Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-15
Traction Companies to Make
Changes to Speed Work,
but Protest Expense.
FIRMS HOPE TO COLLECT
COSTS AT LATER DATE
Plans for New Tracks Part of I'm
provement Extending to
Union Station.

The two local street railway COM
panies will pay the cost of relocating
car tracks between the Capitol and
Union Station in order not to delay
plans for the improvement of the city,
but will do the work under protest, in
the hope that Congress later will adjust
their claim, they notified Congress today
in a brief filed with Vice President
Curtis. chairman of the Commission on
Enlarging the Capitol Grounds.
The companies recently appeared be-
fore the commission, requesting that
they not be required to meet the ex-
pense of these track changes, on the
ground that they are being made pri-
marily as part of, Federal improve
ment project and that the cost will re-
vert to the stockholders and street car
riders. The commission a few DAYS
later announced it would not recon-
mend any change at this time in the
law, which requires the companies to
move these tracks at their own expense.
Changes to be Made.
The track work referred to is ex-
pected to be started this Spring, and
includes the following changes:
Removal of tracks from Delaware
avenue and from B street between
Delaware avenue and First street east !;
laying OF new tracks on First street
east from to Union Station; lover
ing Of the tracks on G street into SUBJ
way between New Jersey and Delaware
avenues, and extension of these tracks
eastward to connect with the new line
on First street.
The brief. signed by John H. Hanna.
president OF the Capital Traction Co.,
and William F. Ham, president of the
washington Railway g. Electric Co.,
points out that when Congress ordered
the rebuilding of the south end of
Highway Bridge recently to tie in with
the George Washington Memorial
Boulevard, it provided that no part of
the cost of changing the bridge should
be assessed against the District gov
eminent or the street railway company
using the bridge. The companies con-
tend that the enlargement of the
Capitol grounds is a similar Federal
project and that it Is discrimination to
assess the track work against the COM
pantes in the latter case.
- They argue that the rearranpennent
of tracks viii not increase street car
travel, but, on the contrary, may re-
duce the revenue by moving street cars
greater distance from the Capitol and
make them less desirable for reaching
the Capitol, particularly under present
conditions of unregulated taxicab oper-
alton to the very doors of the Capitol
and Senate ONCE Buildings"
Will Avoid Delay.
The companies say that they realize
that any resort to litigation to deter
mine the validity of requiring them to
pay the cost would put of a final set
tiement of the matter, and they have
decided to proceed with the work in
order not TO obstruct the improvements
that have been planned. They say the
work will place a burden on their re-
serves for ordinary and necessary re-
placements of approximately $500 900
and that the work will disarrange their
program for general track repairs. In
conclusion, the companies say:
The companies proceed upon the
theory that Congress WILL in due course.
award to the companies the just treat
ment which has been accorded else
where in similar situations. Legislation
IS pending in Congress, directing the
Public Utilities Commission to reduce
street car fares for school children in
the District of Columbia. The enact
ment Of such legislation will materially
reduce the current revenues of each
company.
I'VE feel warranted in mentioning the
fact that the street railway companies
now pay the salaries of ossing police
men, maintain at CONSTANT, increasing
costs the pavements between their
tracks. and other paving in addition,
the wear and tear of which is largely
augmented by the very taxicabs and
other unregulated carriers whose COM
petition depletes the companies
revenues"
The brief was filed by Attorney
Levi Cooke.