The Washington herald., 1921-07-03
KING BILL WOULD
FORCE DIVORCE OF
WIRE. AND PEPCO
Also Would Provide for
Merger of Trolley
Companies.

The street car companies OF
Washington will be compelled to
amalgamate, reduce fares, and i'm
prove service, il the King bill, now
before the Senate District Commit
tee. becomes a law. The bill prob
ably will be introduced in the
House this week.
1t is thought that opponents of
the Ball and Woods bills will find
many desirable features in the King
bill if it is brought before the
House District Committee. One
provision of this bill, divorcing the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company from the Potomac Electric
Power Company, is bound to fiEd
favor with the anti-BalI faction.
who insist they will never become
reconciled to any amalgamation or
these two utilities
seens At Voluntary Merger.
Senator King SCOTS at the idea
that the companies will merge vo,-
UNFAIRLY for the peoples benefit He
believes any merger, to accomplish
the things for which an amalga-
nation is desired. must be brought
about by legislation. So far, pro-
posals voluntarily submitted have
not been held to warrant serious
consideration by the members of
the House District COMMITTEES.
The King bill provides for the
absolute and permanent divorce OF
the TVashtnpfnn "a
trio Company from the Potomac
Electric Power Company by dis
tributing the stock of the power
company to the holders of stock of
the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company. In the event tha,
the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company shall reruse to COM
ply with the provision the Attor-
ney General would be authorized to
institute proceedings to effect such
a distribution.
Another important feature of this
bill Is the section requiring the
Capital Traction Company to oper-
ate its cars from the Union Station
through G street between Massa-
chusetts avenue, and Fifteenth
street northwest, and to make con-
nections on G street with the
present tracks on Seventh, Four
teenth and Fifteenth streets north
west.
Other Provisions.
They would be required to op-
crate cars on Wisconsin avenue
from NJ street northwest to Pierce
Mill road and to make the neces-
sary connections with the tracks
in Wisconsin avenue at NJ street. 1t
would be necessary to operate cars
on Georgia avenue northwest 20
Walter Reed Hospital 'and make
necessary connections with the
tracks on Georgia avenue at
Seventh and U streets northwest
and to operate on Fourteenth
street northwest from New York
avenue to the Department of Agri-
culture, the Bureau of Engraving
and Printing, the wharves, and the
Washington Barracks, and to make
connections with the tracks rum
ming south from that point in Four
teenth street.
The Capital Traction COMPANY
also would be required to construct
new tracks through NJ street south
from Seventh street southwest to a
connection with its present tracks
in Eighth street southeast.
The Washington Railway and
Electric Company would be ordered
to extend it's tracks from New York
avenue and Fifth street northwest
tnrousn New York avenue to a
connection with its present tracks
at Massachusetts, avenue and
seventh street, and to remove the
terminal of its suburban lines in G
street near Fifteenth street north
west, to New York avenue near
Fifteenth street northwest.
Would straighten Tracks.
The Washington Railway and
Company would also be re-
quired to extend its tracks on n
street northwest from Fourteenth
street to a connection with its
present tracks in New York ave-
nue., and = the cars from H street
having their terminal IN
New York avenue near Fifteenth
street northwest, should operate
through H street northwest 10
Georgetown.
OShoeOE hihB pidh PROVIDES FOR
the removal of the sidewalk ad-
joining the Patent ONCE on both
9 and F streets and the straighten-
Ing OF the tracks at these two
points. 1t has been emphasized
that this street, the most important
traffic route in many respects in
he District, had no through street
car service and that the tracks in
this street are of little or no use
10 the w. II. & Z. with its parallel
lines in ID, E and H streets and
New York avenue. This is demon
strated by the fact that the w. r.
Z E .uses G street principally as al
criminal for the suburban service.
II is also provided that permits
lion be granted to the Capital Trac-
ion Company-to extend its service |
-oNal points over the tracks of the
Railway and Electric |
company when 1t woulI benefit the |
ar riders