The Washington times., 1912-07-10
COMMISSION IS
ANXIOUS TO OWN
STREET RAILWAY
Giesboro Company Proposes
!. to Build Line to Point and
i Give 1t to District Later.

Municipal ownership of n street rail-
way in the District is ADVOCATED by the
Commissioners In report sent to Con-
gress today on a bill to incorporate the
Giesboro Railroad Company.
The object of the measure is to author
tze the construction of a street rail-
way from the end of the existing lines
of the Anacostia and Potomac River
Company at Nichols avenue and Port
land street southeast, to the plant OF
the Washington Steel and Ordnance
Company near Giesboro Point.
As substitute measure the Com
nlissioners recommend the passage OF
a bill providing that after the road is
constructed by the Giesborc Railway
Company II shall become the property
os the District.
The men who desire the Incorporation,
/ they say, are satisfied to assume the OBJ
| ligs tons placed upon them by the pro-
posed substitute bill and will be glad
TO have 1t enacted into law.
Directing attention to their recent re-
port to Congress on the extension OF
street car lines in which they recon-
mended legislation providing for the
consolidation Of all street railway lines
! in the District under one management,
the Commissioners say IF the road
is built by the proposed new company,
| another street railway corporation will
be added to the many now authorized
to build or operate street railways
within the District of Columbia, and a
departure would be made from the geil.
/ eral rule, now we'll recognized, that ths
transportation service of a city is O
natural monopoly which, under control
would best serve the interests of the
public and investors.
At some future time, doubtless, the
proposed new line would be sold to the
washington Railway and Electric Com
would be required to furnish DIVIDENDS
for an additional capitalization Of tht
company.
1.-THE same public would be called or
to furnish these dividends also II thC
washington Railway and Electric Com
pany were directed to extend its Ana
costa and Potomac river line to Giles
boro Point.
Commissioners Plan.
Now the only interest which would
be Immediately benefited by the con.
struction of the proposed railway is the
/ Washington Steel and Ordnance Com
pany, whose land would Immediately in
crease in value. 1t seems fair to the
Commissioners that, as proposed, the
Giesboro Railway Company, which
would doubtless be financed by the
Washington Steel and Ordnance Com
pany, should find the means for con
structing the railway.
"No reason Is known, however, why
in justice to the. public this PROPOSED
railway should be presented to tn,
Washington Railway ana Electric Com
pany (Which 1t doubtless would be-
thus increasing the fair value Of IT.
property and the amount of dividends
which 1t would be allowed to earn from
the public without corresponding eX
penditure."
Ten Years of Operation.
The bill provides that upon the com
pletion of the railway the Commission
ers shall notify the Anacostia ant
Potomac River Railway Company t
assume custody of it and operate 1t
For a period of ten years the compan.
is to pay no rental or charge therefor
but after that period is required to pa.
as q franchise tax per cent on tn
actual cost of the construction an
equipment of the railway, providing sun
shall not be in excess of $4,000
The Washington Steel and Ordnanc
Company employs approximately 80
workmen, and owns a large acreage. |
is the opinion of officers of the compan
that II the proposed railway Is bull
many of the operatives will buy lot
and build homes near the plant.