make effective the law that
| exists today. In every street railway cnar-
| ter of the District there is provision tnal
| the cars shall be operated on schedule
| which shall accommodate the traVeilhs
| public That was so, with one exception, OF
| the old Washington and Georgetown rail-
| road Company, in which there was P,o-
| vision that cars shouio pe run e'ei' "
! Col. TruesdeI wanted to know what could
! be done to enforce such provision II tne
| companies had no money and no creolt Win
| which to secure additional rolling STOCK.
Matter of Accommodations.
Mr.. Henderson replied that If there were
people enough to carry there should De ac-
| commodations on the cars for them ana IL
would be in the interest of the company 10
| provide cars.
If the traffic is sufficient to justify rea-
| sonable schedule then, the speaker SAID. ne
thought the railroads should make every
effort to accommodate their patrons. Inc
| amendment did not contemplate puttins
| the operation of the roads In the hanos OF
! the commissioners. 1t merely gave them
| mower to supervise the schedules OF the
| roads The railroads would commune 10
make schedules and they would De nearu NY
| the Commissioners on any proposed cnanse
of schedule He was satisfied the Commits
| soners would deal justly by the rallroaos.
| This supervision was merely to carry OUT
| the spirit of the law as 1t exists TO-DAY.
There should be power lodged somewhere
! to see that the roads obey the law.
Capitalization Of Power.
Mr.. Alexander Britton said that the
proposition made by the committee on
railroads was in favor of centrahzation
of power and in line with the policy of
government ONHtlSlHP VI pit'o$S
The committee on manufactures, he stated,
10 endeayoring to secure outside capital to
build up manufacturing interests In the
District The committee would meet poor
| success if people find that the Board OF
| Trade is in favor of putting private capltal
| under control of the Commissioners. He
| wanted to see the proposition voted down.
| Mr. F. Southland Parker did not want to
see the board go on record IN 1avor OF
placing corpora tons in the hands OF the
| District Commissioners. Such action would
| be an injury to the city and would sound
the death knell of corporations being form
| ed in this city for any purpose whatever
| II tremble.'' Mr. Parker added, ''for the
| business interests of this city when hear
men advocate this proposition that would
| take out of the hands of the stockholders
| the management Of their railroads ana
| place outsiders in charge OF them
Courts Should Settle Disputes.
The speaker further said the railroads
would never have been built had 1t been
declared then that they could not be man.
| aged by their own directors, but would be
controlled by the Commissioners. The
courts were the proper places to which to
| apply in case of dispute between citizens
| and the railroads.
Speaking for himself, Mr.. Parker said he
| likes TO see crowded cars "They say these
| cars are crowded" he commented. 'Peo-
| pie hold onto the straps and there are two
| passengers for every strap. DO you want
| to our cars run along the streets with
| only two or three passengers in them? 1t
| is a great thing to see people. / ride on
! the Connecticut avenue cars. and every
seat is filed and every strap has two pas
sengers hanging onto it. 1t Is pleasant
sight to me. / am an interested party and
! / do not get a cent out Of my stock, but
| the people are getting the cleansst cars,
\ the quickest service, and delightful atten-
! ton from conductors and motormen. Talk
about railroads being run for the people
| Great heavens men, what are We coming
| to! Ask the people of Washington to sub
scribe to the stock Of any manufacturing
interest and they will tell you to go to New
| York to get the capital. Do not ask them
| to invest their money. That is the condi-
ton that Is today hampering us. II we
| keep up this course the next thing some
| enterprising member Of the board will want
| to cut the fare down to three cents"
Doing Pretty Well.
| Mr. John H. Magruder wanted to know
| at what the discussion was aimed. He
thought the railroads were doing pretty
| well.
| Mr.. A. R. Server said that there was no
| reason to defer action because the recon-
| mendation before the board was made more
| than three months before the last session