Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-25
D. G. SHELVESP PLAN
TO PAY $4,000 TO
ALEXANDRIA LINE
Commissioners Unanimous in
Stand Regarding Abandon
ment of Tracks.
LETTER FAVORING ITEM
IN BUDGET NOT SENT
Recent Conference Agreement
Barred on Idea of Saving Cost
ly Litigation.

The District Commissioners yesterday
decided to Shelve the proposition to pay
the Mount Vernon, Alexandria & Wash
ington Railway Co. sos, 900 for abandon
ment Of the company's tracks on Four
tenth street south of Water street
southwest. The company Is being forced
out of its terminal at Twelfth and D
streets by the Federal Governments
building program, and the Public Ut1ll-
ties Commission turned down its request
to locate a new terminal at Eleventh
and E streets. A number of confer
ences between representatives OF the
corporation counsePs Office, the Treas
ury Department and the railway re-
suited in an agreement TO submit to
Congress a bill to provide for payment
to the railway of $4,000 from the Dis
trict Golfers and 100000 from Federal
funds If the railway would abandon its
tracks south of Water street and cease
operating street cars into the District.
Letter, Explaining, Not Sent.
A letter was prepared setting forth
the reasons for the contemplated &C
ton at some length, and 1t was pro-
posed to send it to the Bureau of the
Budget for that body'S approval. The
letter was never sent. 1t came up for
action at a meeting of the Board of
Commissioners yesterday. and Engineer
Commissioner John C. Gotwals moved
that 1.-The action proposed herein be
disapproved, as the legislation involved
is not believed to be necessary" The
motion was unanimously adopted.
According to the letter to the Budget
Bureau, the payment had little legal
Justification" but very substantial
benefits would accrue to the District of
Columbia as a result of an immediate
4 - 10 fAN,
within the District" and this furnish
ed a practicable Justification for the
approval of the payment of this item, -
and therefore the Commissioners ere
luctantly approve the passage OF legis-
lation which will accomplish this aban-
Comment"
The company, which was bought at a
trustees sale for 1882, 500, claimed "a
value for rate-making purposes Of ST.
100000, and further claimed that the
minimum payment which could be ac-
copied for its physical property in the
District was 100000. The Public Utili-
ties Commission appraised the repro
duction cost OF the company's property
in the District at $207, 900.
Would Avoid Litigation.
The reasons set forth in the letter are
as follows: IF the operation of the
SblcCL railway COllPdLlJ "CAC W NC COAl-
tinued, hope of permanently correcting
the almost intolerable traffic conditions
at this entrance TO the city would be
greatly weakened, If not destroyed. A
grade separation of very expensive con-
Struction would be practically necessary
in the near future at the outlet from
Potomac Park. 1t Is conceded, there
fore, that the entire removal of the
tracks from District territory would not
only improve traffic conditions. but
would materially reduce the cost OF
highway Improvements in this vicinity.
ANY method Of compulsory election
of the carrier without a payment would
doubtless involve protracted litigation
extending over several years. This ejec-
ton, as far are the District OF Column
bia is concerned, could be effectively
accomplished by demanding immediate
reconstruction of defective trackage,
which would place such burdens on
the railroad that it would be obliged
to abandon operations. but we have
every reason to believe that steps in
this direction would be resisted by the
carrier through every means at its dis
posal, including costly and time-con-
Stunning litigation"