The Washington times., 1910-07-14
Secretary Eddy Makes Re
port on Converting
Closed Cars.
VESTIBULE WINDOWS
MAY ALL BE OPENED
Evidence Given That Traction
Companies Are Looking After
Passengers Comfort

Forced. al last, 10 realization OF
the fact that the people of the Dis
trict OF Columbia are IN earnest in their
demand for more comfortable street
cars during the hot summer months
the Capital Traction Company Is con-
ductins experiments with one of its
cars with a view TO giving its patrons
some degree Of comfort
This policy. contrasting strangely
Evith TIE previous attitude Of the COM
rany n refusing TO take the pubic
into is confidence. comes at q time
Wien the agitation against the crowded,
uncomfortable and uusauitaTy street
cars is at it's height, and also at a time
when the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion Is giving serious consideration 10
this particular subject
In a second report submitted 70 the
District Railway Commission Secretary
Eddy calls attention 10 the fact that
the Capital Traction Company has con-
verted one Of the old Fourteenth street
closed cars into a Semi-Convertloie car
somewhat on the order Of the pay-v-itl-
IN type
Much Like Open Car.
In his report Secretary Eddy says
that this car approaches very nearly
the omen summer car. and has the added
advantage Of being safer secretary
Fddv-s report or this car Is as follows
q have the honor 60 report LlaI the
CanItaI Traction Company has recent
" placed IN operation on their -Four
tceuth street line new type OF pay
within car This car is very similar
10 the pav-Wirhiu cars which have
been in operation for more than
year on the Chevy Chase zine OF the
Capital Traction COmpany- but differs
from these cars IN that the entrance
a1td exit doors are Cf the folding in
stead # the sliding type and are
operated mauuaflv instead Of pneu-
uaticalIy. The door and folding-step
mechanism IS so designed and con-
strucJed that the doors can be opened
ana closed with very little effort ol
the part or the conductor OF motor
man by means Of small crank To-
Gated at the same point as the ar
valves on the Chevy Chase cars
Old Car Remodeled.
-',The car in question, No. l21, IS one
OF the old closed yellow Fourteenth
street cars which has been remodeled
The removal of the end buIkheads, in
order to conform with one OF the es-
sentiaI features of the Day-withiE
principle, together with the provision
which has been made for opeuiuz all
three Of the windows ia each vesti-
bule, makes a type OF car which is
certainly much more desirable for
summer weather than tae ordinary
closed car
such car, II equipped With semi
convertible car windows reaching
from the roof nearly 10 the seat aD-
pr0aches very nearly the open summer
car and has a decided advantage over
the latter in that boarding and aIiEhtu=
accidents with such type or car are
practically impossible and 10 is chiefly
because Of the large number of s-.en
accidents which occur In the operation
OF summer cars that traction ccmra-
nies in general are loeth TO use them.
- Is presumed that the car referred
- as now IN service on the FourteeuEh
street line Is being operated expert
mentally. with a possible view of -sac-
inS other similar cars in service # the
experiment proves successful
Next Best To Open Car.
stree railway men asserted to6ay that
~ =d't ION t9 being easy to operate, this
TeConSt- UCreG car Is the most comfort
able in Washington with the exception,
OF course. Of The open car It also IS
continued on Page TweIveJ