The Washington times., 1909-02-13
COMMISSION HURLS
STREET CAR BOMB
Orders Companies to Put
Lines in Condition in
Short Time.
THEY MUST OBEY
OR FIGHT SUITS
District Attorney Given Data and
Told to Proceed for Old
Violations.

The Interstate Commerce Commission
today made public the orders issued by
it. to prevent the crowdiug of cars IN the
city during the rush hours, unnecessary
noise on curves, and the unsanitary
condition Of ears on certain lines. The
orders take effect ON april i, and stip-
ulate the headway th&C must be main
tanned on various lines al certain hours,
leaving nothing TO the railroad com
panies but 10 obey the orders or pay
the penalty Of mot more than $1,000
for every day of disobedience.
While the railroad companies have
been ignoring the District Electric Rail-
way Comr.ission, created by the Inter
state Commerce Commission 10 investi-
gate All complaints against the service,
the District commission has been quiet
Iy gathering data 20 prove the viola
uons.
Prosecutions Urged.
Eot only has the Interstate Commis-
sion complied with the recommendation
OF the District commission and plac y
these data before the District Attorney
with the request that he prosecute the
railroad companies in violation OF the
law but lt has also decided TO put Up
with no more evasion on the part Of
the corporations and their officials.
The orders TO the railroad companies
were issued on February .. the same
date that the District Attorney was re-
quested to proceed against them for
violations of the law OF May %, 1905
This law requires ali railroads within
the District to operate a sufficient NUM-
her of cars, clean sanitary. and in
good repair with proper and safe power,
equipment appliance and service com
Portable and convenient. and so 10 oper-
ate the same as TO give expeditions pas
sage, nGI TO exceed hIteen miles an
hour within the city limits or twenty
miles per hour in the suburbs 10 All
persons DESTROYS OF the use of said ears,
without Gro Wding said cars
Penalty Provisions.
u IS stipulated that "each day OF
failure or neglect on the part of such
company or corporation, its officers or
employees" TO obey the law or the regu-
lati0ns OF the Interstate Commerce
Commission for the enforcement Of the
law. shall be punishable by fine not
TO exceed $1,000.
The orders In question are seven in
number. Five o. them relate TO over
CroWding, one to the noise made by ears
passing around Dupont Circle, and the
ditiou OF cars Of the Georgetown and
Tcnleytowu Railway Company.
Those relating TO croWdinE Of cars viii
fall like a bOmbsnen into the offices OF
the railroad companies which have taken
the stand that croWding could not be
avoided that II has been a problem to
be found IN every large city, and, ~
anything, was less OF a nevil here than
I'm other cities. The railroad officials
have taken the attitude that a solution
OF the uTDbIpUI would be welcomed bv
them
Solution Offered.
In its orders the Interstate Commits
sion submits what f. believes viii be the
solution. It ls ordered that on and
after april 7, 1909, the following changes
shall be made in running schedules of
the companies mentioned:
s.Irhe washington Railway and TEIec-
trtC Company shall be required 10 oper-
ate on what IS known as the Eleventh
street line between Eleventh street aud
Monroe street northwest and Ninth and
j. streets northwest, q sufficient mum Der
Of northbound cars, having a seating
CapaCity Of not less than thirty-fOur
adults, 90 maintain a headWay OF three
and three-quarter minutes between the
hours OF 30 and $50 y, m. on all days
except Sundays and holidays: and
sufficient number of sOuthbound cars,
each having n seating capacity OF not
less than Lbirty-foUT adults. TO maintain
"a headWav Of two and thTee-uuarter
minutes between the hours Of 1880 and
a. III. ou all days except Sundays and
holidays.
s'The washington Railway and Elec-
trjc Company shall be reduired to op-
crate on what is known as the Con
necticut avenue line between Mt. Pleas
ant street and Park road and Ninth and
Continued on Ninth Page)