Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-12-16
VENTILATION OF CARS
Citizens Discuss Proposition
of Health Officer.
TRACTION OFFICIALS VIEW
Opinions in Favor Of and Opposed to
the Innovation.
AS A QUESTION OF HEALTH
Superintendent Of Local Transporta-
ton Company Says Sufficient
Fresh Air Is Supplied.

Fresh Air Is Supplied.
The opinion of DR.. W. c. Woodward,
health officer Of the District of Columbia.
favoring compulsory ventilation OF the
street cars as published in The sunday
Star, was generally discussed among citi-
xens. especially srburbanites, today. Inc
health officer cited the. case of the city of
Detroit where, he says, the experiment
of compulsory ventilation had been tried
successfully. He added that he will PROB
ably recommend to the District Commits
sioners in the near future bill provid-
ing for the better ventilation of cars
Several members of citizens assocla-
tions and others who were seen by Star
reporter today, gave their views on the
subject.
Views of Traction Official.
General Supt Carr of the Capital Trac-
ton Company said the cars of the COM
pany he represents are we'll ventilated.
why" he added, lin taking passen-
gers on our cars and letting others on at
every street corner it certainly results IN
the admission of plenty. of fresh aid.
which drives out the vitiated air: One OF
our rules requires that two of the Ventl-
all the time, and the rule Is strictly OBJ
served.
with suburban cars it is different
Mr.. Carr observed. especially these lines
which have to make long runs between
stations"
The superintendent referred incidentally
to patenteeS of ventilating devices who
are anxious to have their designs adopted
by railroad compa MES and other corpora
tions.
An attempt was made to see Gen. George
II. Harries vice president of the Wash
sington Railway and Electric Company. for
his view of the proposed compulsory VEN
tilation plan, but he could not be To-
Gated today.
Need of More Cars.
President Charles C. Lancaster of the
Citizens Northwest Suburban Association.
when asked for his opinion. said:
IT would say that if the proposition can
be accomplished without too great exS-
pense to the railroad companies, it ought
to be done as a matter of health and
convenience to the travelling public. J
should not favor a change of that kind
unless 1t can be accomplished at a nominal
expense. Complicated or expensive Ventl-
lating devices might prove too great tax
on the companies. There are other mat
tiers of greater Importance that should re-
ceive attention first-more cars better time
service and the running of the cars more
promptly. for instance"
Louis p. Shoemaker, president of the
Brightwood Citizens Association, In
that while the cars on the Brightwood
line are stuffy and warm at times, this
condition was often remedied when the
doors were opened for passengers to enter
However. think it would be a desir-s
able thing to have the cars ventilated, :
Mr.. Shoemaker concluded. -
William Mex. Clayton of Brightwood
r. In ha n1ra nf
; lation OF street cars, considered it first
class idea.
Il ann heartily in favor of such BILL
he said. The cars on our line are al
: ways crowded. and fresh air is often
needed. Passengers often ride on the
:, platforms in order to get little fresh
sir and ESCAPE the foul and polluted air
(which 30 often exists on the inside OF
crowded cars .
y From Standpoint Of Health.
\ James W. Dyre. secretary of the. Ia
Dkoma Park Citizens Association, approves
the proposed bill.
Phe conditions are certainly very poor
f56m hygienic standpoint" he said to-
>-day. 1.-The cars which leave Takoma Park
in the morning often collect from 95 to
Jos passengers before they reach the loop
at Florida Avenue and 7th street. This
viii Gtye you an idea Of the crowded con-
oitionS. ana you can form your own con-
ciusions az to the atmospheric conditions
on the inside of a car carrying that large
number OF passengers. A few extra cars
would remedy the crowded conditions and
AFFORD an opportunity for ventilating the
cars to some extent"
There Is certainly a CRYING need for
beefer ventilation of our cars. particular
" those On the suburban lines" was the
scomment of Mr.. A. B. Omwake, an officer
OF the Citizens Northwest Suburban As
ISOLATION. when informed this afternoon
of the probable action Of the District
Commissioners in bringing about compul-
sorry ventilation of street cars through
act OF Congress. When our suburban
cars are packed with humanity. as they
frequently are" he added. 1.-The atmos-
phere In them is fierce. There Is no way
to properly ventilate them. and the con-
ductors never open the little top win
dows unless their attention is called to
the matter. II some satisfactory device
can be obtained. the cost of which will
not prove to be too great a burden on
the railroad companies, l approve the
PLAN
Levi c. Broadbent. who resides beyond
Benning, on the line of the Columbia
railroad. said the people in that section
of the District have long and loudly COM
planned against the lack of ventilation In
the Columbia line cars, which, he added,
are nearly always overcrowded.
The atmosphere in these cars is foul
SIncliiS anu certainly dangerous to
health when the people are packed into
them as they nearly always are like her.
ring in a box he said. II imagine that
one or two passengers suffering from
tuberculosis in a car under such condi-
tions-or those suffering from any other
contagious dlsorder-would infect the en-
tire vehicle and cause results that could
not soon be remedied. hope the people
20 living along the lines Of the suburban
roads will circulate petitions demanding
better ventilation. as well as better car
service"
]. NJ. Burns. an officer of the Northeast
Citizens Suburban Association, said bet
ter ventilation Of the closed type of cars
in the summertime might be good idea,
but he does not see any crying need for
II in the winter time.
II the ventilating windows overhead
are kept open. as they should be- II will
accomplish all that IS necessary, in my
opinion. The cars should, however, be
kept thoroughly clean and in good sani-
tary condition otherwise.