Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-26
NATIONAL CAPITAL IS CENTER
OF RAPIDLY GROWING SECTION
Statistics Relating to Street Railway Traffic Indi-
cate the Popularity of the Surrounding
Country Situation Gives Rise to
Suggestion of MANUFACTURES.

Figures recently presented to the Dis
trict electric railway commission are re-
garded as of interest as throwing light on
: the progress in suburban growth. Brought
! together of course. for an entirely dl1-
! ferent purpose, these statistics are incom-
plete as to the phase of the matter sug-
gested. They comprise the record OF the
! amount of travel on three suburban lines
for a portion of one day. 1t is estimated
! the count of passengers for the period
I mentioned may be fairly considered to be
| about one-half OF the travel for the entire
t'day.
Accounting this estimate, the figures of
! the observer for the railway commission
, of the use of the cars in question shows
that in one day about 10000 people used
the Brightwood line, while about b, 4Oo
rode on the Tenleytown line and 4,9OO on
the Chevy Chase line. AS the questions
in regard to which the commission sought
light did not include the otner SuDur-
ban lines the traffic thereon was not IN
Guided. Therefore the figures are only par
tial of the extent of the railway business
due to the fact that many people oolhg
business in the city live outside the ur-
ban limits.
Growth Of the Suburbs
In another respect the statistics are not
as generally useful as they might be Tor
the reason that it is the pioneer attempt
and there is nothing to show what the
traffic was last year or the year before.
However it cannot be expected that a
commission organized for one purpose
should so direct its work that 1t would
also be serving widely different uses, al
though in the present case II seems '. .Sa :
the facts in regard to the growth of the
city, and especially in the phase OF us
expansion beyond its original limit, would
he useful in determining whether the pres
ent service Is adequate 10 the eAstinS
needs of the community.
1t is possible the records of the COM
panies might throw light on the subject
of the statistical progress OF the suouros.
But even without such helps the pupnc,
and more particularly that portion OF 1t
which is interested in real estate. Is IA
nilar with the general fact tnat ma
terial development outside or the Ola
bounds of the city is going on, and has
been going on for many years, ana at an
astonishing rate OF progress.
Dominates a Wide Area.
Only one section OF the entire territory
served by the electric lines is covered
by this inquiry, a comparatively small
segment OF the circle of which the main
business portion of the city is the CEN
ter Only three trolley lines are named
In addition there Is the one that goes
10 Cabin John bridge. the line to Brook
land, the one to Berwyn and the road
10 Benn!ng and beyond, and the one to
the brow OF the hill overlooking Ana
costa
Then there are the three roads extend
ing from the city through the adjacent
sections Of Virginia, the one to Alexan-
dria and to Mount Vernon. the line to
Falls Church and on TO Fairfax Court
House and the one to Great Falls 1t is
evident this city is the hub from which
rad!ate the influences OF large popu-
lous center, and now an electric line
connects IL with Baltimore 1t may be said
that the sphere of the citys life is en-
larging and extending so that 1t domi-
mates much larger area then ever be-
FORE
Importance Of the Center.
But the important consideration is that
II all means growth IN the power and
the resources of Washington-this prog
ress in supplying means OF rapid and
easy communication from the center to
all points of the periphery. 1t is a con-
tI1buting territory, and each day wit
nesses the coming into the city OF peo-
pie from all directions as far away as
Baltimore.
reasons for people having their homes as
far away as Baltimore. and still coming
each day to this city for their daily work.
Certainly the ordinary motives that I'LL
condition which has been existent prob
ably since the two cities were connected
by steam and trains were run on a
schedule that made such daily Journeys
possible.
Political Rather Than Commercial.
1t will no doubt be found to be the
case that most IL not all OF the persons
who are employed in this city and con-
tinue their homes in Baltimore are those
who wish TO retain in full their politica
affiliations. and for that reason mainly dc
not change their place of residence. o.
course 1t is claimed house rents In Balti.
more are lower than In this city. and 1t !.
also claimed that food products can be
bought at lower figures. But even II all
this Is true, such differences In the Cost
OF living between the two cities would
hardly justify man having his home
at a distance of forty miles from his
place Of business. as the saving effected