Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-18
BILL WOULD FORCE
D. c. TO PAY $4,000
TO LINE
Corporation CounSePs Office
Plans Indemnifying Rail
Company for Terminal.
U. S. BUILDING PROGRAM
MAY BRING ABANDONMENT
Present Owner of Property, Under
Plan, Would Realize $137,500
From Cash Transactions.

The finishing touches are now being
put on bill providing, among other
things for the payment of $4,000 cash
from the funds of the District of Co.
lumbia to Mount Vernon, Alexandria
81 Washington Railway Co., when the
railway company vacates its tracks in
the District.
The railway line furnishes service
from Alexandria to Washington, its
Washington terminus being at Twelfth
and D streets. This is within the area
selected by the Federal Government
for its building program, and the COM
pany has been served with notice that
1t must get out Of its terminal and
remove its tracks east of Fourteenth
street by April l.
The line which at that time fur
nished service as far South as Mount
Vernon, Va, was bought March l, 1880,
from a trustee for receivers for $685.
500. Some time later the Mount Yer
non division, south of Alexandria, was
sold to the Federal Government for use
as part of the Mount Vernon Boule-
ward for $15000o.
To Receive Cash Payment.
Robert L. May, the owner of the line,
has succeeded in reaching an agree
ment with representatives of the cor
poration counsel's office on the terms
of the bill, which will call for the cash
payment to him when the expansion
Of the Federal Governments building
activities forces him out of his present
terminal.
The theory behind the payment is
understood to be that the District is
virtually forcing the line out OF town
by not allowing it new terminal north
of Pennsylvania avenue. A petition for
this purpose is before the Public Util-
ties Commission and although 1t has
not formally bsen acted on, it seems
conceded on all hands that the per-
mission will never be granted. The
cars on the Alexandria line are of the
heavy interurban type. II 1t were al
lowed to set up terminal north OF
Fourteenth street, it would carry with
it the business of the Arlington-F Fairfax
Railway, operating a similar type OF
cars to Falls Church, Vienna, Fairfax
and way points.
In all, there would be SO of these
cars crossing Pennsylvania avenue at
Fourteenth street each day, making
right turn into street and making
left turn from street back into Four
teenth street on the outbound trip.
Public Utilities Commission officials say
that this would be Physical impossi-
bility with the congested trathc now
present at that corner.
Tracks i'm Bad Condition.
The company would not be satisfied
with a terminal south of Pennsylvania
avenue. and so the only apparent
alternative is to get out altogether.
Another complicating circumstance is
that the companyS tracks, south of
Water street, are in eXcruciatingly bad
condition, and have been SO for years.
It would cost several hundred thousand
dollars to rebuild them. Repairing is
considered out of the question. The
company is said not to be in financial
condition TO make the renewal.
We would never have allowed any
other railway in town to get its tracks
into that condition" said Capt. Herbert
c. whitehurst, District highway en-
glneer, except for special circum-
stances.
There have been plans on foot for
some time, however. for making All
underpass where East Potomac drive
enters Fourteenth street extended. These
plans are now virtually perfected. At
the same time there are plans for ex-
tensive changes in grade in this part
of Fourteenth street. We would have
made the company rebuild its tracks
two years ago if these plans had not
been pending. but We asked the Pub
lie Utilities Commission TO hold the
order in allegiance so that the company
would not be compelled 10 pay twice
for some of its Work-OnCe on the
present grades and once after our new
grade plans are perfected.
But it makes not the slightest differ
ence TO us whether the tracks are there
or not. We are going to improve Four
tenth street during the calendar year
of 1882. II the tracks are there the
company must rebuild them, that's all.
There will be practically no difference
in price of the paving and grading job
to us whether the tracks are removed
or not
Total Payment, S25O,OOO.
Besides the payment TO be made by
the District. the bill contains provisions
for the payment Of STOP 900 10 the con-
pany by the Federal Government and
$4,000 by the Washington Railway and
Electric Co, the latter amount for track
on Fourteenth street between Water
street and b street north. owned by the
Alexandra company and used by the
Washing: company.
Thus the total payment to be made
10 the company, under the terms Of the
bill, is $3.50 900, or nearly as much as
was paid for the entire property by its
present owner less than two years ago
Assuming that the bill is enacted and
the company abandons operation. it will
have received 100000 on its original
investment Of S262 500 and will still
have left valuable property. consisting
of its right OF way from the south end
III Highway Rridpp Ia fhn CITY limit {