Chapter 395. To extend the routes of the Eckington and Soldiers’ Home Railway Company and of the Belt Railway Company, of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes
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CHAP. 395.— An Act To extend the routes of the Eckington and Soldiers’ Home Railway Company and of the Belt Railway Company, of the District of Columbia, and for other purposes. June 10, 1896. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, District of Columbia.Eckington and Belt Railway companies to use compressed-air motors.*Post*, p. 608. That within three months from the passage of this Act the Eckington and Soldiers’ Home Railway Company and the Belt Railway Company, both of the District of Columbia, respectively, shall begin to equip those portions of their respective lines which are situated within the boundaries of the city of Washington with compressed-air motors.
If after a trial of three months the said Trial.compressed-air motors shall, in the judgment of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia, prove to be in all respects a proper and satisfactory motive power for the speedy and convenient propulsion of street ears, then the said Commissioners are hereby authorized and directed to issue to the said railway companies, respectively, permits to equip their lines within the District of Columbia with such compressed-air Horsepower to cease in six months.motors; and within six months from the passage of this Act the said railway companies shall cease to use horsepower on any and all of their Underground electric.
If compressed air not successful.respective lines. In the event that the said compressed-air motors shall not be approved as herein provided for, then within eighteen months from the passage of this Act the said companies, respectively, shall construct and put into full operation on all their lines in the city of Washington the underground electric system. No extension of any of the lines in this Act. provided for shall be operated by horsepower: *Proviso*.North Capitol street branch.*And provided further*, That within thirty days from the passage of this Act cars shall be regularly run over the existing tracks, beginning at the intersection of G street and New Jersey avenue, thence across New Jersey avenue to and along G street to North Capitol street, thence north on North Capitol street to T street, according to a schedule satisfactory Penalty.to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.
Neglect or failure to comply with the provisions of this section shall subject the corporation so neglecting or failing to a penalty of fifty dollars for each and every day during which such failure or neglect continues, said penalty to be recovered by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia in any court of competent jurisdiction. Sec. 2. North and south branch of Eckington line.That the Eckington and Soldiers’ Home Railway Company of the District of Columbia be, and the same hereby is, authorized to lay down and operate a street railway in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, through and along the following-named streets and avenues, to wit;
Location.Beginning at the junction of Eighth and D streets northeast; thence by double track south along Eighth street to C street south; thence by single track as follows: west on C street south to Seventh street east; thence south on Seventh street east to M street south; thence east on M street south to Georgia avenue; thence northeast on Georgia avenue to Ninth street east; thence north on Ninth street east to C street south; thence west on 0 street south to Eighth street east.
Sec. 3. Eckington line.May issue stock or bonds for construction.That said Eckington and Soldiers’ Home Railway Company is authorized to increase its capital stock or to issue bonds for suck amount as may be necessary to pay the actual cost of constructing and *Provisos*.Amount.equipping the extensions hereinbefore authorized: *Provided*, That the question as to the amount, to be provided for in connection with such extension and the method of providing for the same, whether by issuance of stock or bonds, shall be decided by a majority in value of the stockholders at a meeting to be called for the purpose after reasonable notice; and authority is hereby conferred upon said company, in case of issuance of bonds, to make due conveyance of its corporate franchises and property for the purpose of securing the same: *Provided, Prior deed of trust.however*, That any such conveyance by way of mortgage shall be subject to the prior lien already created by deed of trust dated June first, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, and recorded in liber fifteen hundred and eighty, folio three hundred and twenty seven and following, of the land records of the District of Columbia, which conveys all the realFIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
Sess. I. Ch. 395. 1896.319 estate and franchises of said railroad, as well as the line of said railroad now existing and such additions thereto at any time made, located, extended, or constructed: *And provided*, That said Eckington andOutstanding stock, etc., limited. Soldiers’ Home Railway Company shall not have its stock and bonds outstanding at any one time to a. greater amount than the actual cost of the construction and equipment of said railway; which actual cost shall be ascertained by the supreme court of the District of Columbia in such manner as the said court shall prescribe.
Sec. 4. That the Belt Railway Company of the District of ColumbiaBelt line.Northern extension. be, and the same hereby is, authorized to lay down and operate a double track railway, with the necessary switches and turn-outs, in the city of Washington, District of Columbia, through and along the following-named streets and avenues, to wit: Beginning at Fourth and O streets northwest; thence north on FourthLocation. street west to Florida avenue; thence north crossing Florida avenue to Harewood street; thence along Harewood street to Elm street; thence west along Elm street to Linden street; thence north on Linden street to Pomeroy street; thence west on Pomeroy street to the east building line of Seventh street west extended.
Also beginning at the present terminus of the Belt Railway on WaterSouthern extension.Location. street, near N street south; thence south along Water street to P street south by an extension of the present tracks of the Belt Railway; thence by further extension of said tracks east along P street south to Delaware avenue: *Provided*, That if there is not sufficient room for two*Proviso*.Tracks. tracks on Water street without encroaching on tracks already there, that the said Belt Line Railway Company shall purchase, at its own cost, sufficient ground to open Water street from the terminus of its line as now located along said projected route to P street.
