Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-13
H. {. EDDY TO DIRECT
Chosen Executive Officer of
the Railway Commission.
HEARINGS IN September
Police Court Officials Promise to
Prosecute All Charges.
COMPLAINTS TO BE TAKEN UP
Chairman Wilson Outlines Plans.
No Anonymous Letters to Be
Given Consideration.

H. C. Eddy super ntendent of the cleo
trical department of the District govern
ment. it's executive officer; received assur
ances from United States District Attor-
ney D. w. Baker and Assistant United
States Attorney Ralph Given that they
will prosecute violations of the regula-
tons recently promulgated by the inter-
state commerce commission. and decided
to critically examine every complaint
made to it and to begin hearings on i'm
portant issues in September.
Mr.. Eddy, who becomes the executive
officer and expert adviser of the new COM
mission, it is expected. will take up his
work Wednesday. He has been an elec-
trical engineer for sixteen years: has
spent ten years Of that time In the con-
struction and operat on of electric rail-
roads. and has been in Washington for
about ten years working for local electric
railways and for the District government.
After the election of Mr.. Eddy this
morning the commission went to the offices
of the interstate commerce commission,
and there held a conference with Judge
Martin A. Knapp. president of the inter
state commerce commission: D. w. Baker,
United States District attorney, and Ralph
Given, assistant United States attorney.
regarding the prosecution of violations
of the regulations of local electric rail-
ways ny Tie SOli-
merce commission a few days ago. The
attorneys assured the commission that the
cases would be presented and prosecuted
in the Police Court promptly.
Plan Of Commission.
Gen. John NJ. Wilson. president of the
commission, outlined it's present work this
morning as follows:
I'VE hope to have our executive officer
with us this week. First we will, with his
aid, take upa critical investigation of every
complaint filed with us. Those which the
executive officer can dispose of, in con-
ference with the local railway officials,
will be settled at once. We viii begin
hearings on the important complaints in
September. when the persons interested
get back to the city from their vaca-
tions''
Complaints Of the present service in the
District and suggestions as to how to
make 1t the envy of every city in the
country still pour into the commission.
A. J. Parsons suggested to the COM
mission that no passengers be allowed
to stand on the rear platforms of cars.
rear platform. on the ground that ut
is offensive to ladies getting on or off
the car"
Another correspondent, who has in
| vented fender and who recently wrote
the commission to tell it that the
tenders used on local cars are not in
compliance with the law. again today
| addressed himself to the commission
in a long letter. He said the commits
sion had ignored his complaint and It's
duty, and concluded by remarking:
"I'll find a remedy in the next Con-
greSs and our courts.
Reply to Be Courteous.
Gen. Wilson instructed the stenog-
rapher to write a courteous reply.
One complaint was anonymous. The
| commissioners announced that they
would pay no attention whatever to let
ters to which the name and address of
the writer are not attached. This letter
was strong in its language. 1t said, In
part:
Now, the principal thing first. In which
| I am deeply interested is the removal OF
a switch at the corner of Connecticut
avenue and street. 1t is terrlpie
thing to have to live by such an instru-
ment of torture as that switch Is. and
never should be allowed among residences.
1.-The crashing of hundreds of cars over
1t every day and night is simply terrible.
The cars come down the hill with more
or less speed. usually more, ana Strike
that switch bounding and crashing. Then
I think 1t is a spring switch which nles
back when the wheels pass through.
which makes a noise like the shooting oil
| a revolver.
it. Some of the motormen seem to take
pleasure In turning on the power just
right to make it's howl hideous. The two
combined are enough to craze one.
The commission adjourned to meet
again Wednesday morning.
Mr.. Eddy's Career.
Mr. Eddy, the new executive Of
ficer, was educated at Lehigh and Co
lumbia universities. When he left school
in 1892 he began at the bottom of the
ladder. his first work being that as an
assistant dynamo tender and oiler in a
large electric railway power station at
Newark, N. ]. He later went with the
| Bridgeport Electric Light Company of
Bridgeport, Conn.,, and worked at inside
wiring and around power stations. That
completed his apprenticeship.
He soon after took charge of large
| isolated plant in the Prudential Insurance
Company's building at Newark. n. j.
Leaving that position, he accepted one in
| Danbury, Conn. where he had charge of
| installing the overhead construction on
an extensive electric railway system. and
| later had charge of a large power sta
| tion He was soon after in charge OF
| overhead construction on a line from
Newark to Passaic.
Mr. Eddy first came to this city In
| 1886 He was then employed by w. s.
Turner, contractor or New YORK city.
and was sent here to install the overhead
| work of the Washington. Arlington and
Falls Church railway. Finishing that
work. he was put in charge of the track
| laying and made assistant engineer in
the installation of the Congress Heights
| railway.
He next accepted position with ]. G.
White & Co. electrical contractors
Of New York city, and was assigned to
| work on two suburban systems near Bal
timore. In 1897 he. again returned to
Washington and became district inspector
| in charge of reconstruction Of the Capital
| Traction Company
| From that position he went to the Dis
trict government as an electrical in
| spector. While holding that position for
| three and one-half years he was closely
associated with the local electric railways
with which the newly appointed District
| railway commission will have to deal.
In June, 1901. he resigned his local po-
| sition to work for ]. G. White & CO.. and
was sent to install an extensive electric
| railway system in Auckland. New Zea-
| land He completed the work and re-
| mained there two years to operate 1t.
| Returning to this country. he joined the
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