Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-07
: THE LOCAL RAILWAYS
Complaints Heard by Senate
District Committee.
VIEWS OF CITIZENS
ALLEaE POOR SERVICE AND IN
ADEQUATE ACCOMMODATIONS.
Bill to Give Control to the Commis-
sioners Opposed by the Rail-
way officials.
VIEWS OF CITIZENS


41O6, to regulate the operation Of street
| railways in the District Of Columbia. This
bill places within the hands Of the Com
missioners of the District authority to
regulate many of the details of railway
management so far as their schedules etc.
are concerned.
The statements made to the committee
were in behalf of the committee Of which
Mr. VIM. G. Henderson is chairman, rep
resenting all the citizens associations, and
Mr. F. G. Couldren, chairman of the COM
mittee of the Business Mems Association,
which has had charge Of the street railway
bills. There were also present President
George T. Dunlop of the Capital Traction
Company, Vice President George H. Har-
| ries of the Washington Traction and Elec-
rector and stockholder of the last-named
company, and others interested in street
railways.
Very much interest was manifested in
the bill, which was gone over very thor
! oughly and considered in all it's details.
The hearing was held by a subcommittee
of the District committee, consisting OF
Senator Gallinger, chairman, and Senator's
Mallory and Hansbrough.
Mr. Henderson's Statement.
The hearing was opened by a reading OF
| the bill by Senator Gallinger, after which
| Mr.. Henderson stated reasons why the pro-
posed bill should, in his judgment, be acted
upon favorably by the committee. He
| stated that it would be for the Commls-
sioners under the provisions of this bill to
determine in what cases SUBURBAN cars
! should run into the business sections of the
| District and also to determine the sched-
| ules that should be maintained by the varl-
Gus roads. He declared that the crowdlng
| of the cars in many instances was 80 great
l hot xxaS ip1nOSShla for messengers to gel
| a footing on the steps of the platforms, and
| they were obliged to hang on either to the
| step or to the rear of the car If they wished
to travel without very great delay.
Senator Gallinger asked II that was not
true in every city.
| Mr.. Henderson replied 1t is to soma ex-
| tent during certain parts of the day, but on
| the City and Suburban road. on which he
| travels and of which he can speak more
48articulariy, it was generally SO. 1t was
that crowded in the morning, afternoon and
| at night
he said 'by waiting for another car, be-
cause the next car will be just as badly
crowded / have found it necessary to al
low three or four cars to pass before
could get on one of them.
In the Rush Hours.
The only thing that one can do during
i these crowded times. he said. is to get a
| footing on platform or on the rear of the
| car in order to get downtown or home.
sThis condition results in actual danger
to life and limb he said. He spoke of the
case of a young lady whom he had noticed
standing on the step of car, barely able
| to keep her footing by holding the hand
rail, and he was constantly afraid that she
would be thrown off and injured. She had
either to take that method of getting down
town or fail to get to her work at proper
| time.
He spoke of the Brightwood cars with a
transfer point at Florida avenue and of the
Tenleytown with a transfer in Georgetown.
This resulted in great inconvenience, and
| the bill would leave it with the Commission
ers to determine what lines should run to
the center of the city without change.
1t was suggested that the line running to
the Congressional cemetery has no cars
passing over it at all. Vice President Har-
ries intimated that that line had been
abandoned by law, although the track still
remains
the Commissioners could hear the repre-
sentatives of the railroads and of the citi-
zens. and could act impartial tribunal
70 judge what Is a reasonable accommoda-
ton for the public.
Senator Gallinger asked whether 1t would
be possible for the Commissioners with
their many duties, to take upon themselves
the running of the street railroad COM
panies.
Il Think replied Mr.. Henderson. "they
are perfectly competent to do it, and that
they have the time to do it. Their duty
Will be merely to determine what the sched-
uies VIII De and to see that proper accom-
modations are given the public''
Senator Gallinger referred to the restric
uon as to the weight of cars.
Mr.: Henderson replied that ten tons was
such legislation had been approved hv the
1orcipie removement by Congress of heavy
cars on the Connecticut avenue line
wee President Harries suggested that
a q not Il L.
Transfer and Waiting Stations.
The provision of the bill relating to the
establishment Of. transfer and waiting sta
tons was discussed. Senator GaI,inger ga ID
that ne was familiar with the railroad svs-
TENS of Boston and New York, but that he
Knew no such provision there.
other members of the delegation favor,ne
tne passage of the bill suggested there
waiting stations In Cambridge Mass.
and also in Boston
Mr. Henderson declared that there sbou,a
! De some impartial tribunal that could ma ass
on matters of this kind because II wpnI5
not De practicable for Congress to deter
mine what schedules and other things were
necessary for the proper conduct of the
street railroad companies
If we should put the railroads Of the
District under the control of the Commits
sioners. asked Senator Gallinger '.whv
should we not put other corporations fur
nishing utilities under their control in the
same way?"
1t was replied that the insurance laws
placed the insurance companies in a meas
ure under the Commissioners control Int
Mr.. Gallinger did not appear to think that
was comparable case.
Heating Of Cars.
The provision requiring the companies to
maintain 80 degrees of temperature in the
ears by artificial heat was discussed Mr.
Henderson said the provision in the Rock
Creek railway charter required the heating
of cars. and also that the ears should MOI
take more passengers than they could ac-
cornmodate. They did not ask in the pend
I ing bill for SO stringent q restriction OH
tho railroads Of the District as that charter
provided.
I'VE would be satisfied" he said, III we
can get comfortable standing room''
The provision against allowing nat wheels
on cars was discussed, as well as the pro-
vision allowing any suburban lima coming