Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-20
Anncostia Street Car Service.

To the Editor Of The Evenn. Star:
The writer congratulates the mothers
sisters and daughters using the Anacostia
and Potomac railroad upon the fact that
the honor of protesting against the many
impoSitions practiced upon them by the
management of the Anacostia and Potomac
Railroad Company IS due to one of their
seX-Miss Anderson-who, in her letter. as
published in last nights Star, filed a just
plea of abatement against the usufpation
OF the rights and comfort of the patrons of
the Anacostia and Potomac Railroad Com
pany. 1t seems strange that Congress and
the District Commissioners, while a unit
in advocating rapid transit, co.afortabl
cars furnished with all modern improve
ments for all parts of the District of Co
lumba, are silent regarding the largest
and most permanently settled suburb, to
wit: Anacostia. The citizens Of Anacostia
some months ago. filed a protest against
the obsolete bob TAIL cars, which was not
only pigeon-holed, but, judging from Mr..
GrisWolfS recent action i'll removing the
rear platform from his large two-horse
cars, and substituting thereto a small
death trap, it looks as il the Commission
ers have given Mr. Griswold carte blanche
to do as he pleaseS. The Anacostia and
Potomac Railroad Company, through Presi-
dent GrisWold, pleads, when called upon for
better service. the poverty act, and pro-
duces arrays of figures that would do credit
to the census bureau to sustain their plea
but the fact remains, nevertheless that
President Griswold has, it is stated, S7o,DD
in bonds of his road, paying him annually
in interest $1,000. He also receives $3.50 a
year as president. He also receives a large
revenue from the company for weighing
hay and feed stuff purchased for the horses
belonging to the company on the scales
rented by him, at nominal sum, from the
~ iE.tp. ri, - Vow, ,ic.etD
s-oned upon the companys rolls several
members OF his family. The people living
and owning property in Anacostia are DIS
ccuraged and cannot understand why there
should be such a about the lexington
car service. which has clean cars, two good
horses to a car. with conductors while the
Anacostia and Potomac road is allowed to
run filthy, dirty "bob-taiP' cars with one
horse and no conductors No matter what
the crowded condition of the car may be.
ladies' required to stumble over the
limbs of men in order to deposit their fare
in the box-a condition of things that is not
tolerated on any other road in the District
The Anacostia road as at present mana ged
is a detriment to the development of the
suburb, requiring, as it does, from forty to
fifty minutes for clerks in the departments
to reach the same from the starting point.
Commissioner Powell positively informed
the committee that waited upon the Com
miSsioners some months ago that Just as
soon us the rapid transit cars on the 9th
street line commenced running the ''bob-
taip'~ cars, which used part of the track
covered by the 9th street cars of the Ana
costa would be discontinued. Instead of
being ruled off the track, Mr.. Griswold has
converted all, with two exceptions, of his
cars into one horse-no conductor-"bob-
tal' affairs. The citizens of Anacostia ask
that the Commissioners show them the
same considerations as to car service as
that shown by them to more favored sec
tons of the District.
HENRY JOHNSON.