Chapter 935. To authorize the Washington, Spa Spring and Gretta Railroad Company, of Prince George County, to extend its street railway into the District of Columbia
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CHAP. 935.— An Act To authorize the Washington, Spa Spring and Gretta Railroad Company, of Prince George County, to extend its street railway into the District of Columbia. February 18, 1907. [[S. 3668](/us/bill/59/s/3668).] [[Public, No. 92](/us/pl/59/92).] *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, District of Columbia.Washington, Spa Spring and Gretta Railroad Company may extend street railway line into.
That the Washington, Spa Spring and Gretta Railroad Company, a body corporate tinder the laws of the State of Maryland, be, and it is hereby, authorized to extend its line of street railway within the District of Columbia with single and double tracks, equip and operate the same for the carrying of passengers, parcels, milk, garden truck, and other small freight, with the necessary switches, turn-outs, buildings, mechanical devices, Route.along the following route: Beginning on the Bladensburg road, or Baltimore and Washington turnpike, at the dividing line between the District of Columbia and Prince George County, Maryland, thence along said Bladensburg road to Fifteenth street east and H street where Trolley system.it intersects with Maryland avenue and said Bladensburg road; that the motive power of said road shall be electricity, operated by the overhead wire or trolley system, and a return wire, similiar in capacity, situation, and insulation to the feed wire, shall be provided with a double trolley : and no dynamo furnishing power to the road or any portion thereof shall have either of its wires connected with the earth.
Sec. 2. Real estate for stations, etc. That the said Washington, Spa Spring and Gretta Railroad Company may acquire, by gift, grant, or purchase, such real estate on either side of its line as may be necessary for depot, freight purposes, and ear barns, and shall have the right to connect its line with the same. Sec. 3. Commissioners to approve plans. That all plans of location and construction shall be subject to the approval of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.
Sec. 4. Permits for excavations. That excavations in the highways shall be made only under permits from the Commissioners of the District of Columbia and subject to regulations prescribed by them. Sec. 5. Construction. That the said railway and its appurtenances shall be constructed in a substantial and durable manner, subject to inspection by Changes.the Commissioners of the District of Columbia. All changes to exist895ing structures in public space shall be made at the expense of the company.
Sec. 6. That the said company shall deposit such sums as the CommissionersDeposit to cover cost of inspection, etc. of the District of Columbia may require to cover the cost of inspection and the cost of changes to public works in the streets caused by the construction of said railway. Sec. 7. That the company shall keep the space between its rails andRoadbed pavement. tracks and two feet exterior thereto in good condition, to the satisfaction of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.
The pavement of these spaces shall be at least as good as that of the contiguous roadway. The proper authorities shall have the right to make changes ofChanges of grade. grade and other improvements which they may deem necessary, and when said Bladensburg road is improved the company shall bear the entire expense of improving said spaces to correspond with the remainderVol. 20, p. 102. of the roadway. The requirements of this section shall be enforceable under the provisions of section five of the Act providing a permanent form of government for the District of Columbia, approved June eleventh, eighteen hundred and seventy-eight.
Sec. 8. That the cars shall be first class and shall be kept in goodCars. condition, to the satisfaction of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia. Sec. 9. That the cars shall he run as often as public convenienceTime table. requires, on a time-table satisfactory to the Commissioners of the District of Columbia and approved by them, and it shall be the duty of said railroad company to submit such time-table for approval whenever required by said Commissioners, and said company is required to run its cars in accordance with said approved time-table.
Sec. 10. That the speed of the cars shall be subject to the policeSpeed. regulations of the District of Columbia. Sec. 11. That persons drunk, disorderly, contagiously diseased, orEjectment of disorderly, etc., persons. refusing to pay the legal fare may be ejected from the cars by the officers in charge thereof. Sec. 12. That, as far as possible, articles left in the cars shall beReturn of lost articles. cared for by the company, to the end that they may be returned to the rightful owner.
Sec. 13. That the rate of fare which may be charged for the transportationRate of fare. of passengers over the line of said company within the District of Columbia shall not exceed five cents per passenger, and six tickets shall be sold for twenty-five cents, each good for the transportation of one passenger over the whole or any part of said line in the District of Columbia. Sec. 14. That the company is authorized to erect and maintain theErection of stations, etc. buildings necessary to the operation of this road, subject to the building regulations of the District of Columbia.
The company shall erect and maintain passenger rooms and transfer stations as required by the Commissioners of the District of Columbia. All passenger rooms and transfer stations shall be provided with such conveniences for the public as said Commissioners may direct. Sec. 15. That the said company, through its proper officers, shallTax on gross receipts. annually, on or before August first, make return under oath to the board of personal-tax assessors of the District of Columbia of the amount of its gross receipts in the District of Columbia during the preceding year ending June thirtieth, and shall pay to the collector of taxes of the District of Columbia, at the same time and in the same manner as other personal taxes are paid, an amount equal to four per centum per annum thereon, in lien of other personal taxes; that theReal estate assessments. real estate of the said company in the District of Columbia shall be assessed and taxed as is other real estate in said District.
Sec. 16. That nothing in this Act shall prevent the District ofChange of grade, etc. Columbia at any time, at its option, from altering the grade of the 896street or highway occupied by said railway, or from altering and improving streets, avenues, highways, and the sewerage thereof; and the company shall change its railway construction and pavements so as to conform to such grades and improvements as may have been or may be established. Sec. 17. Telegraph, etc. That said company is authorized to construct and operate, for its own use only, telegraph and telephone lines along its railway, as herein provided for, subject to the approval of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia.
Sec. 18. Time of construction. That the construction of said extension on the lines of said railway company within the District of Columbia shall be commenced within one year of the passage of this Act and be completed and cars running thereupon for passenger traffic within two years from the passage of this Act, in default of which this Act shall be void and of no effect. Sec. 19. Successors, etc., to comply with conditions. That all the conditions, requirements, and obligations imposed by this Act shall be complied with by any of the successors to or assigns of said company within said District.
Sec. 20. Guarantee deposit. That within sixty days from the approval of this Act the company shall deposit one thousand dollars with the collector of taxes of the District of Columbia, to guarantee the construction of this railroad within the prescribed time, and if this sum is not so deposited Forfeit.this Act shall be null and void. If the sum is so deposited and the road is not in operation as herein prescribed, said one thousand dollars shall be forfeited to the District of Columbia and this Act shall be void.
Sec. 21. Supervision of Commissioners. That the construction, adoption of motive power, erection of buildings, regulation of schedule, and speed of running shall be at all times under the supervision and control of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia. Sec. 22. Penalty for violation. That each and every violation of the requirements of this Act or of the regulations of the Commissioners of the District of Columbia made under the authority thereof shall be punishable by a tine of not less than twenty nor more than one hundred dollars, in the discretion of the court, such fines to be collectible in any court of competent jurisdiction as other fines and penalties are collected in the District of Columbia.
Sec. 23. Report. That the company shall, on or before the first day of February in each year, make a report to each the Senate and House Vol. 29, p. 320.of Representatives, as prescribed in section ten of the Act of .lune tenth, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, entitled “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.” Sec. 24. Effect. That this Act shall take effect from and after the date of its passage.
Sec. 25. Amendment. That Congress reserves the right to alter, amend, or repeal this Act. Approved, February 18, 1907.