The Washington times., 1910-07-16
Commerce Chairman WI
Take Up Report of Dis
triCt Commission.
TRACTION OFFICERS
DENY ITS LEGALITY
Lawyers Say Body Is Properly
Conducted and Appointed
Under the Laws

Having heard the street car com
pa2y's side Of the question, the Inter
state Commerce Commission IS now
about 20 cali upon the District Rail
way Commission 10 give an impartial
: presentation Of the conditions prevail
ing in Washington which have brought
forth protests from every part OF the
CITY AGAINST the operation of closed
street cars.
Chairman Knapp, when asked toda.-
what Drorrezs the commission was
making in solving the sereet car prob
lem for the people Of the District. an
nounced tSat he intended 20 have a
conference either this afternoon or
Monday morning with Secretary EDDY
OF the District Railway Commission
Mr. Eddy-s report on the street car
situation was made the basis of the
letter from the District Railway Com
mission TO the Interstate Commerce
Commission. requesting an opinion as
10 whether the law is sufficiently broaG
in its scope TO permit the issuance Of
an order regarding the type Of car TO
be operated in the District
Mr.. Eddy's Report.
In his report Mr. EDDY expressed the
opinion that the traction companies Of
ate q reasonable number Of open or
ee1i-convertIbIe cars during the sum-
ue- months IN response to the popular
demand Throughout the city. It is be-
EeveJ that Lr- Eddy VIII reiterate this
opinion in his conference with Chair
man Knapp. and that he VIII also give
The commission frst-hand Information
about the manner IN which the Wash
lngtOu Railway and Electric Company
persists in holding open cars in its
barns at a time when its patrons are
suffering from the operation Of closed
cars. and are demanding the substitll-
ton Of open cars for the uncomfortable
type now being operated
There is no foundation in fact for the
assertion that the District Railway Com
mission IS an Illegal body and. therefore,
without power 10 enforce regulations
and orders issued by the Interstate
Commerce Commission, according 10
competent Government lawyers who
have examined the law giving the In
IeTSJa-e Commerce Commission juriS-
diction over the local street railways.
and the order of that body creating the
District commission
Attacked As Illegal
since the demand for onen cars be
came so insistent that il could no
longer be ignored, the assertion has
been made that the District Railway
Commission comes within the Ian
Euage Of the law passed at the last
session o. the Slxtieth Congress. pro
Etoltl1S the creation Of commissions
Uot expressly authorized by Congress
This law. as is weI known, was
E5med at President Roosevelt. and
vas Incorporated in q section Of an
appropriation bill II was especially
aimed ar the arts commission. the
RENE life commission and several
similar bodies appointed by President
Roosevelt.
An ezamination Of the law shows
IEaT there Is no similarity between
tECSe commissions and the District
Railway Commission.
The act Of Congress Of May o. 1908.
giving the Interstate Commerce Com
WAYS IN the District OF Columbia spec
ItcaIy provides that the commission
ehal De given power TO require and
CoAptl o.ellelHe 10 all or the prCEiS-
ions Of this section, and to make al
Ter, or amend and enforce all npedfuI
rules and regulations 10 secure such
obedience and said commission is given
power 70 make all such orders and
regulations necessary 20 the exercise
Of the powers herein granted 20 It as
may De reasonable and proper
In accordance with the provisions of
this act the Interstate Commerce Com
mission as set forth in its annual report /
10 Congress. called 10 its aid three
residents Of the District Of Columbia
Agents Of Commission.
THESE GENTLEMEN Congress
~
WERE APPOINTED AGENTS AND
EXAMINERS FOR CONVENIENCE
AND WE'RE DESIGNATED THE DIS /
TRICT RAILWAY COMMISSION
The District railway commissioners. I
then are exactly the same class Of
employees as the other agents and eZ-
au-Ders employed by the Interstate
commerce Commission 10 go out into
the 1eld and investigate railroad cases .
3 % FE- lHrH HferaH
OF ITS cars was sent 90 the District Rail
way Commission today bv the Wash
l-E-ol railway and Electric Company. Z
BeELl -L-llS tomorrow the operation Of
tle thirteenth street and y street
Ae-tl-e1St me- as q separate division
N-I pe suspended These cars are now
operated between Thirteenth street
northeast and the Treasury b-riIdi-7r-
running through O street Tn5er pres
ent conditions there are auuroxsrlateI- I
twelve cars on the line 77lafr-7 f-7fr7r- a I
three-T1lnure heaCWaT
Lhe plan now is 90 run ez-e-v alter /
. uale 2ll- EieaSant car TO the Union D
station, ana thence out TO Thirteenth
and ID streets instead OF running IL ny,
10 the Senate wing or the C,arffCr
Every other car from lTr Pleasant Z
VII run 10 me Capitol as ar present f
Ii IS proDa bic tt1a- the chanze VIII re- ]
suit IN giving the residents of THAI 60
ton q 1oUr-TuIDure headway instead Of I
the three-miuute heaGvav rhev rr7T- en- 4
JOY, but u IS stated that vvhate,-a-
sight inconvenience this NAV cause --ffT 4
VIII follow the operation of +r~1--~L 4
cars thereby avoiding numerous trans
fers.