Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-09-04
SCHEDULE TIME TOO SHORT
Aotormen on Columbia Railway Unable to
Comply With Regulations.
Judge kimball Fines Seven Men for
Running Cars at Excessive
Speed-Hfs Comments.

ut is impossible for these men to make
the schedule time forced upon them with
out violating the law" said Judge kimball
In the Police Court this morning, when
seven motormen of the Columbia railway.
running along New York avenue and II
street. were arraigned charges of vio-
lating the police regulations in propellng
their cars at a rate Of speed in excess of
twelve miles an hour.
'They have violated the law, however
no matter how unwillingly," continued
Judge Kimball, land although 1t is much
against the grain. / will have to impose u
fine of 81 in each case
The seven motormen who answered to
charges were w. B. Joyce, Christian An
derson. Thomas l.. Carlins, Charles We
hanson, George Martin, Dever Rollins and
James Helm. The prosecuting witnesses
were Officers Johnson and B. F. Williams
of the bicycle squad. These officers spent
Friday evening last in speeding the cars
along the straight stretch of track on II
street northeast from 9th to 18th streets.
After noting the speed as registered on the
instrument attached to the wheel for that
purpose the officers also took the number
of the cars and afterward secured from
the office of the company the names of the
motormen in charge. The speed of the diff
ferent offending motormen varied from 16
to IS miles. according to Officer Johnson's
testimony.
Attorney Campbell Darlington was the
defending counsel. He epdeavored to show
that the speed instruments used by tho
bicycle police are cheap and not reliable
The case did not hinge on this. however,
as Judge kimbal logically figured that the
employees must violate the law to make the
schedule governing the running of the cars
1t developed during the course of the trial,
which consumed several hours, that the
Columbia road Is two and two-tenth miles
in length, from the terminus at 10Th street
and New York avenue northwest and 18th
and Fl streets northeast. Seventeen min
utes allowed by the schedule for the
distance. To do this within the twelve
mile speed limit, but three minutes are
available for stops. The motormen stated
that eight stops are required by law along
the line. Oftentimes the stops at transfer
stations are from one to two minutes.
with the slightest delay" remarked
Judge Kfmball. lit is necessary to violate
the law to make up the schedule, and UNI
less they do run on schedule time 1 sup
pose they fare badly at the hands of the
company. Two stops at transfer stations
take up all the Stoppage-tfme allowed. The
other six stops required by law and the
additional ones to let off and take on pas
scngers must come out of the running
time. 1t appears to me 1t is all the COM
pany's fault, and unless new schedule Is
prepared at once. allowing more time for
the trip, shall be compelled to impose
men. This rapid running of cars in Wash
ington has got to be stopped, as it Is q
menace to life and limb. / fairly shiver at
some of the narrow escapes as a result of
this rapid and reckless running. hope the
Columbia company will take warning from
this and will arrange its schedule accord
ingly."