Evening star., 1901-03-28
NEW SCHEDULE CRITICISED
CITIZENS COMPLAINT OF SERVICE
ON BRIGHTwOOD ROAD.
Alleged Violation of Company's Char
ter-RespOnse by One of the
Roads Oficers.

A correspondent of The Star criticises
the method of operation on the Bright
wood electric road, directing attention es-
pecially to the recent change in schedule
on that division.
Under the old schedule" he says, "the
ordinary observer, seeing a group of three
or four 9th street cars, with numerous
empty seats, preceded and followed by
Brightwood cars black with crowds inside
and outside, would be inclined to say
that there were too many cars run on the
one branch and too few on the other. But
no-the wiser heads managing the road
decide that there are too many cars run on
both, and introduce system by which
they operate them with fewer cars. l have
been informed that, as a result of these
changes, the company will save. in the pay
of motormen and conductors, some $2S per
day. My informant may be in error, but
most patrons of the road know it well
enough to agree that the tale is probably
true.
I'VE have been told so often that the
Brightwood road is losing money that some
of the most gullible really believe it. But
those who have hung on by straps and
balanced on the running board for seven
weary miles nearly every day during the
last few years are more apt to inquire how
1t IS possible for any electric road to make
a profit if the Brightwood road does not
when it carries as heavy a traffic as it's
hours long. if not longer, than many
profit paying roads.
THE generosity of the company in pay
ing per cent interest on bonds which rep
resent cash outlay that is only a frac-
tion of their face value may explain. The
schedule just abandoned was not wholly
satisfactory, but it was a step in the right
direction and gave us fond hopes that
some day, when the company was willing
to put on few more cars, we would re-
ceive reasonably good service
Regarded Poorer Schedule.
Instead we go back to the old system,
with much poorer schedule, which vio-
lates the company's charter a dozen times
every day, in running cars at longer inter-
Vals than fifteen minutes. The 9th street
cars now dump three to ten loads of pas
sengers at the Florida avenue loop and
when the Brightwood car comes down there
ensues a grand rush, in which men, wo-
men and children precipitate themselves
upon the car in struggling mass Numer-
Gus injuries have been received in these
mlx-ups. We are ali of us little out of
training now, but we shall soon be in
good fighting trim again under the stim-
ulus of these daily Scrimmages.
1t is well to state that petitions have
been circulated within the last ten days
requesting the introduction of this sys-
tenn They We're signed by some misguided
people who doubtless thought any change
might be an improvement, and perhaps
also by the athletes who We're pining for
the loot ball practice they have missed
since last fall. The company is in a posi-
tlon to assert that the people wanted the
change, but 1 am glad to be able to say
that some who signed the petition did not
realize what it meant. and also that MANY
refused to indorse it,
The Company's View.
When the above statements were
brought to the attention of one of the
off, ap
trio Company today the latter replied that
the Brightwood road now has a better
service and more frequent schedule than
it has ever had. But the fact is, he said
the Brightwood schedule is continually in
terfered with by reason of interference
In South Washington at the steam railroad
crossings. A delay of five minutes does
not seem much in the city, but Is sufficient
to upset the entire Brightwood schedule
The man you speak of as having COM
planned he continued, would lead one
to believe that the whole population of
Takoma Park travels to and from the city
in one car and that they endeavor to take
1t at the wrong time. He probably rides to
his office in the height of the rush. He
should try the same thing in New York,
Philadelphia or Baltimore and see what a
rush there is in those places He does not
think what happens when he is not riding
when the cars are going in and out of the
city with very few passengers. The COM
poiiS . iepoit " NoHSteSS BLOWS tndt II
costs more to operate the Brightwood road
than the road receives for that service,
and am saying nothing about interest on
bonds. That condition does not have to
prevail very long before some economy has
to be practiced
"A fact that cannot be denied Is that
there is a better schedule and far bet
ter service on the Brightwood road than
in the past, and the people there say so.
Even If what this correspondent says were
true, the fact remains that the road has
to be operated and it must pay operating
expenses or quit
$1.25 to baltimore and Return via b.