The Washington herald., 1908-02-07

/ NoA AHu NoFA-Nauy " AtttAF ca
lures SettIed-UaiversnI Transfers
Provision on Ticket Basis Adopted.
! 1t is now considered unlikely that the
/ trackage bill which covers a multitude
of hours Of work by the subcommittee of
! the House District Committee, and the
whole committee also, can be fully pre-
pared Tor presentation 10 the House by
Monday. as had previously been hoped.
Representative Smith. OF the District
| Committee. stated yesterday that in spite
| Of the efforts of the committee 10 fully
| thrash out the merits Of the many amend
ments proposed to the original bill, it is
now considered probable that the COM
mittee viii ask the House 10 permit it TO
have at least two days for the considera-
/ ton Of the measure II these days are
granted, the bill, clothed in all the glory
/ of its many amendments. will be the
subject for debate by the House some
/ day later next week than Monday.
All Il Not settled.
Mr.. Smith stated that although the COM
mittee practically agreed upon most of
/ the features of the trackage bill at it,
meeting yesterday and decided on uni
/ yersal transfers on a ticket basis, there
are stiil some proposed amendments
which must be considered this morning
az another meeting. as the House viii
! likely adjourn over Saturday and as
there are several OF these amendments
D aH.. L.. .F t4FH
esteemed important-it is not probable
that the complete bin Will be- ready IN
time 10 be debated on the House floor on
Monday.
For this reason, and FOR the additional
one that even If the bill can be rounded
out in time for the Monday session, there
will hardly be time then to carefully con-
slider a bill which means a large amount
of money expended by the street railway
companies and which represents "a large
outlay Of thought on the part OF the
committee
As next Wednesday is Lincoln birth
day, and the annual jefferson dinner of
the Democrats is also one OF the affairs
OF that week, it is not likely that the bill
can really Doe given the final consideration
10y the House until late in the week.
The members of the committee feel
that SO far the bin as amended is "a good
one, and are willing 10 stand back Of il.
There has been at times past some dis
sensi0u i'm the committee but this was
all cleared away at yesterdays session
and the committee acted as a Unit ia its
approval of the sections now ready for
presentation.
The First Amendment.
The amendments which are get 10 Dee
argued before the committee are four In
number. The first of these. which is the
work of Representative Hepburn. Of
Iowa, is stringent in its provisions.
In effect it states that the street rail
way companies must operate a sufficient
number Of clean. sanitary cars so as
10 prevent crowding on platforms or in
cars.
The Commissioners of the District are
by this amendment. made the special
guardians of this portion uf the proposed
law. The Commissioners are thereby
authorized 20 make orders relating 20
time cards. DC. and other details looking
20 the frequency of operation of ears
ANY company which violates the law
in this amendmsHt-is liable to a fine of
not less than Sl00 or not more than S1.el0
Any employe of any company which vi0-
Iates this amendment is % be liable 10
a hne not exceeding 500 or Imprisonment
not exceeding thirty days, or both. Pros
ceutions are 20 be made in the Police
Court Of the District, on information filed
by the corporation counsel
The second proposed amendment,
which viii be considered this morning, is
the work Of Representative Taylor, of the
District Committee. In effect il is as
follows. THAT the Commissioners OF the
District of Columbia shall have the au-
thoriJy % make and enforce an ueedful
rules and regulations TO secure just and
proper regulations, practices, equipment,
appliances, OF service from any street
railroad corporation or suburban railroad
corporation owning, operating OF leasing
one or more railroads within the District
Of Columbia" The Commissioners are
given authority 20 require the observation
of these various duties.
Similar 20 HcDburn's.
The next proposed amendment, also
the work of Mr.. Taylor. is much similar
10 that Of Representative Hepburn. above
given The last, also the effort Of Mr..
Taylor provides that any street railroad
corporation which violates tile provisions
of the act. or any direction Of the Com
m.ssiOueTs, as therein provided shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanOr The
amount Of the fine which the corporation
must pay on conviction of this misde-
meauor has not been fixed, but will be
considered with the rest of the amend
ment this morning
Representative Smith said yesterday
that Corporation Counsel Thomas has
been requested by Representative McMiI- /
Ian. q member OF the House committee,
to inform that committee just how far its
Jurisdiction extends i'm the matter of the
regulation of street railroad corporations. /
This report may b. given this week
The committee has spent q long time
on the preparation of the bill and when
the final amendments are passed upon
favoTably and retained or fCrad wanting
and discarded, II will be ready to go be-
fore the House, with the feeling that it
has perfected "a good bill. The commit !
tee feels that it has done particularly
we'll in the matter Of arranging trans !
portation along Florida avenue and from |
that avenue to Pennsylvania avenue
The plan, as already outlined by The /
Washington Herald, cOntemplates only /.
TWO tracks between the station and the /
plaza. The system Of universal transfers /
on all lines on the basis Of six tickets for /
. cents was settled upon yesterday, and /
it Is believed viii be carried with the rest /
of the bill,