Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-06-16
Takoma Park Citizens Discuss
Railway Situation.
MEET IN SPECIAL SESSION
Louis P. Shoemaker Reads Statement
by Representative Sims.
MAKES MENTION OF PROMISES
ORGANIZATION Names Committee to
Advocate Representatives.
Members Admitted.

| A special meeting Of the Takoma Park
Citizens Association was held last even
| ing in Takoma Hall for the purpose or
discussing existing conditions and serv-
| ice on the Brightwood electric railway.
Rfter stating the object of the meeting
| President Albert F. Woods introduced
Louis p Shoemaker. president oil the
Brentwood Citizens Association.
"One of the most important matters
affecting this section Mr.. Shoemaker
said lis through car service to the center
of the city 1t has long been desired by
the citizens and should be desirable to
the railroad company, especially from
financial standpoint The situation is
now in new hands. and / believe we are
now going to accomplish something.
When the matter is presented by conf
petent committee I confidently expect
! that through service will be obtained,
and il 1t could be obtained tomorrow
property values would increase % per
cent all along the route"
Mr.. Shoemaker referred to the TACT
that through cars from the center OF the
city are in operation on the City and
Suburban line. while the residents on the
Brightwood line are dumped In the muo
at the loop at 7th street and Florida
avenue. He characterized this as abom-
road authorities.
Here is a cheap trolley road. which
does not pay one dollar for FRANCHISE:
an urban road, not d suburban road.
operating along this beautiful thorough,
fare. Brightwood avenue; all graded and
finely macadamized for a distance Of five
miles. and yet they say that the road does
not pay the speaker added. There Is
not a word of truth in that statement.
We want through service, and should
our part We ought to secure the desired
results
Reads a Statement.
Mr. Shoemaker concluded by reading
statement prepared by Representative
Sims of Tennessee, to be read at the
meeting, as follows:
In 1900 the then owners of the stocks
and bonds to the amount Of or in excess
of Is per cent in eleven railway COM
panies Of the District of Columbia,
among which were practically all of the
lines in the District Of Columbia except
those in the Capital Traction Company,
solicited legislation which would enable
one of the companies to acquire any and
all OF the other roads. stocks and bonds.
the statement being that it was the pur-
pose to consolidate the eleven lines into
one company in all respects. SO that a uni
fed improved service on all the lines could
be had.
'It was also reported that the dividends
earned by the solvent roads would be
used for improvements on the roads and
service of all Of the suburban roads in
cluded in the eleven, and further. in order
to enable the perfect and complete con-
solidation, they sought the authority Of
Congress to acquire by condemnation. the
stock of any dissenting stockholders in
any Of the lines to be acquired.
1.-The bill was favorably reported and
but av1A oVS1 nm
solidation and unified service did not fol-
low. The .Tenleytown and the Bright
wood road. the City and Suburban and
the Anacostia were never consolidated.
consolidated under the provisions of the
act and the name changed to the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company,
but the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company. or those acting for it as
trustees, who own practically all the
pretending to operate them as separate
properties. BY reason of owning almost
all of the stock they have all of the direc-
tors make all Of the rules and regulations
governing the companies and force the
through transfer upon the suburban lines
with the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company.
What Investigation Will Show.
Investigation will show that the trans
greater per cent of the entire number of
passengers carried by them than It is on
the Washington railway lines. In order
to properly maintain and give a good
service upon these suburban lines they
should have the full benefit Of the entire
fare, for passengers coming from other
lines and forcing a free transfer from
them to the Washington Railway and
Electric Company makes it impossible to
pay dividend upon the stock of these
companies and maintain a service equal
to what it could be and would be without
the transfer arrangement. While the
stock of the suburban companies is prac-
tically without value, the Washington
Railway and Electric Company has for
several years paid interest on the out
and also paid per cent accumulated divi-
stock. amounting to $4,000 per annum
when it would require a sum not equal to
one-half of the one years dividend on the
preferred stock to acquire all outstand-
ing stocks and thus completely carry out
the alleged object and purpose of the
legislation embraced In the act Of June s.
1900. Failure to do SO is an act of bad
faith. and this bad faith attaches to the
present management OF this company as
we'll AS to those who sought this legtsla-
ton, because they today are receiving the
benefits Of the act of June s, 1900. without
accepting in good faith the burdens they
proposed to assume in order to get the act