Evening star., 1937-11-16
TRACK REMOVAL
TO COST $712,0)D
Estimate Includes Paving,
Placed by Court Ruling
on Transit Company.

ultimate cost Of s712,0O0 to the Capital
Transit Co. in removing all its aban-
doned tracks and repaving their rights
of-way as a result of the opinion
handed down by the United States
Court Of Appeals yesterday in bitterly
contested case.
The case itself involved the tracks on
E street between Eleventh and Four
teenth streets NV, but the Public
Utilities Commission said today the
principle Of payment involved can be
made to stick" on all the 2Sl2 miles
of single track ordered abandoned
since the merger.
1t was not expected. however, that
this sizable saving to District Taxpayers
will be realized at once. E. D. Mer-
rill, president Of the Capital Transit
Co. said he would have to consult
with general counsel before knowing
If the company would seek an appeal
to the United States Supreme Court.
Delay Seen in ANY Case.
Even if the company does not ap-
peal and agrees to defray the costs of
the whole program, officials at the
District Building said that weeks and
maybe months will be required to
work out the details satisfactorily, the
charges involved being so complicated
The District already has dug down
in its own pocket 70 the extent OF
s268,000 to date in paying the cost of
removing and repaving some IL miles
of abandoned track. This is a charge
which the transit company is ex-
pected to oppose to the last ditch
when the bill is presented.
Counting a small amount of track
taken up this year, Capt. H. c. White
hurst. director Of highways, said there
remain 1888 miles of abandoned sin
gle track which eventually must be
removed. He estimated the cost of
this removal and repaving of the
rights of way at S50O,000. The Dis
trict, however, has already spent s56.-
900 this year on track removal, which
may be deducted from the s5Oo,OO0
When the traction companies
merged, the Public Utilities Commits
sion ordered 28l2 miles of single track
removed. The progress to date, as
seen by the record, has been slow. Up
to last year the District had spent
$2l2.424 of its own funds on this work.
Officials feel that the District should
be reimbursed for all its past expendi-
lures of this nature under the Court
OF Appeals ruling which ordered the
transit company to remove its E street
tracks and repave at its own cost.
The E street case was selected by the
corporation Counsel's Office as repre-
senting an average" and not an ex-
ceptional one OF street being in dis
repair by reason Of the abandoned
track. The evidence taken at the trial
court tended to show that the exist
ence Of the track in the street means
shorter life to the street pavement,
a continuous and increased expense of
maintenance and that the tracks con-
stitute traffic hazard.
Others Described as Worse.
MANY of the other abandoned
tracks are in far worse condition and
are far more hazardous than the E
street tracks," it was said Therein
lies the strength of the case"
The remaining 18 miles of track are
on some 38 streets in the Northwest,
Southwest and Southeast.
Removal of tracks already has been
completed or is in process on the
following streets: Fourth street NV,
Elm street to w street, double track,
720 feet; w street NV, Fourth street
to Georgia avenue, double track, 1,100
feet; Third street NV, Kennedy street
to Peabody street, double track, 2,2lO
feet; Third street NV, Underwood
to Aspen street, single track, 1850
feet; Fourth street Sc, E street to
G street, double track, $50 feet, and
Nichols avenue Sc, Bridge to Howard
street, double track, 2,055 feet.
The major part of the track re-
moval that remains to be accomplished
is on the old Anacostia line, the LIE
Droit Park line, the Ninth street line
and certain others.
There remains $500 feet of single
track, about one mile, on Nichols
avenue Sc, from Fifth street to Upsal
street, aid another stretch of 1920
feet on Nichols avenue from Howard
road to Fifth street.
On Kennedy street there is an
existing ALSO feet Of track from Third
street NV. to Fourteenth street, and
$3.50 feet remaining on Ninth street
NV. between G and U streets.
Some other lengthy tracks remain
ing include 5000 feet on Fourth street
NV. from New York avenue to Florida
avenue: 1,750 feet on Dumbarton ave-
nue NV, from Wisconsin avenue to
Twenty-eighth street: 1920 feet on
Connecticut avenue from Devonshire
place to Newark streets !, ,480 feet on E
street Sc, from First to Fourth
streets, and 1850 feet on Anacostia
Bridge.