Sec. 5. That the construction of the extensions hereby authorizedCompletion. shall be completed within one year after the approval of this Act: *Provided*,*Proviso*.Provisions void for extensions uncompleted. That in case any one or more of the said extensions shall not be completed and operated regularly within the time specified, then so much of this Act as authorizes such uncompleted extensions shall be void and of no effect. Sec. 6. That said Belt Railway Company is authorized to increase itsBeit line.May issue stock or bonds for extension. capital stock of to issue bonds for such amounts as maybe necessary to pay the actual cost of constructing and equipping the. several extensions hereinbefore authorized: *Provided*, That the question as to the amount*Provisos*.Amount. to be provided for in connection with each extension and the method of providing for the same, whether by issuance of stocks or bonds, shall be decided by a majority in value of the stockholders at a meeting to be called for the purpose after reason able notice; and authority is hereby conferred upon said company, in ease of issuance of bonds, to make due conveyance of its corporate franchises and property for the purpose of securing the same: *Provided, however*, That any such conveyance byPrior deed of trust. way of mortgage shall be subject to the prior lien already created by deed of trust dated July thirty-first, eighteen hundred and ninety-one, and recorded in liber sixteen hundred and six, folios one hundred and ninety-seven and following, of the land records of the District of Columbia, which conveys all the real estate and franchises of said railroad as well as the line of said railroad now existing and such additions thereto at any time made, located, extended, or constructed; *And provided*, ThatOutstanding stock, etc., limited. said Belt Railway Company shall not have its stock and bonds outstanding at any one time to a greater amount than the actual cost of the construction and equipment of said railway, which actual cost shall be ascertained by the supreme court of the District of Columbia in such manner as the said court shall prescribe.
Sec. 7. That such extensions of said railroads and each of them shallGrade, etc. be constructed on such grade and in such manner as shall be approved by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia. Sec. 8. That it shall be lawful for said railway companies and eachExcavations, etc. of them, their and each of their successors or assigns, to make all needful and convenient trenches and excavations in any of said streets or places320 where said companies, or either of them, may have the right to construct and operate its road, and place in such trenches and excavations all needful and convenient devices for machinery for operating said railroad Expenses.in the manner and by the means aforesaid.
But whenever such trenches or excavations shall interfere with any sewer, gas or water pipes, or any subways or conduits, or any public work of the kind which has been ordered by the Commissioners, then the, expense necessary to change such underground construction shall be borne by the said railway company making such trench or excavation. Sec. 9. Street pavements.That each of the said corporations shall at all times keep the space between their tracks and rails and two feet exterior thereto in such condition as the Commissioners of the District of Columbia or their successors may direct; and whenever any street occupied by either of said railways is paved and repaired or otherwise improved, the said corporation shall bear all expense of improving the spaces above described.
Should either of the said corporations fail to comply with the orders of the Commissioners the work shall be done by the proper officials of the District of Columbia, anti the amounts due from such corporation shall be collected as provided by section five of the Vol. 20, p. 105.Act entitled “An Act providing for a permanent form of government for the District of Columbia,” approved June eleventh, eighteen hundred and seventy-eight. Sec. 10. Annual reports required from all street railroad companies.That every street-railroad corporation in the District of Columbia, and every such corporation which shall hereafter be organized, shall, on or before the first day of February in each year, make a report to each the Senate and the House of Representatives, which report shall be sworn to and signed by the president and treasurer of such corporation, and shall cover the period of one year ending the thirty first day of December previous to the date of making the report.
Contents.Such report shall state the amount of capital stock, with a list of the stockholders and the amount of stock held by each; the amount of capital stock paid in; the total amount now of funded debt: the amount of floating debt; the average rate per annum of interest on funded debt; amount of dividends declared; cost of roadbed and superstructure, including iron; cost of land, buildings, and fixtures, including land damages; cost of ears, horses, harness, and motors anti other machinery; total cost of road and equipment; length of road in miles; length of double track, including sidings; weight of rail, by yard; the number of cars and of horses; the number of motors; the total number of passengers carried in cars; the average time consumed by passenger cars in passing over the road; repairs of roadbed and railway, including iron, and repairs of buildings and fixtures; total cost of maintaining road and real estate; cost of general superintendence; salaries of officers, clerks, agents, and office expenses; wages paid conductors, drivers, engineers, and motor men; water and other taxes: damages to persons and property, including medical attendance; rents, including use of other roads; total expense of operating road, and repairs; receipts from passengers; receipts from all other sources, specifying what, in detail; total receipts from all sources during the year: payments for maintenance and repairs; payments for interest: payments for dividends on stock, amount and rate per centum; total payments during the year; the number of persons injured in life and limb; the cause of the injury, and whether passengers, employees, or other persons.
Sec. 11. Fare.That each of said companies shall receive a rate of fare not exceeding five cents per passenger, and the said companies, and each of them, shall make arrangements with all existing railway companies Interchange of tickets.in the District of Columbia for the interchange of tickets in payment of fare on its road: *Provided*, That within the limits of the District of *Proviso*.Tickets.Columbia six tickets shall be sold for twenty-five cents. Sec. 12. Amendments, etc.That Congress reserves the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act.
Approved, June 10, 1896.