The Washington times., 1918-03-01

II the girls displayed Mysteries
and other trings-they would
be pronounced tcmperamentaiIy
unfit
/ ington Railway and Electric has an
option on the first floor OF the Masonic
| Temple. which would be used a head =
quarters sud ticket station, similar 70
tho office at Fourteenth street and
1 New York avenue.
Tn" grave question arises as 10
whether so much OF the street space
o. the heart OF Washington could be
/ turned over, free OF charge. to any
railway company to be used for ter.
! Tninals. The proposed plan IS. that
the big interurban cars. probably not
more than two a. one time, shall be
! allowed 70 lie on the north side OF Fl
| street, near the Temple
Already COnEe1ted.
Recognizing that II street at this
| point, in fact this whole Vicinity, Is
already congcsted-H street being a
I direct route for automobiles TO and
( from Union Station ike railway com,
! bsny was informed that its Rpplica-
tion would not he considered until Il
agreed to widen II street on this
square. This II has expressed a
wIllingnes 10 do. The widening will
be done by reducing the width OF the
sidewalks.
Another objection i5 that it is only
| question of a few more years when
II street throughout that neighbor-
hood vii become congested as have
Fifteenth, Fourteenth, New York
avenue, G, L, and Pennsylvania ave.
nue.. No charter VIII be granted the
railway company. It would operate
under a permit. but once established
there II would be difficult to remove.
The Washington Railway and Flee
tric Company Is said to have been
looking around FOR some time to sc-
quire private property for terminals
fof the Washington, Baltimore and
Annapolis, but it has not found
just what it wanted or the prices
have not been satisfactory. Nearly
all railway experts have agreed that
this would be the best thing TO do
and would eliminate the serious OBJ
lection OF thousands OF people against
concessions Of crowded city streets
for terminal purposes. II the rail
way lines owned their own terminal
property, their cars could be stopped
under shelter. loaded there, and sent
out without encumbering the streets
with dead cars waiting their turn 70
go out.
some InterestinE Bistory.
James ". Wood, q Washington
lawyer. has spent a number OF months
reaching records and laws OF CSn-
gress to find how the W. +. & 4. got
into Washington. He proposes, with
4 number Of northeast citizens, he
stated, TO reveal the facts when A
hearing comes up, and probably will
offer objection to the interurban cars
using any part OF the District at all.
NJ. Wood has found that there is
no act OF Congress, no written line
OF permission in the records OF the
District Commissioners, giving this
company any right to run its cars
into the District. II came into the
District wholly by agreement with
the Columbia line Of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company.
, Congress granted authority to the
Columbia line years ego TO extend its
tracks from Fifteenth and II streets
northeast to the District line. That
authority was presumably for pur-
poses OF city traffic only. The Wash
lnGton. Baltimore and Annapolis OBJ
tanned from the Maryland Legislature
a charter TO build and operate It's
road TO the District and Maryland
line at SeabrOok. II was presumed
to stop there.
When II got there a distance Of
something like 900 yards remained
between the end OF its tract; and the
Columbia line. That 800 yards was
inside the District. II had to cross
the line of the Chesapeake Beach
road. 1t arranged to do this. Then
it purchased a right OF way TO con
meet with tho Columbia line. and.
presto! the right granted by Congress
to District company became au-
thority TO that company to permit in
terurban cars OF another Inns TO come
into and go out OF Washington.
Has Grist Of Facts
Mr.. Wood has accumulated a large
batch OF facts showing how tho Co
lumbis line slowly extended its Con-
gressionaI grant for the benefit or
the w. i. & A, including a loop a.
Fifteenth aud II streets, a terminal
station there, and extension OF tracks
a, Fifteenth street and New York
avenue. TO land cars right into the lap
OF Fifteenth street.
Many legal authorities agree that
the Columbia line, through the word
ing OF its Congressional grant could
not have been prev ented in the good
old coInoratiOn days in the District :
from making sIch arrangements ss
il wanted with the other road. Those I
were the days before a Public UNli- :
ties Commission was created. No ,
body then s"omAd T. bother whsthc.. ,
the public had any real rights in pub
IL streets.
That the entrance into Washington
OF the intcGurbau cars was of con
ycuience 20 Washington people and 10
people coming Le;e is not p
doubted IIr Woods objection is .
that al this Was brought about
though agreement auG not through ,
permission Of Corgrcss o. the Dis !
Trict government.