Evening star., 1919-03-02

The question of street railway proN-
it's and their relation to the public
interests was under
Profits and discussion here fifty
years ago even as
AoSemeHtS. now. the matter be-
ing brought up In connection with
the proposal to pave Pennsylvania
avenue. In The Star of February %,
1869, is quotation from the National
Intenigencer as follows:
"One branch of Congress has adopt
cd a measure whereby the one-cent
tax levied upon passengers by street
railway companies. steamboats,, etc,
in addition to former fares is taken
off. This is very just. for the reason.
first. that this taxing of persons, most
of whom are of limited means. is
most reprehensible. Indeed, no man
knows how the provision of law au-
thorizing the exaction came TO pass.
Street railways are usually very
profitable. and particularly is this so
with the Washington and George
| town monopoly In this city. But one
assessment was ever made upon the
stockholders. and therefore all there
iS OF II mas come from nfcHlS. lHSfe'
Is. therefore. no foundation for the
idea that a restoration of the old fare
of cents will essentially harm II.
Its profits must have been at least 25
per cent on the average. This con-
suming monopoly has been instru-
mental in preventing an extension of
the Capitol grounds. and now, for
sooth. according to one of its authori-
ties, its roadbed must be of cobbie-
stone. even If that material be re-
jected for the rest of the street. If
cobblestoues be necessary for horses
feet for draueht purposes in respect
to the cars, why are they not neces-
sary for horses in carriages, light or
heavy. upon the main portion OF the
street? The Avenue would have a
wretched piebaid appearance ii por-
ton of it were paved with one mate
rial and another portion with another"
The star, commenting on this. says
that the Intelligencer was right about
| the cobblestones and, pointing out
that the grooves between the wood
| blocks afforded the requisite foothold
| for horses. continues:
As regards the profits made on this
road, the Intelligencer is partly right
| 1t is true that the original stock
| holders-those who got in -on the
ground f'oor'-made a good thing of
! ii, paying only about s25 on the share
| of $50 par, but they prudentiy realized
| III SEASON uuTlHE the NuSn tlfneS Oh
| the war, when the street cars were
| doing q tremendous business, and
when the stock went up TO nearly
double It's par value and nearly four
times what had been paid in. In
deed. we believe that a few shares
were sold as high as 800, at auction
Probably there are not now 500 shares
in the original hands; and when 1t
is remembered that the present hold
ers have paid from $50 to 500 per
share, the Intelligencer will perceive
that they, at least, are not likely to
make % per cent profit in hurry
with fares at cents. But, as we
have said before. the public will be
| the gamers by these reductions. and
the stockholders will have to grin
and bear it until horse feed comes
down to ante-bellum prices"
Evidence that John G. whittier
fully believed in the story of Barbara
Fritchie. which he inn
yUhitfier,c mortalized In his poem,
appears in The Star of
uerolHe. February %. 1869. A
| letter had previously been printed in
The Star claiming for Mrs. NJ. A