Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-11-25
DECLINE TO YIELD
Railway Presidents Refuse to
Recognize Commission.
WILL NOT FURNISH DATA
Deny Legal Warrant to Call for In
formation.
THE PRESIDENTS REPLY
District Railway Commission Re-
ceives Report From Secretary
Eddy-Approves Recon-
mendatiops.
REPLY


the District commission. and considered at
| its session this morning in the Westory
| building.
The first letter, under date of November
20, addressed to Gen. Wilson. chairman
| of the commission, says: For reasons
stated in my letter of July II l must de-
| cline to furnish your commission the in
formation requested as to schedules re-
| quested November 10: to discuss the COM
plants as to fast running of the cars
on certain streets, and to accept the in
Vitation to be present at the hearing re-
| ferred to in your letter. This commu-
| ncation is signed by George Z. Hamil-
ton, president of the Capital Traction
Company.
The second letter is from Clarence F.
Norment, president of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company, dated
November II, in reply to one from Gen.
Wilson as chairman of the District
commission, informing him that the COM
| mission would probably submit a recon-
mendation to the interstate commerce
commission within the ensuing month
that the use of ''trailers'' be prohi bited
cars other than those of the interurban
service which are operated in the Dis
trict of Columbia.
Railway Commission Ignored.
Mr.. Moments letter acknowledges the
courtesy shown in offering his company
an opportunity to be heard upon the sub
ject before the recommendation is made,
but announces that his company is ad-
vised that there is no warrant Of law for
the existence Of the District electric rail
way commission, or for the delegation by
the interstate commerce commission TO
any tribunal of power to summon a
railway company before 1t for trial OF the
airbrake question as it affects the George
town and TenIeytown line. or whether
"trailers' shall be prohibited, Or any
other question.
1t is announced, however that his COM
pany will furnish 10 the interstate COM
merce commission, or upon its order. any
| information regarding matters pending
before it, in accordance with the pro-
visions of section IL of the act of. May
%, 1908.
The letter sent to President Hamilton
| of the Capital Traction Company, and
briefly answered by him, also offered to
! his company an opportunity to SHOW
cause why certain things should not be
done or to receive any written state
| ment he desired to make, or to grant
| his company d hearing between Decem-
| Der 3 and Decembey Is at such date as
| he might indicate.
| The interstate commerce commission
| has already notified the railroad COM
pdnleS tndt 1t Will not COHSluST IdctS vi
| evidence in any of these matters Whlcn
| have not been submitted to it through
| the District electric railway commission.
| The District commission, at it's session
this morning, also received and cons1d-
cred letters from mSSiOnerS Frank
| lin X. Lane and f. f. Clark of the in
| terstate commerce commission. who have
| been designated by that commission to
specially consider all matters pertain
| ing to local railway affairs consid
| tr-ia NfcS.i
Commissioner Lanes Letter.
Commissioner Lane informed the Dis
| trict commission that an order WAS
passed by the interstate commerce COM
mission November II directing the
| Washington Railway and Electric and
| the City and Suburban Railway cOmpa-
| MES to repair their crossing at 9th and
| G streets northwest. as recommended by
the District commission. and the railway
| companies have been so directed. A copy
of the order accompanied Commissioner
| Lanes letter.
| Commissioner Lanes letter also re-
| ferred to the adoption by the interstate
commerce commission of the regulations
! recommended requiring conductors on all
cars operated in the District to call out
| at junction points and where the lines
of one company cross those of anOt her
| the street and connection, and the regula-
| ton forbidding the use of fiat wheels,
causing unnecessary noise or unevenness
on cars. 1t further announced that the
correspondence concerning the complaint
| of the reckless running of cars on Cal
vert street near the doop of the Capitol
| Traction Company had been referred to
President Hamilton with the request that
| if the complaint Is we'll founded the
| nuisance be abated at once.
Commissioner Clark's Letter.
Commissioner Clarks letter covered
! several matters referred to the inter-
state commerce commission and inform
ed Gen. Wilson, chairman of the Dis
| trict commission, that Miss NJ. A. Cole
mans complaint had been referred to
the president of the Washington Rail
way and Electric Company for attention
| and action; that the complaints that
passengers are carried past the Union
station have been met with the regula-
ton requiring conductors to call out the
streets and connections at junction
points; that Secretary's Eddy's recon-
mendation that the small cars run to the
bureau of engraving and printing and the
Department of Agriculture be replaced
with larger ones and that the company
be given a reasonable time to work out
a remedy for the situation, has been
| adopted and that the refusal of the
Washington Railway and Electric Com
the expenses of the Brightwood line is
covered by the rule of the interstate
commerce commission that no facts or
information will be received except
through the District commission.
A letter was also received from Com
missioner Lane announcing Rear Admiral
Stevens complaint that the Connecticut
avenue car conductors refused to stop
for passengers and started the cars be-
fore the passengers were aboard or had
left the car had been brought to the at
tention of the president of the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company, with
for the discontinuance of the practices
complained Of.
Complaints Taken Up.
Four complaints were taken up by the
District commission at its session. One
complainant was informed that the COM
mission had no jurisdiction to compel the
issue of transfers from the Metropoli
tan to the Columbia line. and then sec
ond transfer to the 9th street line.
The complaint of needless delay in the
switching of Chevy Chase cars at 14th
and u streets was found to be groundIeSs.
A third complaint as to the lack of fresh
air in the cars and the suggestion that
the front door of the car instead of the
rear door be used for ingreSS and esreSS
to prevent dust from coming in on the
passengers when the cars stop was re-
ceived. and the complainant advised to
take those matters up direct with the
railway companies.
No action was taken in the case Of the
fourth complaint, which related to poor
service on the Teneytown line to Fair
view Heights.
Connecticut Avenue Service.