The Washington herald., 1911-09-02

at the terminus OF its line at Fourteenth
and Kennedy streets northwest. Justice
Stafford issued an order to make an
swer within twelve days.
1t Is stated by the plaintiff that by
the act OF Congress of June 8, 1896, the
baltimore and Washington Transit
Company was authorized to enter the
District, receiving the usual franchise
rights granted to street railway COM
panies, and that the act Of Congress OF
august 2, 1894, required the Metropoli-
tan Railroad Company to make recipro-
cal transfer agreements with railroad
companies whose lines now or later on
might connect with its lines, provided
the other lines are subjected TO the
same conditions. This act also pro-
vided that in case OF failure to reach
mutual agreement the matters in dis
pute shall be determined by the District
Supreme Court
Notified Traction Company.
Mr.. Shreve alleges that after taking
over the property of the transit company
as receiver and beginning the operation Of
cars on August q last. he wrote to the
Capital Traction Company informing 1t
that the transit company would issue
transfers for its cars at Fourteenth and
Kennedy streets to the system OF the
Capital Traction Company. and would in
turn honor its transfers. To this request
the Capital Traction Company refused to
accede and declined to honor transfers
actually issued by the transit company.
While the attorneys of the transit COM
pany intend by their action in court to
simply test out the old law of 1894 and TO
determine their legal rights under their
own charter. they probably will later pro-
ceed to insist upon the trackage features
Of the statute. They are of the opinion
that the law gives them the right to run
their suburban cars to the center of the
city over the tracks of the Capital Trac-
ton Company. II the public convenience
demands 1t.
There are two acts of Congress upon
which this legislation is based. One is a
general law governing all traction cor
porations in the District. dated August 2.
1894 and which has neither been nullified
nor modified later on by Congress. The
other is the act Incorporating the Bal
timOre Transit concern.
Transfer Act Cited.
The law of 1894 with reference 10 trans
fer arrangements reads:
That the Metropolitan Railroad Com
pany is hereby authorized and required
immediately TO make reciprocal transfer
arrangements with street railroad COM
panieS whose lines now connect with its
lines, and to furnish such facilities there
for as the public convenience may re-
quire. Upon the completion of the un-
dergrOund electric system provided for in
this act. the said Metropolitan Railroad
Company Is hereby further authorized
and reCIIired to enter into reciprocal
trackage arrangements with connecting
roads. The schedules and Compensa-
ion shall be mutually agreed upon be-
tween the said Metropolitan Railroad
Company and the companies whose lines
its lines connect. and I'm any case Of fail
uTe TO reach such mutual agreement, the
matters in dispute shall be determined by
the Supreme Court OF the Distric, Of
Columbia. upon petition filed by either
party: Provided. That every street rail-
way company in the District of Columbia
whose lines connect, or whose lines may
hereafter connect. with the lines Of any
other street railway company. is hereby
subjected to the same requirements as to
transfers and traCkage arrangements.
and upon similar conditions as in this
section provided in the case of the Metro
politan Railroad Company and the lines
herewith"
The provision in the charter of the
and Baltimore Transit Com
pany is section in the Incorporating act.
and reads
That the said company. in conjunc-
ton with the Capital Traction Company.
may receive a rate OF fare not exceeding
cents for each passenger for one con-
iinuOus ride over the route aforesaid,
and the route OF the said Capital Traction
Company within the District Of Columbia, |
or any part thereof. and shall sell tickets
AZ the rate OF six for . cents"