An Act to amend the joint resolution entitled ""Joint resolution to authorize the merger of street railway corporations operating in the District of Columbia, and for other purposes;"" approved January 14, 1933, and for other purposes
PL 84-389 (S.2576), enacted 08/14/1955

724 
PUBLIC LAW 389-AUG. 14, 1955 
[69 
S T A T . 
August 14, 1955 
[S. 2576] 
Public Law 389 
CHAPTER 879 
AN ACT 
To amend the joint resolution entitled "Joint resolution to authorize the 
merger of street-railway corporations operating in the District of Columbia, 
and for other purposes", approved January 14, 1933, and for other purposes. 
Capital Transit 
Coiif>any. 
D. C C o d e 4-
112; 7-131 n o t e , 
50 3, 504.507, 604, 
611, 612; 44-201, 
214 note. 
Repeal of fran-
chise. 
47 Stat. 761. 
A u t h o r i t y 
o f 
Commissioners. 
C o n t r a ct pro-
vi sions. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled^ That it is hereby 
declared that the business of mass transportation of persons for hire 
in the District of Columbia is clothed with a public interest and 
is essential to the proper functioning of the Government of the 
United States and the government of the District of Columbia. 
The 
continuous, uninterrupted, and proper functioning of such business 
in the District of Columbia is hereby declared to be essential to the 
welfare, health, and safety of the public, including the civilian and 
military personnel of the Government of the United States located 
in the District of Columbia and the metropolitan area of Washing-
ton. 
It is declared to be necessary in the public interest to repeal 
the franchise of the Capital Transit Company and ^rant the Com-
missioners of the District of Columbia the authority hereinafter 
set forth. 
SEC, 2. The joint resolution entitled "Joint resolution to authorize 
the merger of street-railway corporations operating in the District 
of Columbia, and for other purposes", approved January 14, 1933 
(47 Stat. 752), as amended, is amended by adding at the end thereof 
the following section: 
"SEC. 14. The charter and all rights of franchise of the Capital 
Transit Company created by this resolution are hereby repealed in 
accordance with the terms of section 13 hereof." 
SEC. 3. (a) The Commissioners of the District of Columbia may 
authorize (including authorization under such contractual agree-
ments as may be necessary) such public transportation, during the 
year following the date of enactment of this Act, within the District 
of Columbia as may be necessary for the convenience of the public. 
Such transportation shall be furnished to the public at such rates 
and under such terms and regulations as may be recommended by 
the Public Utilities Commission, and approved by the Commissioners 
of the District of Columbia, for the purpose of providing a satis-
factory system of public transportation within the District of Co-
lumbia during the year following the date of the enactment of this 
Act. 
(b) Any contract entered into under the authority of subsection 
(a) of this section with the Capital Transit Company shall provide— 
(1) that salaries of officers of the Capital Transit Company in 
effect on July 1, 1955, will be continued in effect during the term 
of said contract; 
(2) that in the event increased wages and benefits are accorded 
employees under such contract, appropriate increases may also 
be granted salaried employees other than company officers, subject 
to the approval of the Commissioners of the District of Colum-
bia; and 
(3) that if, at the end of the period of said contract, the operat-
ing revenues derived by such company from the operation of its 
properties in utility service for the convenience of the public have 
not been sufficient to meet the cost of operation during the period 
of such contract, including but not limited to depreciation and 
all taxes, but not including any return on investment, the District 
of Columbia shall pay Capital Transit Company the amount of 
such deficiency: Provided^ That such deficiency during said 
69 S T A T . } 
PUBLIC LAW 390-AUG. 14, 1955 
725 
period shall be determined in accordance with the accounting 
practices now prescribed by the Public Utilities Commission, but 
the said deficiency shall not include any allowance for amortiza-
tion of such company's property for obsolescence or loss to such 
company by reason of the termination of its franchise: 
Provided 
further^ That such deficiency shall not exceed the increased labor 
costs approved by the Commissioners for the contract period and 
that this deficiency shall be further reduced by the increased 
income derived by such company from any fare increase which 
may be granted by the Public Utilities Commission as a direct 
offset to the increased labor costs. 
SEC. 4. The Commissioners of the District of Columbia may, with 
the approval of the Public Service Commission of the State of Mary-
land, exercise any of the powers granted in this Act within the portion 
of the State of Maryland which is provided with public transporta-
tion by the Capital Transit Company (including subsidiaries). 
SEC. 5. Nothing in this Act shall affect the right of Capital Transit 
Company or its successors in interest to continue railroad service to 
the Potomac Electric Power Company as currently performed by 
the East Washington Railway Company, nor shall it affect its present 
rights with relation thereto. 
SEC. 6, There are hereby authorized to be appropriated, out of any 
money in the Treasury to the credit of the District of Columbia not 
otherwise appropriated, such amounts as may be necessary, if any, 
over and above the revenues received from operations herein provided 
for, to carry out the provisions of this Act. 
SEC. 7. Effective as of the date of the termination of the charter and 
all rights of franchise of the Capital Transit Company as provided 
for in section 2 of this Act, such company shall, upon the order of the 
Comniissioners of the District of Columbia, remove from the streets 
and highways at its own expense all of its properties and facilities 
and shall thereupon restore such streets and highways in accordance 
with the provisions of the Act of July 1, 1941 (55 Stat. 499). 
SEC. 8. If any provision contained in this Act be declared invalid, 
such invalidity shall not be deemed to affect or impair the validity 
of the remainder or of any other part of this Act. 
Approved August 14, 1955. 
Maryland* 
P o to m ac Elec-
tric Co. 
Appropriation. 
Removal of prop-
- facili-
erties 
t i e s . 
and 
Separability. 
Public Law 390 
CHAPTER 880 
AN ACT 
To authorize the Secretary of the Interior to lease any unassigned lands on the 
Colorado lUver Indian Reservation, Arizona, and for other purposes. 
August 14, 1955 
[S. 2039] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assemhled, That for a period of indun'l e°8 er vl-' 
two years after the date of this Act the Secretary of the Interior is tion» 
authorized to lease any unassigned lands on the Colorado River Indian 
Reservation, Arizona, that were set apart by the United States for the 
Indians of the Colorado River and its tributaries, for public, religious, 
educational, recreational, residential, or business purposes, including 
the development or utilization of natural resources in connection with 
operations under such leases, for grazing purposes, and for those farm-
ing purposes which require the making of a substantial investment 
in the improvement of the land for the production of specialized crops 
as determined by said Secretary. All leases so granted shall be for a 
term of not to exceed twenty-five years, excepting leases for grazing 
jDurposes, which shall be for a term of not to exceed ten years. Leases 
Term of leases.