Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-07
OPPOSE THE CHANGE
Proposed Transfer System on Wash
ington Traction Lines.
PEOPLE OF TAKOMA PARK INDIGNANT
Three Associations of Citizens to
Unite in "a Protest.
PUBLIC MEETING CALLED

| The change in the transfer system of the
| Washington Traction and Electric Com
pany, which is to go into effect August II.
has caused considerable dissatisfaction
| among the suburban residents who patron
ize the Brightwood road. Particularly may
| this be said of the residents of Takoma
Park, which is the most important point
affected by the recent decision The people
there are greatly exercised over the new
movement and are up in arms against the
enforcement of the order.
| According to the recent statements.
given out by the company, IT is the idea of
the management to revive the old subur
ban system and the sale of suburban tick
cts on the Brightwood and Tenleytown
lines, and give only four tickets for quar-
| teG instead of six, as at present. The re-
| viva! of the old-t time idea has brought forth
many sharp criticisms, and unless the or
| der is countermanded the outlook for 4
| boycott is said to be quite favorable.
The growing against the road for the
| past year has been strong. although sub
dued by the belief that better times were
coming. The continuation throughout the
summer of utterly Inadequate service,
both as to cars and schedule. has been the
| subject of severe criticism and now. with
out any Improvement in these particulars,
| an extra price is proposed.
| As indicative of the result of the new or
der Il joint mass meeting has been called
| for tonight al Takoma Hall. Takoma Park.
at j o'clock. The Brightwood Citizens
Association and the Brightwood Avenue
Citizens Association have consented to join
the Takoma Association in the crusade
| against the railroad, and. with this in
view, have issued circular letters to all the
| residents of their respective sections. 1t is
also probable that meeting Will be held
| at the Brightwood Hotel, Thursday even
to he
of Petworth Soldiers Home and, in fact,
| all of the residents along the Brightwood
| road and in the vicinity of Brghtwood and
! Takoma Park have been requested to be
present a the meeting tonight.
With view of obtaining an expression
! of the residents in the suburbs repre-
| sentative of The Star has had interviews
with number of prominent citizens. In
! cluded among them Mr.. Louis ]. Shoe
| maker, president of the Brightwood Citi-
| Zens' Association; Mr.. j. b. kinnear pres
| ident of the Takoma Citizens Association;
| Mr.. r. S. Brown, one of the oldest resi-
! dents of Takoma, and Mayor S. S. Shedd
| of Takoma Park.
Expresses Surprise.
President Shoemaker said:
| Answering your question for an express
| sion of opinion as to the suggested purpose
| of the Washington Traction Company to
furnish its patrons with what is called a
suburban ticket, or four tickets instead of
|
sonally l am much surprised l cannot
realize that the managers have seriously
| considered such a change We feel that IL
| is mere rumor, and hope this to be a fact
The people of this section, however, are
| thoroughly enlisted in their general well
| fare as may be evidenced by their interest
| in and attention to the Brightwood Citi-
Zens' Association and the Takoma Citizens
| Association. 1t has been, and will con-
tinue to be, our purpose, through the me-
dunn of these organizations, to enlist the
Commissioners and Congress in the neces-
sity for making certain general develop
ments and improvements, and We desire to
assist the Commissioners in the perform
aEce of their arduous duties. Therefore We
cannot refrain from giving our attention to
| the report contained in The Star Friday
evening, with reference TO the proposed
| change of fare.
| II have been already requested to call a
mass meeting of the people for next Thurs
day at 8 o'clock pm, to be held in the
| hotel, under the auspices of the Bright
wood Citizens Association, in which the
| people of Takoma, as well those of
| Brightwood and vicinity are expected to
participate.
| Personally speaking, 1t will not be our
purpose to criticise the railway company or
its managers. This company has undoubt-
edly accomplished great undertaking in
| this District. The new Washington, as we
term it out here in Brightwood. has been
| benefited and will continue to improve
der the influence of rapid communication
with the business centers.
There exists mutually with reference
| to this condition of affairs. 1t involves
first, the general community: second. the
| railway company, and third. the individuals
of this particular section. We may ignore
the third, because. individually speaking
and, of course, from a pecuniary stand
| point, 1t makes but little difference in the
course of year whether tickets are sold
four or six for % cents. With reference to
| the first and second, however, the railway
company and the community at large we
| find hat hair into
The development of this section is as
sured with rapid transit for one fare-six
| tickets for % cents. This development in
| wolves the future well as the present
welfare of the railway company Its man
| ayers are certainly aware of this fact and
they VIII not operate against its interests
| and that of the community as well by
tarding the rapid advance of both, which
| is now so apparent to every one. Men
| who control the money which enabled them
| TO do what has been done and possess the
| ability to accomplish such results are GER
| tainly not now unmindful of their best in
| tereStS.
1T remains. however, our duty to repre-
sent one section and properly present our
| views upon this situation and to contend il
necessary, for our rights"
Mayor Shedd's Views
| Mayor S. S. Shedd in a conversation said.
1T would be a great injustice to the
| residents of Takoma Park and Brightwood
| and the people all along the line Of the
BriShtwood road, as well as the residents
| of Tenleytown, to charge two fares I am
sure the Washington Traction and Electric
Company does not mean to discriminate
against these sections while the other SUBJ
urbs are given a single fare and through
| service not only by the Washington Trac-
| ton Company, but by the Capital Traction
Company. Such increase in fare, being an
| Increase Of 50 per cent would retard the
| growth of these suburbs in favor of Chevy
Chase and other suburbs which have the
single fare. l cannot believe that the trac-
ton company means to discriminate against
| our location in favor of the others named,
| because it is an injustice and because of
| the unparalleled liberality of the company,
| especially in the matter of transfers
THE Washington Traction and Electric
| Company has been extravagantly and I'M
| necessarily liberal with the issue of trans
| fers, very much more than the public ex-
| pected or should have expected, at least