The evening times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1902, 1901-01-16

The Commissioners today granted
hearing to several parties living alone the
line of the F Street car line, IN the inter
ests Of the bill pending in Congress for
bidding their use The proposed lezisla-
tion prescribes the size. weight and rate
Of speed OF cars to be run on the line in
question. It IS understood that the Com
mlssIcneTs. in their report upon the bills
which they are now considering, VIII ask
Congress TO make the bills general aad
applicable 10 all The lines Of the city.
At the hearing this morning very
spirited protest was made against the
use OF the large yellow cars on that line.
DE-. H c Yarrow was the first speaker.
He spoke Of the rate of speed at which
the ears are run, saying that they are
much beyond the prescribed or lawful
rate He stated that various tests had
been made by experts with time watches
and it was found that the cars We're
cftcn run a a speed Of at least twenty
miles an hour. He said the police know
Of the violation of the law, but that the
moJormen are the only persons they can
reach, and in the police court ne stated
the officers were not properly sUs-
tanned, so that the arrest of the en-
ployes Of the road under the law does not
operate 10 stop the nuisance complained
OF.
Dr. YarTow read number Of letters
from people living along the line TLey
agreed that The noise Of the cars was s'lcn
as 10 spoil sleep especially between the
hours Of 70 TO Z O'Clock at night, and
from I to o'clock in the morning II
was also set forth in these letters that the
jarTiHg caused by these cars was such as
10 cause the walls Of the rooms 10 crack,
and several instances were mentioned IN
whch ornaments and bric-a-b brae had been
shaken down from walls or manteis and
Destroyed
Nathaniel Wilson reviewed the facts
leading up 10 the framing the bills pre-
scented 10 Congress, and presented to the
Commissioners TWO petitions which had
been also presented to the committees in
/ Congress setting forth the facts as TO the
noise Of the ears and the danger TO per-
sonaI property from the jarring- These
petitions were signed by almost everybody
residing from Dupont Circle 10 George
town Mr. Wilson made a plea for the
lighter and shorter green cars which for
rnerly ran the line.
T. ROessIe set forth The difficulties ne
had experienced at the Arlington Hotel
as lEe result Of the noise made by the
cars. He stated that the rooms on that
side of the hotel we're practically vacant.
as no one would remain IN them longer
than one night.
L J. Resented, proprietor Of the Rich
mond. spoke in similar strain and stated
that the general superin tenGent OF the
Pennsylvania Railroad was a guest al his
house and had sent TWO OF the engineers
OF his company with time watches TO take
the speed Of the cars as they run past the
Richmond. TIE tine was taken al TWO
/ points by these engineers and the s77ce
/ carefully measured, and these men report
/ ed 10 their chief that the ears were found
! to be running from twenty-five TO thirty
! eight miles an hour by actual measure
ment and mathematical calculation. Not
/ one car said Ar. Rosenfeld, but several
/ Of them were watched and measured at
! different times
/ Captain NulIan spoke Of the fall
! ing OF the plasteTing in his paTluT,
shaken down by the jarring OF the cars.
/ About one-third Of It came of, he said. as
a car was passing q few days ago He
thought it was first lOOsened by the con
stant shaking of the cars and was finally
thrown down from the same cause. He
/ informed the Commissioners that the
/ falling plaster had ruined the greater part
1 of Q valuable collection Of bric-a-brac
/ collected by his daughter He said the
/ loss was irreparable- He spoke also Of
/ the necessity OF abandoning certain rooms
/ the noise Of the cars
Mr. Brown stated TO the Commissioner
/ tha. he was the owner Of property on P
| Street, and he detailed at some length
/ the experience he has had with his ten
1 ants. He received a call from one this
| morning. asking him TO come and look
| at the plastering in the hail. as ii was
about to fall Another had notified him
/ that she should move as soon as she
| could find a house, as she could 10 longer
| endure the noise. He said he feared his
| houses would soon be vacant If tie yell
| low cars DO not stop running
point was made by several OF the
| speakers that property is dePreciating all
/ along the line of this road, and VII con
/ tinus to do so If something IS not done
| to stop the jarring from these cars
| At the close Of the hearing Commissioners
| Macfarland stated in behalf Of the Beard
! that they would give the matters present.
| ed n careful consideration. and as the
! time Of Congress YVES short, they would
| have 10 act promptly