Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-23
COMPANYS AVOWED POLICY
WASHINGTON TRACTION PLANS FOR
RETIREMENT OF SERVICE.
Complaints of New System Received
by President Stevens-Issue
of Transfers.

People who use the lines of the Washing
ton Traction and Electric Company are
still interested in the details of the new
transfer system, as it affects their travelling,
about. The changes made in routes. as
well in privilege, come In for a good
dea! of criticism, which Is not always Of 4
moderate character. The conductors, Of
course, have to bear the brunt of the i'll
humor of the patrons of the road, and when
some especially indignant traveller con-
cludes that his grievance cannot be attend
ed to by mere employee he goes to the
office of the company.
While President Stevens has many things
to occupy his time and attention. and does
not invite callers. for social purposes, he is
glad to see people who have suggestions to
make that will enable him to more fully
carry out the announced policy of the COM
pany. and that it is explained. is to give
as complete and satisfactory street railway
service as is possible.
Mr.. Stevens stated officially when the
changes in the transfer system were an
nounced that the sole purpose was to so
of the company and the public alike.
The company, ii is claimed, wished to put
an end to certain forms of imposition that
resulted in the showing made in the last
annual statement. That while the Wash
ington Traction Company was actually car
rying more passengers than was the Capt.
tai Traction Company, the receipts from
that source of the first named company
were less than were realized by the other
line. On the other hand, 1t Is conceded to
be to the interest of the company to provide
adequate facilities for the public and thus
stimulate travel.
The Equipment Provided.
In order to accomplish this the company
first of all provided equipment Of the
various lines which is universally acknowl-
a1rx -
money could secure, and now the endeavor
Is to give the patrons the service they
need.
In particulars where the present system of
transfers can be modified with advantage
President Stevens says 1t Is the intention
to do 1t. A case in point was recently fur
nished when the attention Of the company
was called to the fact that a passenger
coming north on the 4th street line from the
bureau of engraving and printing was re-
fused under the new order q transfer to the
North Capitol line. 1t was at once ex-
planned that this transfer point had through
inadvertence been omitted from the list
and orders were promptly given to correct
the oversight.
AS President Stevens has frequently ex-
planned the general principle underlying
the new transfer system is that passengers
going east and west are to have transfers
north and south, while those going north
and south are given transfers east and
west. By providing rules that will give
people who want to go from one point to
another in more or less direct line the
means to do on one ticket, Mr.. Stevens
hopes to put an end to LOOPING or the max
ing of round trips on ticket and a trans
ter.
Another Cause of Compliant.
There Is another feature Of the new sys-
tenn which Mr.. Stevens finds causes a good
deal of Indignation on the part of people
until they come to understand it, and that
Is having certain transfer points. For ex-
ample, passenger coming west on Con-
necticut avenue car and intending to go to
Georgetown is refused a transfer at Dupont
Circle, which was formerly transfer point
for those lines Now the transfer point Is
at 18th and F streets and one reason why
1t is there instead of farther west is to col
lect the traffic far as possible in the
final cars of destination, leaving the space
that would otherwise be occupied in the
cars for the intermediate service for the
use of those living along that line for
which this service is specially designed.