The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-07-24
COMMUTERS TO FIGHT
Organization Completed at
Falls Church Meeting.
PASS HOLDERS ARE BARRED
Negroes Not 10 he Admitted 10 the
Organisation, Either - Needs of
Alexandria County for Better
transportation Facilities Are Set
FOrth--VigOrOus Fight for Reforms.

Negroes and persons with passes are
not commuters.
This was decided last night at Falls
Church when the commuters on the
Washington. Arlington and Falls Church
Railway organized the Washington. Ar
nngton and Falls Church Railway Com
muters' Association. The constitution
specifically provides that negroes, persons
with passes, and persons under the age
Of sixteen years are not eligible to mem
beTship in the organization. and the con-
slitutions OF the component organizations
carry the same pToviso.
The meeting last night was held IN
the X. Of p Hail in Falls Church. and
was attended by people from all along
the line Of the traction road, aroused 10
action By the recent wreck near Fort
Myer when a heavily loaded passenger
ear crashed into truck loaded with
rails.
The meeting was called TO order by H.
- Fellows. who acted as chairman.
Charles a. Stewart was secretary The
hall was crowded all evening with people,
who came and went. and there was much
enthusiasm over the project TO organize
10 compel the railway officials 10 recog-
ME and accede 10 the demands Of the
patrons Of the line
Reports on Committee Work.
Attorney R. C. L. Moncure, who has
been active on the committee having
charge Of the organization, reported on
the work of the committee, and stated
that he had expected TO be able 10 pre-
sent TO the meeting the decision of the
Virginia railway commission as TO just
what procedure would follow the petit
tons of the commuters.
He stated what had been done by the
committee by way of showing Commits
sioner Steward over the road and what
the complaints are.
on May &c the commission ordered the
railway TO put into effect a more con-
venient schedule. and other orders for
the Improvement of the service were
given before the wreck near Fort Myer
This matter has been permitted to 90
over until September because the attor-
neys for the road viii be out of the city
until August. and then the matter will
be taken up again with the commission
Want Old Cars Retired.
Another demand Of the commuters
that will be put into effect by the COM
mission is the retirement by December s.,
1851. of all the small closed single-truck
cars now in operation by the line: the
retirement by June /, 1913, of all single
truck open cars now in operation: proper
power for the line; so that al cars can
make schedule time; and. finally. the
commuters want an end to the discrim-
inati1n against the Rosslyn line and
regular double-truck large cars put on
that branch
1t was the sense Of the meeting that in
case it is impossible for the company to
1--we ~ TO the requirement in this re-
quest, schedule be maintained so that
there Will be no delay in transferring
from the main line to the Rosslyn line at
Clarendon.
The decision and report Of the State
railway commission is expected by Attor-
ney Noncure at any time, and it will be
submitted to the commuters all along the
line
When the matter Of a constitution came
up, the first objection was 10 the name Of
the organization People who are com
muters on the Southern Railway wanted
Il changed TO Virginia Commuters Asso-
ciatiOn,' but il was pointed out that the
reason for the name is TO call the especial
attention 10 the fact that the people are
against the particular railway named first
and the others later. Attorney Moncure
and Harry c. Birge assured the Southern
commuters that the organization would
use all its influence in favor OF the steam
road patrons when necessary, and, after
a lengthy argument the matter went
through with a whoop
All Towns Represented.
The principal organization is composed
Of delegates from similar organizations in
the following towns: Fairfax. Vienna.
Robey, Falls Church. Glencarlyn, Ball
stOn, Clarendon, Fort Myer, and Arllng-
ton or Columbia pike. Each organization
IS entitled TO a delegate for each fifty
members. and the delegates shall COM
pose the governing kody. which shall take
all action. Each local organization shall
collect annual dues Of 30 cents from each
member, and of this . cents shall go TO
the general body. Other associations.
with twenty-five or more members. may
affiliate upon application The governing
board will hold monthly meetings, and
these shall be so arranged that each town
viii get the meetings in turn.
During the meeting the residents Of
Vienna complained that the half-hour
schedule promised by the railroad COM
pany operated about two weeks and was
stopped. Mr.. Moncure and others as
sured the Vienna people that the west
end of the line would receive as much
attention as the others.
Following the adoption Of the cOnsti-
tuition of the general organization BIZ the
mass-meeting Falls Church people
adopted the constitution for the local or
ganization In that town and elected Of
ficeTs as follows. Harry A Fellows.
president; Thomas G. Hodgson. vice
president. Charles 4. Stewart, secretary:
George w HawXhurst, treasurer, and
Harry c. Birge, delegate to the govern
ing board