Evening star., 1908-01-17
CROSS-T0wN LINE WANTED
CITIZENS HEARD BY HOUSE
DISTRICT CoMMITTEE.
Not Universal Transfers, But Better
Car Service the Apparent Cen
eral Desire Of Those Present.

Street railway extension was urged al
public hearing before the House District
committee yesterday afternoon. Promi-
nent citizens of East Washington recon-
mendcd the speedy enactment OF ieglsia-
tfon authorizing the Capital traction
Company to extend it's lines down Florida
avenue from eth street northwest to eth
street northeast and down Sth street 10
PENNSYLVANIA avenue southeast. they also
asked that the same company De au
taorizcd 10 lay line of tracks from Sth
and + streets northeast TO the Union
station
REPRESENTATIVES of citizens associations
Of the eastern part of the city were
among those who presented arguments.
President H.. NJ. Galiaudet OF G2iiaudet
College at Kendall! Green. also made a
plea FOR the extension of This car line.
These who favored the extension OF the
street ear line 70 the east urged the com
mittes 10 Incorporate in the bill 1t would
present to the House d provision direct
ing she Capital Traction Company to
make the extension suggested.
Need of Cross-Town Line.
Thomas w. Smith, president of the
Eas Washington Citizens Association,
declared that the eastern section of the
citr had grown enormously in the last
few years, yet there was no street car
line connecting the northeast with the
northwest.
William c. Henderson, chairman of the
street railway committee of the Nortn
Washington and lexington Citizens As
sociauon, said that Tor ten years the
people in his part OF the city had WORK
I'd for better facilities in the street car
line and that now was the time their ell
forts should be rewarded.
President Severn of the same assocfa-
tion spoke of the length of time required
TO get from the northeast part of the city
10 the northwest by car, claiming that In
most cases it was really quicker to walk
than to ride. He said that the extension
of the car line would benefit not less
than 100000 persons. directly or indirectly.
He me entioned the fac, that six of the
nine cemeteries in the District lie In the
eastern part of the city. and that hun
dreds of persons now have to walk or ride
in carriages to these cemeteries who
would be able to reach them by the cars
If the line was constructed. He said that
President Dunlop had signified his will
inguess to make the extension.
William NJ. Cromwell, president of the
Petworth Citizens Association, also spoke
in favor of the proposed line.
Tracks to Union Station.
James l.. Feeney. president of the book
binders union, advocated the extension
proposed. but said that what he most
desired was the immediate extension of
tracks to the Union station. He said that
present conditions at the station were a
disgrace and would not be tolerated in
the most provincial towns.
+. G.. Coldren of the East Washing
ton Association advocated using the bill
permitting the roads to build extensions
to the station as club to secure the de-
sired extensions in the eastern part of
the city.
DR.. Gallaudet spoke in the interests ''of
those who \could not speak for them
selves" He said that the institution of
which he was president was practically
isolated from the rest of the city and
that only by walking half a mile could
the pupils at the Deaf and Dumb Insti-
tuition reach any car line.
Only Authorization Needed.
The burden of the arguments present.
ed to the -committee was that the peo-
pie of the'eastern part of the city wanted
the r5line, the Capital Traction Com
pany was willing and ready to put in the
line. and all that was necessary for the
consummation of their desires was for
Congress to authorize the extension
W. III. Keith of IA Sth street south
east presented petition signed by sew
1<eral hundred residents OF the proposed
route of the street cars, asking that Con-
gress should not permit the installation
OF the line on Sth street. The petition
paid that there were six schools. four
churches and one hospital on Sth street
where it was proposed to lay the car
line.
As to Universal Transfers.
Representative McGavin of Chicago
asked each speaker whether or not the
association which he represented favored
9 universal transfer system or the re-
suction OF street car fares.
Mr.. Henderson said that the feeling
In his association was not in favor of
demanding a universal transfer or less
fare What we want is better service
and a greater territory covered" he add
ed This seemed to be the general sem
tlment of those who were heard