Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-29
BRIGHTWOOD ROAD
Citizens Protest Against Present Con-
ditions on the Line.
APPEAL TO THE COMMISSIONERS
Say Travel is Dangerous as Well
as Uncomfortable.
THOSE WHO TOOK PART

| A delegation representing the people of
| Takoma Park and Brightwood called today
uron the District Commissioners for the
purpose of acquainting them with the con-
| ditions attending the operation of the
| Brightwood railroad, and to ask the Com
] missioners to take immediate remedial ac-
| ton in the matter. The delegation consist
| ed of Messrs. Wilton ]. Lambert, w. G.
| Platt. J. B. Knnear, W. Mckay Clayton
| and w. F. Walsmith. As the road is now
| run. the Commissioners were told, it is
| dangerous to the life and limb of those peO-
| pie using its cars. and unless something is
| at once done to remove this alleged danger,
| the Commissioners were told that they must
| bear the responsibility to a certain extent,
| of some serious accident on the line. The
| Commissioners expressed their sympathy
with the people using the road and stated
| that they will promptly do what they can
| to remove all cause for complaint
| Mr.. Lambert first addressed the Commits
| sioners. explaining that the hearing had
| been requested by the citizens associations
| Of Takoma Park. Brightwood Park and
| Brightwood avenue. who have, said Mr..
Lambert. stood all the discomforts and
dangers until patience has ceased to be a
| virtue. The Brightwood railroad, he stat
ed was Incorporated in 1890, and was OPP
| Grated Cne UrSC time CHree years ltttei
| Referring to the requirements of the char
| ter relative to its construction, Mr.. Lam
| bert said that they were not complied with
| He said II was hardly necessary for him to
| call the attention of the Commissioners to
| that fact for they undoubtedly are as well
acquainted with the matter as the people
| along the road. But, he said he desired to
| impress upon them the fact that travel on
| the road today Is absolutely dangerous to
! life and limb.
| Since the new management took charge
| of the road. he said. nothing appears to
| have been done to keep the readbed In re-
| pair. and the consequence is that the road Is
| full of depressions and that in many places
| the rails are SIX or seven inches above the
| roadway. The cars in use on the line are
old and imperfect. the men operating them
under the old management appear to have
| been replaced by inexperienced employees.
| secured at reduced wages, he stated. and
| ali this causes one travelling over the line
| to do so at risk of life and limb.
Capt Beach. the Engineer Commissioner.
| interrupted Mr.. Lambert to explain that
| the new management has promised to re-
| place the road with one modernly equipped
| in every way, and that the plans for the
| system are now being considered. Capt.
| Beach therefore thought 1t hardly falr 10
hold the new management responsible for
the faults Of the old company.
Old and New.
Mr.. Lambert replied that he was glad to
hear that the new management will provide
a modernIy equipped road. but he said that
the new owners should be held strictly re-
spOnsible for the present running of the
road. While the road run by the former
owners was far from perfect. yet in some
respects IL was better and safer then than
IL is now. Before the present owners as
sunled charge he stated, people patroniZng
the road were given fifteen or twenty
| minute schedule, while now it is a go-as-
you-please one. Sometimes people are
| forced 10 wait an hour or an hour and a
| half for car, and when one comes along
| Il is only the very strongest who can get
aboard for the weak ones and the women
and children are forced to the rear in the
scramble for seats on the long awaited
cars. And even when the car is boarded 1t
remains doubtful question. he remarked,
as TO whether it will stand the strain long
CROUCH TO reach its destination. Accidents
are more than probable said Mr.. Lambert.
unless something is quickly done to provide
better rOadbed and more substantial cars :;
and unless the Commissioners exercise
their authority in the matter they WILL in
the event Of accidents. have to bear a GER
tain amount OF responsibility for them. An
at euspt was made this morning, said Mr..
La mbert. 10 run fifteen minute schedule,
| and it continued until two of the cars broke
| down.
| Mr.. Lambert said that not only is it
| claimed that inexperienced men have re-
placed the experienced and betJer-paid en-
| plOyes of the old road but that the new
| men are young and evidently lacking In
| ability to preserve order among the disor-
| derby people who sometimes use the line.
| He read letter from Mr.. l.. p. Shoemaker,
i president Of the Brightwood Citizens Asso-
| citation. much in the line of what he told
| the Commissioners, and asking them 10
| take such steps as Will compel the new
| management to give at once not only bet
| ter service. but also safe one. AS 1t is
| now. wrote Mr.. Shoemaker, people are be-
| ing deferred from investing along the road.
| and the property interests of the people
| are being injured to that extent. The own
| ers. ne insisted, should be obliged to run
| the road al least as we'll as did the former
| owners.
| Dangerous Conditions.
! Mr.. Kinnear said he desired to supple
ment all that had been said by MIR. Lam
| bert. The conditions he claimed, could not
| possibly be worse than they are at present.
| 1t makes ones hair stand on end TO ride
| over the line now. and he predicted that I'M
| less something is speedily done to insure
| safer cars one or more horrible accidents
| will follow. The people along the line do
| not ask anything impossible, said Mr.. Kin
| near. and he expressed the opinion that
| the superintendent of the company is doing
| the very best he can with the cars and APP
| piidnceS at his command, but he has yir-
| tuai!y nothing with which to run the road
| he declared, and the man should not there
| fore. be held responsible. Not only are the
| miserable cars overcrowded, sometimes JOG
people-men, women and children-being
| packed on little box car but they are not
| fit 10 run on any road Something must be
| done, said Mr.. kinnear. and at once, unless
| the Commissioners desire to be held re-
! sponSih.e for deplorable acciderA
| MI Clayton, the next speaker, said every
| word said about the road and its manage
| ment is true, and much more could be said
| OF the dangers and discomforts which the
| patrons of the road are compelled to face
| The old management did. he said keep men
| constantly at work repairing the roadbed
| and otherwise reducing the likelihood OF
! accidents. but 1t appears that the new
| owners have done and are doing absolutely
! nothing for the protection of the people
| who are forced TO use the road. Mr. Clay
| ton also declared that accidents will sure
| ~ Result unless something Is done quickly
| to make travel on the road safe. Nc
| words. he remarked. too strong &c
| picture the deplorable conditions ATTENDING
Il II. mi IL hn Lima