Evening star., 1901-04-10
ASK FOR BETTER SERVICE
OF CITIZENS CONFER
WITH RAILWAY OFFICIALS.
Remarks by Messrs. Shoemaker, LAM
bert and Others Regarding Bright
wood Cars and Schedule.

| In pursuance of an arrangement made
| with the officials of the Brightwood Rail
way Company, the railroad committees OF
| both the Brightwood and Takoma Citizens
| Associations appeared at the offices of the
| railroad company yesterday afternoon to
| urge changes in the present method of run
| ming cars to both Takoma and the District
| line. Messrs. Louis P. Shoemaker, Wilton
J. Lambert, N. E. Robinson and Claud
| King appeared for the Brightwood associa-
ton and Messrs J. F. Kinnear, S. S. Shedd
NJ. ]. Wine and c. E. Heaton represented
| Takoma. while General Harries and Man
| ager Fuller were the company'S represen-
| tatives.
| Mr.. Shoemaker was the chairman of the
| party and spoke as follows:
| The joint committees of the BrightwoCd
| and Takoma Citizens Associations appear
before the board of directors of the Bright
! wood Railway Company in behalf of tie
members of these organizations and tt
| community. They desire to secure not
| alone in their interest, but in the interest
| of said railroad company, regular, frequent
and adequate service.
I'VE are here, gentlemen, to advocate
fair treatment in the spirit of friendship.
We believe that your interest and those of
the community are reciprocal If you in
jure one disastrous results inure to the
other. If you fail neglect or refuse TO ap-
ply business principles to the management
of the road you prevent the people of this
section of the District from enjoying their
homes, residing in comfort, and others
from building upon and improving their
lands
Rapid Transit Necessary.
Rapid transit to the business section
of the city is an advantage absolutely
necessary and requisite for the develop
ment and adequate Improvement of any
territory. We may have complete street.
water, light and sewer facilities, nay, even
more, we may have larger number of
houses and consequently increased popula-
tion. but when we are removed several
miles from the center of the business sec
tion of the city, rapid transit, with through
cars, becomes an imperative necessity.
'AS stated, the interest of the railroad
and the interests of the community are
identical. You cannot injure one without
injuring the other.
The rapid Improvement of this terri
tory in the last few years, with insufficient
public improvements and inadequate, un-
certain and irregular street car facilities, is
apparent by the number of houses which
have been constructed and the additional
number of people who constantly travel.
This is an indication of that which could
be accomplished If complete facilities were
afforded.
without entertaining a desire to COM
plain unnecessarily and with a feeling of
dependence with reference to the railroad
company, we will state a few facts
There never has been a time, since the
present managers purchased from the old
Brlghtwood company, that the service has
been regular, satisfactory and complete, or,
in other words sufficient to accommodate te
the people who are obliged to use the cars.
Except for few weeks before the through
cars We're discontinued, open or summer
cars have been used in the winter power
has been insufficient, and aggravating de-
lays have too frequently occurred; our cars
90 not run to Florida avenue provided
al doll, II,
even standing room with protection from
the weather has not been provided much
less seating capacity for your patrons,
ana large number OF people have been re-
CURED to stand in the public street for a
great length Of time without protection
many have been obliged to use teams and
the steam cars. Some have left the section
while others have been prevented from set
ting there We assert these statements as
Facts. We do not make them merely in the
| spirit of complaint, but to enable US to ask
| you q question.
Based on Conditions.
when you say the Brightwood Railroad
Company does not pay, we desire to know
how 1t can possibly pay, and how you can
| expect it to yield adequate revenues, under
| existing conditions. The charter REQUIRE
ments were known when the road was pur-
| chased at much more than the actual cost
| of equipment thereby voluntarily placing a
Ne14S upOl tile mere ITaNcNlSS which was
| derived from the people without compen-
| sat1on. The amount of travel, then exist
| ing, which we have every reason to believe
| mas been greatly augmented, even with all
these disadvantages. was also well known.
We think the public is entitled to at least
fair service. We believe that a complete
and regular equipment will not only bring
comfort TO your patrons, but profits to you.
we therefore respectfully ask that q
regular, complete and satisfactory through
service shall be given to 9th and f streets
or 9th and Pennsylvania avenue
After fair trial with an adequate svs-
TEN, and not until then. will you be pre-
pared, In our opinion, to say whether the
Brightwood railroad can be operated at a
profit or not
Receive EncOuragement.
Messrs. Lambert, Robinson, Shedd and
Kinnear made brief statements, strongly
urging that through car be run alter
nately from the District line and Takoma
every fifteen minutes, at least, as far as
9th and F streets. and resolutions to this
effect were submitted. Both General Har-
r1es and Manager Fuller replied express
ing their appreciation Of the position taken
by the two associations, and assured those
present that the company would endeayor
IN every possible way to meet the desires
and requirements Of the people,
After leaving the members of the dele
cations expressed themselves as thoroughly
satisfied with the reception accorded to
them and seemed hopeful of good results.
~