The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-10-30
THE CITIZENS DESIRE
BETTER CAR SERVICE

form its duty TO the public viii proba-
tIy soon have another feature added TO
IT, There are six points on the Balti-
more and Ohio Railroad-Takomo,
+ North Takoma. Silver Spring. Wood
. side Linden and Forest Glen, from
. which the Brightwood road should draw
AN the year round a heavy patronage.
+ The failure OF the power and the irreg-
uIarity of the service is such that ] am
advised a very large number of these
patrons of the BriEhuwood Road are
+ now going back 20 the steam road
Reasons for Change.
.Irregularity I'M running the Bright
wood cars contributes 20 this, together
+ with the fact that au over-crowded
/ street car is more Objectionable to the
public in cold weather. by reason of the
/ absence Of ventilation. and many who
can put up with the crowded cars on the
BrigAtwood road On the summer are UNI
{ willing 10 risk infection in the winter,
/ with the shut cars and the closed ven
I Jlat0Ts.
/ This reduction I'm the number Of pas
/ seugers viii soon be noted and addi-
3 lionaI pleas made for the right. in be-
/ half OF the road, 10 run stiu fewer ears,
/ when the immediate cause OF the reduc-
/ tiCu i'm passengers is insuEcienCy OF
/ cars. oVeICr0Wding and improper venti-
lduOn. In connection with the poor
/ ventilation, it is obvious that the COM
pany cannot keep its cars warm and
/ ventilated at the same time under Eres-
3 ent conditions, because to heat It's cars
/ with the Venulators open. requires much
/ more power and there Is not now enough
+ Iower 10 keep the cars actually ia mo-
+ zion.
CTux Of the Situation.
'AIr. 8IcDermott should not feel badly
E or think that anyone desires TO take
away from him the whole on any part
OF the fue railroad system or which he
is the head. The only desire is TO make
him run that system according TO the
+ law and not permit i4im 20 ease up On
his duty In one quarter. for the pur-
+ pose of declaring "a little larger dividend
E IN another. and If his road should be so
+ shoTJ-sighJed as not 10 correct these
evils of its own motion. ana the public
/ authorities should be resolute enough
+ To- merely give notice OF their intention
+ TO force the road 10 comply with its
+ charter. AE. AIcDeTm0tt, like the fa-
nous coon of the Davy Crockett story
would come down before the District
Attorney has q chance 10 shoot.
'.In respect 10 one point suggested by
( AIR. AIcDeFm0tU. namely, that the char
/ ter COULD be complied with by running
I 90 Hfteeu-minuJe schedule uu one branch
and a shuttle car ON the other. while
/ that would probably be more con
{ veuieuu 10 the District line end than
the present arrangement. nevertheless
it would not fuIdu the requirements OF
+ the charter, in nay judgment, for that
. ID r. aarrs4
as the public convenience shall re-
qulre. but not less frequently than one
+ car every fifteen minutes from each end
of the line. between o'clock ante
meridian and ~ o'clock midnight
The Public Convenience.
"Tlese words would seem 10 imply
that the public convenience IS TO be con
sidered. that the public cannot be com
I PEELED 10 get out and wait and walk, and
! get upon another vehicle The cars are
to be run from each end Of the lire
Another provision OF the amended chart
er provides that the fare 20 be charged
shah be for 'oue continuous ride
Without falling back upon this last
expression. it would be very difficult foI
"a corpora zion authorized 10 run car.
from each end or its line al close i'm
tervals. 10 Justify a stoppase in ths
middle of tAe line. and transfer ol
L passengers except in the case Ot some
temporary emergency, q wasl-cut. lire
or other unavoidable obstacle. causing q
due reason for such transfer
'.The boom which Is now taking place
in common stock. preferred stock ana
the bonds of the Washington Traction
Company. ard the dividend gni1n Eu.
just been declared, happened az a mos
iuopparJuue moment for the road 40 pa
lp the sentimental plea that il is mol
able financially 10 comply with the Law
oL ita creation.
Date Of the Laws
-Iu this connection lt is wei 10 con
slider the date OF the laws which re-
4u-re hiIeea-miuute schedules from eth
=r end from tha Takoma ana Distric
line OF the BriEltw19d Road The frs
aet was passed October Is lss8 Tn,
drst amendment july z5 1882 and JhO
last amendment February q 1893
'.Ills. nearly eleven years have
passed since this road entered into q