Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-08
CITIZENS ENTER PROTEST
INCREASE OF FARE ON BRIGHT
WOOD RAILWAY CONDEMNED.
Mass Meeting Appoints u Committee
to Confer witt the Washington
Traction Omcials.

A joint mass meeting of the Brightwood
Park Citizens Association the Brightwood
Citizens Association and the Takoma Park
Citizens Association, was held last evening
at o'clock, In the town hall. Takoma
Park. for the purpose Of discussing the in
crease of the rates of fare on the Bright
wood railroad. and to protest against the
same. The meeting called to order by
President ]. B. Kinnear of the Takoma As
ISOLATION, with Mr.. Ben. G. Davis as secre-
tary. Mr.. Kinnear declared at the opening
of the meeting that the proposed increase
of fares was unjust discrimination
against the people of Takoma Park and the
adjacent sections, and urged that protest
be filed with the proper authority and reso-
lutions adopted to that effect.
The attendance was unusually large. In
spite of the hot weather. and the presence
of a number of ladies in the audience was
evidence of the interest taken by the feml-
nine portion of the community in the object
of the meeting.
President Kinnear opened the proceedings
of the evening by calling on Mr.. Louis P:
Shoemaker, president of the Brightwood
Citizens Association Mr. Shoemaker read
a lengthy communication which he had re-
ceived from Mr.. Wilton J. Lambert. resi-
dent Of Takoma. but now at Oakland, Md,
in which the writer compared the standing
of the Brightwood road with the roads of
other sections, and said they should at least
be placed an equality. Mr.. Shoemaker
suggested that the present plan should be
continued for the next six months. with
the x-tickets-for-a-quarter plan, and II at
the end of that time the receipts did not In
crease. after the new service had been com
plet ed that would be time enough for the
officials Of the road to adopt the four-ticket
scheme He was requested to put his state
ments in writing. or in suitable form to be
presented at some future date to the board
of directors of the traction company. The
proposition seemed to meet with the APP
prevail of nearly all present
Vice President Harries Heard.
Mr. George H. Harries, Vice president Of
the Washington Traction and Electric Com
pany was then introduced by Mr.. Kinnear.
After the applause which greeted Mr.. Har-
ries had subsidized. he stated that the pro-
posed change was merely a business propo-
sition He told of the expense in re-equip.
ping the road. and of the vast amount OF
work involved. He quoted figures and
showed that it cost twelve cents per car per
mile to operate. while the receipts at pres
ent are but eleven cents. The gross re-
ceipts for the six months ending June ~.
he said, were less than for the previous six
months, and he stated that this was due
largely to the liberality of transfers. He
also stated that but two Of the eleven roads
bought up by the syndicate were being
operated with profit, namely. the Columbia
and Metropolitan lines.
In the course Of his remarks Mr.. Lisle
Morrison and Mr.. w. NJ. Clayton the lat
ter president Of the BrightwOod Park Citi-
zens Association. had occasion to interrupt
him. and they began to PROFOUND questions
in rapid-fire succession. Mr.. Harries an
swered all of them. and closed by saying
that the railroad officials would be willing
at all times to receive a committee that
might be appointed for the purpose of con-
sidering the matter under discussion.
Mr.. w. NJ. Wood. a resident of Takoma,
read letter from Maurice Bien, in which
the writer vigorously protested against the
new departure. He was followed by Mr.
Clayton. who spoke in denunciation Of the
injustice which had been done the resi-
dents of the various sections. and quoted
laws and acts OF Congress on the subject
He concluded with the statement that the
Brightwoo cars were crowded day and
night. and he said he could not under
stand the action of the officials.
DIR. c. G. Stone. surgeon Of the Bright
wood road and resident Of Brightwood
gave his views on the matter. He advised
the citizens to go slowly in their crusade.
and If necessary appoint a judicious COM
mittee. with Instructions to wait upon the
railroad officials. This move, In his esti-
nation. would have more effect than pass
Ing denunciatory resolutions.
appointment of Committee.
Mr.. Isle Morrison presented some reso-
| buttons. In which he condemned the rail-
road At the suggestion of G. c. Kniffin,
an amendment was proposed striking out
]. Vance Lewis, Mr.. r. s. Brown and sew
eral others present spoke. and a resolu-
ton was unanimously adopted. providing
that a committee of five members of the
association be appointed by the chair to
go. In conjunction with similar commit
tees from other interested associations, to
lay the matter before the officials Of the
Washington Traction and Electric Com
pany and In case of non-success. to carry
the matter before Congress.
President Kinnear then appointed the
following committee, with himself as ex-
ofiicio member: c. c. Kniffin. chairman;
l.isle Morrison. r. 8. Brown. r. II. P.
Ellis and ]. Vance Lewis.
Secretary Davis read copy of letter
which had been sent to the board of d.
rectors by the town clerk of the council,
authorized at its meeting Monday night
last
Mr.. r. 8. Brown stated for the benefit
of those present that he had been inform
ed that petition was being prepared by
the citizens In the vicinity Of Soldiers
Home. protesting against the change of
rates. and that already over 800 signatures
had been secured.
Mr.. Shoemaker announced before the
meeting adjourned that a mass meeting
would be held Thursday evening at
O'Clock In the hotel at Brightwood, under
the auspices of the Brightwood Citizens
| Association.