Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-11
Why on the F Street Line Onlyf
To the Editor of The Evening Star.


I see that a bill has been introduced in
the House and Senate, limiting the weight
and style of cars to be run on the F street
line The idea is an excellent one, but why
is 1t confined to that one line alone? The
run on G street are even worse than
those on F. They are so heavy that they
actually jar the buildings and make about
as much noise a train of steam cars.
While such cars may be all right on the
suburban roads. they certainly ought not
to be allowed in the city proper. They are
a nuisance to the public. The new cars
on the F street line. built by the Stephen
son company, are decided improvement
on those generally used, but they are too
large and heavy. The same style of car
two-thirds the size would be far better.
and If desired they can be furnished with
sufficient power to haul trailer. OF course,
the object of the company Is to reduce the
number of employees for given number
of passengers, but the public have some
rights which should be respected, even by
the corporations. The street railroad COM
panies of Washington have one Of the most
valuable franchises in the country and
which will become constantly more valu-
able. For this they have never paid one
cent and according to a report made by
Senator German In 1893 the amount re-
ceived from them by the District was only
one-half as much per mile as the city of
Baltimore received from her street rail-
roads.
The companies have done a good thing
in building their underground trolley, and
for this they are entitled to much credit.
If now they will use decent-sized cars and
run them with more regularity, they will
greatly please the public, and In the long
run find it to their advantage At present
the service on the F street line is not near
as good as 1t was year or more ago, IS l
know by daily experience. 1t Is common
occurrence now to have to wait at the cor
ner of F and 9th until three. four and
sometimes half a dozen cars going to Ana
Costa LIE Droit Park and elsewhere have
passed. and at other points on the line one
has frequently to wait from five to ten
minutes for car, while they profess to
run on three-minute schedule. These an
noyaEces together with the tie-ups, which
have become far more frequent since the
elect to stop for passengers even when the
cars are not full, are very exasperating
and call loudly for reform.
Instead Of a bill to regulate them on the
F street line Congress should pass a bill to
regulate them on all the lines, and which
should be a permanent fixed rule so that
the companies and the public should know
exactly what their rights are, not only as
to the size and weight of the cars, but as
to transfers also
l notice in the consular report for Janu-
airy that in Berlin a plan is about to be
tested for laying the tramways, which is OK
pected to prevent the noise and Jar Of the
cars. Instead OF laying them on concrete
they are laid on a bed of coarse gravel
with a line of hard wood blocks along
either side between the rails and the
asphalt pavement. If 1t proves to be as
great a success as they anticipate, 1t would
be a good thing for adoption here. In that
case the objection to the large cars would
cease. but until that or some other remedy
Is adopted these heavy cars ought not to
be permitted in the city. w. c. DODGE.