Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-20
POWER AGAIN IGNORED
Railway Commission Appeals
to Interstate Commission.
HARRIES FOLLOWS LEAD
Washington r and E. Company Will
Give No Information.
IT ACTS UPON LEGAL ADVICE
Chairman Knapp Refuses to Predict
Action Until Complaint of Trou-
BILE Is Examined

The Washington Railway and Electric
Company. through its vice president, Gen
George II. Harries. has written a letter
10 the District railway commission which
is interpreted as a denial by that com
pany of the authority of the commission
and a refusal to give information re-
quested by il.
The letter uses expressions similar tC
those in the letter of George E. Hamil
ton. president of the Capital Traction
Company, which was taken to meap the
same.
Not to be checkmated. the District COM
mission has requested the interstate com.
lnerce commission to take up directly will
the railway companies the matter which
the lines practically refuse to consider
with the District railway commission.
The letter from the Washington Railwa,
company was received at the offices oi
the District commission in the Westory
building this morning. Vice President
Harries says that on the advice of his
counsel the company will furnish infor-
nation requested by the interstate COM
mcrce commission and that it holds itself
in readiness to respond to the request OF
that commission when notified of speci-
fic complaints.
In his letter. made public Saturday
President Hamilton of the Capital Trac-
tion Company stated that when notified
of specific complaint by the interstate
commerce commission his company would
act, as required by law.
Railway Commission Appeals.
Both these letters We're written i'm re-
sponse to letters of the District railway
commission asking for certain informa-
tion from the two street railway lines
fhar rvix ;,f4
but state that they will deal with the in
tersfate commerce commission in such
matters. intimating, 1t is believed, that
they will not deal With ihe District rail-
way commission.
AS result of President HamiltOn's let
ter and anticipating the letter of Vice
President. Harries. the District railway
commission Saturday wrote to the inter-
state commerce commission. informing
them of the attitude of the local lines. in
closing copies of all letters sent by the
District commission to either the Capital
Traction or the Washington Railway and
Electric companies. and requesting the
interstate commerce commission to take
up the matters therein contained directly
with the two electric railway lines.
The District railway commission ii is
understood believes they can thus oh
tain the informa tion they need to make
their work effective and yet get around
tue ODJtttiOlS VI the t"o iiico
to giving the information to this subcOm-
mission. 1t is expected the interstate
commerce commission will send out the
requests for information in its own
name as they were made by the sub
commission. The next move will be up to
the railway lines.
On the other hand. the interstate COM
rnerce commission may find some other
move desirable. 1t has not nade puoiic
it's attitude TO this latest phase OF the
relations of the street railway lines TO the
subcommSsion.
Refuses to Anticipate.
Chairman Knapp stated this afternoon
that. except the newspaper reports his
commission mad not been advised of the
refusal of President Hamilton of the Cap
i,ol Traction Company to answer ques-
lions of the District electric railway COM
mission, or to question it's authority in
matters committed to ii by the interstate
commerce commission. He said he could
not anticipate the receipt of such 1nfor-
nation indicate what line OF action
would be taken in the matter
President Hamilton of the Capital Trac-
tion Company, when asked today what
might be inferred from his letter. stated
that he had nothing more TO say in the
matter. as the letter spoke for itself.
VI. {. Eddy, executive officer or the
new commission and Stenographer j. 7.
Morley were holding down it's Offices this
morning. Plans for investigations Of all
the complaints that have been filed SO
far are being outlined by Mr.. Eddy.
He pronounced today an ''off day" with
the commission. as only one complaint
had come in up 10 o'clock this after
noon. This was in letter by j. s. Wal
smi'h of the Washington Post. He COM
planned that the ears of the 14th street
line ran only TO Decatur street at night.
one-half mile from the terminus of the
line. He explained the loneliness and
darkness of the road over that half mile
when one has 10 walk. and added that
he felt the cars should be run out TO the
end OF the line.
He inclosed letter from the manager
of the Capital Traction Company explain
ing that the traffic beyond Decatur street
did not justify running the cars further