The Washington times., 1909-01-18
BOARD FOR CONTROL
URGED IN CONGRESS
Interstate Commerce Com
mission in Report Asks
New Laws.
Continued from First Page


District Of Columbia shall on each
and ali OF its railroads supply and
operate a sufficient number OF cars.
cleanr sanitary, IN good repair, with
proper and safe power, equipment.
appliances, and service, c0mforta bic
and convenient, and SO operate the
same as 20 give expeditions passage,
not 10 exceed fifteen miles per hour
within the city limits. or twenty
miles per hour IN the suburbs, to all
persons deslrOus of the use OF said
cars without CrOwdiug said cars.
Ihe Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion is hereby given power 10 require
ana compel obedience 60 all of Ihe
provisions of this section. and TO
make, alter, amend, and enforce al
needful rules and regulations 10 Sc
cure said obedience: and said COM
mission IS given power TO make AL
such orders and regulations neCes-
sary to the exercise Of the powers
herein granted TO II as may be Tea-
Sonaole and proper and such rail-
road companies or corporations. their
officers and emplOves. are hereby
required 20 obey all the provisions Of
this section and such regulations
and orders as may be made by said
commission. Any such company or
corporation. or its officers or en-
plOyes, violating any provision OF
this section, or any Of the said orders
or regulations made by said commits
sion, or permitting such violation.
shall be punished bv q fine of not
more than 81 COO And each day of
failure or neglect on the pant of such
company or corporation, its officers
or employees, to obey each and all
of the provisions and requirements
Of this section. or the On1ers and
regulations OF the commission made
hereunder, shall be regarded as a
separate OfrenSe.
nv
violations OF any Of the provisions Of
this act shall be on information Of
the Interstate Comm cree Commission
filed in the Police Court by or on be-
.2alf Of the commission.
Called in Aid.
To the end that this commission
night fulfill the duty thus imposed and
n a desire to learn the needs OF the
District and be advised as to the best
manner in which the requirements OF
he law might be met, the Interstate
commerce Commission called 10 its aid
hree residents of this District, Brig
Zen. John NJ. Wilson, L. ). A, retired
chief OF Corps OF Engineers
he Hon. Henry L. West, Commissioned
IF the District Of Columbia, and Mr.
Thomas W. Smith, a business man OF
ong residence and high standing, tC
yet as a District Electric Railway
-
These gentlemen were appointed
agents and examiners under an order
lated July I, 1903, a copy Of which is
hereto appended. and for convenience
we're designated District Electric Rail
way Commissioners.
Suitable quarters were obtained FOL
hem, and the commission employed az
executive officer and secretary to assis
them in their labOrs. These District
railway commissioners at once entered
lpOn their duties and have given gener-
)usly of their time in an ATTEMPT TO i'm.
prove the street railway service in this
district, an attempt which we regret &c
say has been thwarted in considerable
part BY the refusal on the part of the
street railway companies to recognize
n any manner these Representatives Of
he Interstate Commerce Commission.
Upon learning from the District EleC-
-ric Railway Commissioners that thell
Efforts 10 obtain the data necessary tC
l knowledge OF the street railysay situa-
ION from the street railway companies
lad been unavailing, this Commission
"a letter dated October q, 1908. more
clearly and definitely set forth the rela-
ion existing between the District Elec-
-rlc Railway Commissioners and this
commission. To this letter replies were
from the street railway com
)anies. all Of which cOrrespondence is
appended hereto.
We have assumed that the Congress
n imposing this new duty upon the In
erstate Commerce Commission recOg-
lized fully to how great an extent the
tme or the Interstate Commerce Com.
nissioners was Occup ed in the enforce
nent Of the act 10 regulate commerce
nd other acts Of Congress, and that il
vas within the con compilation OF the
congress that we should sec'.re such
assistance as was nee5ed TO the proper
performance OF the duties Imposed by
he act OF May q, 1902
Consider II fortunate.
We regard IL as extremely fortunate