Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-09
STREET CAR SERVICE
DISCUSSION OF CONDITIONS BY
CITIZENS ASSOCIATION.

There was a warm discussion of the rail-
way service accorded the section of the city
lying along North Capitol street at the
meeting of the North Washington Citizens
Associa ton, which was held last evening
IN Haslips Hall corner of list and streets
northwest. The meeting was the regular
one for the month but the interest CEN
tered in the agitation for better car, service
and In the mass meeting which is to be
held Thursday night of this week. The
result was that the association went on
record as favoring the campaign for better
service.
In the absence of President C. E. Emig,
second vice president, DR.. Alexander b.
Cooley presided over the session and r. E.
Logan served as secretary. The number
present was large, being representative OF
the leading interests in North Washington.
The discussion over the railway service was
started when the report Of the railway
committee was called for by the presiding
officer, Maj. Charles II. Ourand, chairman
of the committee, told of the meeting which
was held at Metzerott Hall, at which the
section of the District lying along the City
and Suburban railroad was well represent
ed and of the feeling for better car service
which prevailed there.
Mr.. Topham's View.
ment regarding the car service in that sec
ton of the city. He said that on both the
North Capitol street and the Fourth street
lines the traffic is much heavier than can be
handled by the present equipment on the
lines, and the consequence was that crowd
ed cars are the rule on both lines. He had
heard he stated, that the head of this asso-
citation had stated that the car service to
the section of the city was Satisfactory. In
q n Ia vx-hi Th oil ~nn
suggested the association should adopt
strong resolutions to show that their MEM
bers were not satisfied with the car service
and desired to join with others who pat
ronize the road in demanding better service.
Several others followed with speeches along
the same line, and the result was the adop-
ton of resolution that the association
go on record that the service on the North
Capitol and the Fourth street lines is I'M
satisfactory and that the members earnest
ly protest against such service"
a committee was appointed to represent
the North Washington Citizens Association
at the mass meeting to consider the queS
ton, which is to be held in the Masonic
Temple Thursday night next. The commit
tee consisted of James s. Topham, J. J.
Costinett and John H Trower.
1t was reported at the meeting last even
ing that the Commissioners had not rec
commended to Congress the paving of the
streets which had been asked for by this
association. AS this is the second year. it
ed.
Judge Bundy Makes Address
Judge Charles s. Bundy. for several years
president Of the Columbia Heights Citizens
Association. who was specially requested to
be present at the meeting, gave a short ad-
dress in which he touched on two timely
matters. He first pointed out in his adj
frpGS he Il
lance of the citizens associations in ad-
VlSing the Commissioners. He took up the
railway service by first referring to the asd
tatlon which occurred in his association.
We felt some time ago that We had
pretty good car service in the section COW
cred by the Columbia Heights Association
but we found that one-half of our people
were destitute of railway service When
the opportunity came to extend the 18th
street line We did all we could to get the
added service. We opened up the road
which was quite q task, and we advocated
the railway. We encountered the rival
road and Its friends and the malcontents
That condition greeted US when we started
to aState the matter. Then a committee
was appointed and waited on Gen. Harries
the vice president of the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company, and we had
complete and cordial underst anding with
him. And / may say that all our reason
able requests were granted and promises
have been carried out and the service is con-
stanty improving.
In talking about the railway question.
some people are unreasonable. We who
live out of the city, in the outskirts are
apt to be unreasonable as to the frequency
OF service. There is no reason, of course
why the equipment which runs out here TO
Rrookland should not be just as good as
that on + street. AS a general proposition
it is safe to leave the management of the
railways to the enlightened selfishness of
their managers
Not RJ1r, fo,,
The roads are not run for charity they
are run to make money. The only way to
make money is to have the custom and
favor OF the public. The managers see that.
and for that reason, l say, it is best to
leave the management TO the enlightened
selfishness Of the managers themselves. But.
further, the public has certain rights which
are bound to be respected, and every self
respecting public will assert those rights"
This plea for conservatism was well re-
ceived by the members present, and a vote
of thanks was given to the speaker for his
address
Judge Bundy had also touched on the
school problem, discussing the proposed re-
organization OF the system. He pointed out
that the Columbia Heights Association was
prominent in bringing about the reform in
the school system about five years ago He
added that he had notice that some radical
changes in the common school system were
being advocated.
II am not in favor of a change merely
because il is change" he said, land l. am
in favor of a radical change If there is an
evil. Have we made progress in the past
four or five years under the present sys-
tenn? Are the evils such fundamental ones
as cannot be remedied except by radical
changes?"
f. b. McCatham was elected a member
of the association last evening.