The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-12-02
1sCRUSADE STARTED
j.
ON "JOLTING" CARS
Railway Board Aims to
Punish Motormen for
CareleSSneSS.
+ SECRETARY EDDY
+ MAY DRAFT LAW
!. Complaints of Sudden Starts and
i Stops Have Been Numerous,
z, Ii Is Said.

The District Electric Railway Com
: mission today announced its intention
2 To take drastic steps, II necessary, to
{ put stop 20 yhe practice Of motormen
+ in abruptly starting and stopping cars
: What course the commission viii Dur-
sue has not been determined. but IL all
probability, a stringent regulation will
. be adopte6 providing for prosecution OF
: the offenders
The decision was reached at meeting
yesterday afternoon. and is the result
OF numerous protests which have been
. received concerning the apparent indif-
{ ference Of rnotormen toward the com
fort Of passengers. especially those who
Z are forced % stand
After the mode of procedure is adopt
cd. II viii be sent 70 the Interstate
2 Commerce Commission. II It is adopted
by that body II viii become the law Of
The District
To Draft Regulation
I While but little is known Of the cor
missions action yesterday, there are
strong grounds for the belief that Sec
T Rotary Eddy has been instructed to draw
I'd the regulation. L probably viii be
submitted To the commission next week,
+ and, If adopted, Immediately transmit
ted to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission.
: Such a regulation as that which it Is
9 believed would meet with approval
would operate in much the same man
sner. II Is pointed out. as the law against
speeding a complaint would be nee
feSsaTy, and. then, Witnesses would be
called TO tell what they know OF viola
.tions. after which the matter would
be acted upon
, It is not believed the proposed regu-
tlatiOn would meet with the same dir
.hcUlty in court, which beset the crowd
ing regulation. when il was found
there was no standard for determining
what constitutes a crowded car
!! Complaints Are Many.
j The decision of the commission 70
insure more comfort 10 passengers by
requiring motormer TO operate the cars
more carefully will meet with general
approval, as the matter has been the
subject OF almost as many complaints
e. as the policy Of the companies In run
sniuE closed cars during the summer
:, The question Of whether local street
cars should De equipped with cross or
longitudinal staes has not figured in
the communications received BY the
commission TO the extent thaI the TOuSo
handling Of cars has
However. there have ben no recent
complaints, and the dCuOn OF the CCil-
mission yesterday comes generally as
a surprise
Besides determining 10 bring about
q different situation as applied to prac-
tees in vogue OF starting and stopping
cars the commission also decided 10
Investigate whether the board which
extends across the glass front Of cars
-CbstrUcts the view Of the mOtOrmen-
Cause Of a Collision.
\ complaint yesterday from a citizen
stated that ne had recently witnessed
a collision between a street car and
a wagon. and that the mOtOrman said
Il was the cross piece in front which
Epreventcd him from seeing the wagon
Secretary Eddy viii investigate and
probably will have a report ready for
the Commission At its next meeting
c. Another complaint from citizen,
stating that he had been forced to wait
Effteen minutes at Ninth and + streets
for a aShinEtOn Railway and Electric
car may result in the Commission inveS-
tigating whether that company IS main
tanning its schedule
Secretary Eddy is at work on his re-
lport. setting forth the various venttlla-
stion systems used IN street cars in cities
T1rOughOut the United States, and hopes
e have II ready for submission before
Christmas
The Commission yesterday again dis
cussed the relative merits OF transverse
and longitudinal seats Il Is interested
IN the investigation by the Board OF
Trade on the subject