Evening star., 1934-07-07
LINE OWNERSHIP
REMAINS IN DOUBT
Wisconsin Avenue Improve
ment Delayed as ConfereeS
Fail to Agree.
BY JACK ALLEN.


Ownership of the right-of way over
which the Capital Transit Co. oper-
ates its electric railway between Wash
ington and Rockville remained in
doubt today and the Maryland State
Roads Commission was again mark
ing time in its preparations for con-
verting Wisconsin avenue into a
newly-paved boulevard. despite con-
ference held here yesterday in an
effort to solve the right-of-way
ownership problems.
Attorneys for the roads group and
the Board of Montgomery County
Commissioners met with counsel for
the railway and discussed the right
of-way question. upon which hinges
the form the improvements to Wis
consin avenue will take, but recessed
for a subsequent parley after failing
to arrive at satisfactory conclusion.
Abandonment Sought.
Both the State Roads Commission
and the Board of Montgomery County
Commissioners hope to have the trac-
ton firm abandon the railway and in
stall modern bus service when the i'm
provement work is begun so that the
roads group can convert Wisconsin
avenue into a 75-foot thorougnfare
from the District line to the old
Georgetown road in Bethesda.
officials of the railway have inti-
mated that they probably will aban-
don the line if it is found that the
Of ic nIlh1lPlU owned and
that under State laws the railway
would be required to expend approx
mately 5000 as its share of i'm
proving the avenue.
On the other hand, they asserted
that the line undoubtedly would be
continued if it is found that the
right of way is owned by the railroad
and that the State could not assess
1t for any share of the improvements
and would have to finance the entire
project itself.
History Studied.
Delving into the history of the right
of way. attorneys for the three bodies
found yesterday that the railroad be-
gan operation along Wisconsin ave-
nue. under a charter granted it in
1900 after reaching an agreement
with the old Rockville Turnpike Co..
which operated the highway as a toll
road at that time, for right of way.
The turnpike company was financially
interested in the traction firm, it was
said
Years later the Board of Montgom-
cry County Commissioners took over
the toll road to convert Wisconsin
avenue into a county road, and the
question which the attorneys were
unable definitely to settle was whether
the railroads right of way passed into
the possession of the county at the
same time.
State Got Avenue.
Wisconsin avenue was dedicated by
the county to the State Roads Com
mission several years ago, when the
commission began preparations for
turning the thoroughfare into a boule-
ward serving as an important link in
the highway between Washington,
Rockville, Frederick. HagerStown,
Cumberland and points west.
Attorneys for the railway said that
one important fact which caused the
traction company to favor a continu-
alton of the roads operation between
Washington and Rockville If 1t does
not have to share in the improve
ments is that between s178,000 and
$3.50, 900 worth of bonds on the Rock
vile line are still out.
If the tracks were torn up and the
line abandoned, there would be moth
ing with which to secure the bonds
Counsel for the State Roads Commis-
sion and the Montgomery Commits
sioners suggested, however. that the
bonds might be secured by the fran
chise for the new bus service and
equipment which those two groups
advocate.