Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-07-21
TRACTION ON GR|DDLE
Complaints Against Street
Cars PiIing Up.
TWO VIEWS OF SMOKING
Men With Habit Object to Women
on Reserved Seats.
LADIES WANT NONE OF IT
Crowding Is Objected to-Lack of
Through Service and Of Night
Cars Deplored.
LADIES WANT NONE OF I

The District electric railway commits
sion has not been put out of business
by the failure Of the local railway presi-
dents to give the information called for
from them.
III. c. Eddy, executive officer Of the
company. states that all the correspond
ence had with the railway officials has
been referred to the interstate commerce
commission for such action as it might
deem proper. He. however. has about
twenty-five or thirty complaints which
he will personally investigate.
The complaints against the Bright
wood line. having been made first, will
in the order in which they were re-
ceived.
There are complaints Of all sorts and
kinds. Some that the cars do not run
early enough, some that they do not
run late enough, and some that when
they do run they go too fast. The ma
jority Of complaints are concerning the
overcrowding of the cars and the plat
forms.
There is a general complaint of poor
facilities on the Brightwood line. The
Bethesda and Rockville lines are also
not forgotten.
Miscellaneous Objections.
One complaint touches the dust and
dirt raised by the cars. which the COM
pla1nant declares Is a menace to the
health as well as the comfort Of patrons
Some ladies think certain car steps are
too high. others that smoking should not
be tolerated on the cars. On the other
hand smokers are complaining that where
seats have been set aside for their con-
venience some women maliciously per-
sist in appropriating them to their own
use..
One government clerk pathetically de-
clares that his only chance for a morn
Ing smoke Is on the cars on his way to
ONCE. Iihree-fourths Of the men patrons
during the morning hours, he says, are
smokers, and some consideration should
be shown them.
There are complaints also from the
men whose business keeps them out late
at night that the car service is not pro-
vided to get them home. In some sections
no service an hour arter midnight is pro-
vided; in others only perfunctory and
unreliable service.
The lack Of through service. complained
of on the Rockville and Bethesda, as
well as the Brightwood lines. is one of
the serious problems In other cities, II
is claimed. 1t is remedied by a third
track for express trains. Here no pro-
vision at all is made for it.
Knapp Has Hopes.
Chairman Knapp of the interstate com.
merce commission believes that the COM
mission will be able to straighten out the
seeming tangle with the railways in short
order and to the satisfaction of all con-
cerned. 1t is not unlikely that the atten-
ton of the other members of the commits
sion may be called to the situation by
correspondence, and a mail vote of the
commission may settle the points of doubt
that now seem to exist
While Mr.. Knapp is not disposed to deal
with the difficulties through the newspa
pers. 1t is nevertheless apparent that he
does not contemplate any back ira ckins
on the part of his commission SO far as
the railway commission is concerned He
feels that any obstacle that now stands in
the way of the efforts of his commission
to carry out the provisions of the law con.
cerning the local railways can and will pe
soon and easily adjusted.
| II is evident he feels what it is to he a
buffer between the public. the papers and
his commission during these warm sum.
mer days. but patiently follows the advice
! he gives the public in general as far as
the railway question is concerned: WAR
and all will be right in time