The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1908-12-24
CAN OVERCROWDING BE PRE-
VENTED BY RULE.


creased in Washington beyond all cx.
Pectations. A -Public-service bust.
ness subjected to the same demand
might not have attempted to meet it
But a pubiiv>service corporation must
not only attempt to meet it, but as idI
rs lies in its power, actually meet and
satisfy it, no matter how large an out
lay Is required for new equipment and
larger operation or how far the original
proportions of the enterprise are dis
tended.
The local street railway commission
has submitted to the Interstate Com
merce Commission a draft of new regu-
lations to make sure a new service in
street cars to meet the new demand.
Briefly, they require:
!. Enough cars to accommodate all
passengers without Overcrowding.
.. Through service to the heart of
the city from Somerset and Rockville.
;. The adjustment Of traiIers after
January ], 1910.
If it Is possible to run enough cars
10 prevent overcrOwding the two local
street railway systems should be will
ing-and The Times believes they are
willng-tO provide them. A require
ment to do so as far as practicable
from an authority legally constituted
will not be a superiority. On the con-
trary, IT Is a proven need as a safe
guard against Ort-sighted or indif-
ferent management. In so far. the
community is indebted to the Railway
Electric Commission.
But is it possible so to prevent over
crowding? On all our urban lines the
service during the rush hours specified
by the Secretary of the Commission
that Is to say from TO Q a. m. and
from TO $50 p. m.-would appear to
be already as generous as operating
limitations viii permit. Yet it Is a
common and unhappy knowledge that
the cars are Overcrowded, that the pas
senger would rather hang on than wait,
and that in Fourteenth street. Ninth
street, street, and Columbia road
cars are now run so close to each
other that the mOtOrman must exer-
else great care TO keep a safe distance
from the car ahead No other city
which has come under our observation,
no matter what form of supervision
has been provided OF what regulations
have been promulgated, has been able
10 prevent overcrowding and some of
them have relieved their surface cars
by means of both underground and
elevated lines.
The situation OF Somerset and Rock
vile passengers would not seem to be
materially different from that of pas
sengers from Takoma Park and Bright
wood. Through service for the one
group is needed as badly as for the
other. 1t was urged for the one about
two months ago; now it is urged for
the other. In both cases there will
be more cars and consequently slower
operation for the passenger within the
city limits.
As for the trailers, their passing
means also the passing of smoking on
one or both systems. At first this was
restriction which reused the ire of
the accustomed user of tobacco. Now
he Is probably ready to acknowledge it
justified. The platforms are less crowd
ed, the great body of passengers is di-
rectly benefited, and in many cases the
smoker himself is ready to accept the
limitation as an advantage 10 him
physically.
Lastly-aI these regulations are so
far only suggestions. They are sug-
gestions from a source entitled to respect
and likely TO be sustained. But they
are only suggestions, nevertheless, and
viii remain suggestions unless promuI-
gated as law by the Interstate Com
merce Commission.