Evening star., 1911-08-30
SUE FOR TRANSFERS
Would Have Capital Traction
Company Issue Them.
COURT DIRECTS ACTION
Baltimore and Washington Transit
Company May File Suit
Tomorrow.

Suit to compel the Capital Traction
Company to issue to and accept transfers
from patrons of the Baltimore and Wash
ington Transit Company may be filed
tomorrow in the Supreme Court of the
District Of Columbia. Arthur. l.. Shreve
receiver for the latter company, said to.
day.
The suit will be instituted by Mr..
Shreve through Attorneys Harry F. Lerch
of this city and H. a. Williams of Balti-
more. who represent the stockholders of
the Transit company. 1t will>be brought
about through directions issued to Mr.,
Shreve late yesterday afternoon by
Justice Stafford of the District Supreme
Court.
Mr.. Shreve appealed to the court as to
what proceedings he should take against
the Capital Traction Company. which is
alleged to have refused to accept trans
fers from the Transit company.
The court directed the receiver to en-
ploy counsel and to expend such sums as
may be necessary for court costs. witness
fees or other costs of litigation out of
such funds as come into the hands of
the receiver.
The order of instruction is based on
petition filed by the receiver. in which
the existence on the local statute books
of a universal transfer law.
The act in question was approved Au-
gust - 1894. when the Metropolitan Rail-
road COMPANY was authorised to s',bsti-
tute electricity as its motive; power. The
order to the receiver directs that he
proceed under that statute.
Provisions of Statute.
The act Of August .. 1894. reads: THAT
the Metropolitan Railroad Company is
hereby authorized and required immedi-
ately to make reciprocal transfer ar
rangements with street railroad companies
whose lines now connect with its lines
and to furnish such facilities therefor
as the public convenience may require.
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
subject to the same requirements as to
transfers and trackage arrangements and
upon similar conditions as in this sec
ton provided in the case of the Metro
politan Railroad Company and the lines
connecting Herewith"
The act further provides that in case
Of a dispute arising between two COM
panies as to the matter of transfers or
trackage facilities the question shall be
decided by the District Supreme Court.
Mr. Shreve, the receiver. tells the court
that August 81 the operator of one of
the cars of the complaining company
issued a number of transfers to the Capt.
tai Traction Company, and he accompa-
MED one OF the passengers to car of
the latter corporation and saw q con-
ductor in the employ of the latter COM
pany refuse to receive the transfer as
fare.
The receiver is represented by Attor-
neys II. r. Lerch and III. A. Williams.
The statute relied on seems to carry no
penalty for Its observance. nor does
II designate the method Of procedure 10
bring a dispute over It's provision To the
attention OF the court upon which u con-
fers Jurisdiction I'm the matter OF "a con-
troversp between any two railroad CON-
panies relating 10 transfer or trackaRc
facilities.