Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-09-11
THRONGS RETURNING
Every Incoming Train Brings
H0me-Bound vaCationists.
STREETS MORE CROWDED
Scenes Of Activity at the Union
Station.
MANY EXTRA TRAINS RUN
Operations Carried on Without q
Hitch-Average Daily Amount
of Baggage Nearly Doubled.
MANY EXTRA TRAINS RUN

With every incoming train bearing its
quota of homeward bound summer vaca-
tionists, the Capital city this month is
rapidly assuming it's normal appearance.
The crowds on the streets are no longer
composed OF an overwhelming majority
of summer bachelors" In fact, the sea-
son is at hand when there are real crowds
on the downtown thoroughfares during
the shopping hours
Labor day marked the formal termina-
ton of the vacation season, and ever
since the holiday the hosts OF home-com-
ers have grown steadily larger. Health
lily sun-browned faces are the rule rather
than the exception In the different gov
eminent departments nowadays, because
nearly all of the clerical workers have
enjoyed their regular summer outings
and are back at their desks with ener-
gies renewed and with many interesting
tales to tell Of their vacation experiences
In far-away seashore and mountain re-
sorts.
Another evidence Of the ending Of va
cations is seen in the opening of houses
that have been closed for weeks and
months, ana the hosts Of paperhangers
and painters are In their glory as the
dwelling places OF man.
Bustle at the Union Station.
At the Union station everything has
been hustle and hustle for days. The yard
crews have been unusually busy handling
the great numbers of extra coaches, be-
cause every train which comes from the
north or from the seashore resorts these
days carries anywhere from one to four
more cars than are normally required,
and not few Of the more important
trains are run in two or more sections.
Washington is the central point from
which travellers to the south and south
west are routed to their destinations,
and for this reason the force of railroad
men at the station has been working
overtime to speed the tourists on their
extra trains have been handled, yet SO
nearly perfect is the system In the big
terminal and the terminal yards that few
IL any vexing delays have occurred.
Mountains Of Baggage Handled.
At this time of year Washington has
particular reason to be proud OF its new
Union station, because of the entire alb
sence of all of the congestion which for
merly obtained at the old terminals. No
matter how large the hosts Of travellers
anu no matter now nign are the noun
tains Of baggage which they bring, the
system at the big station cares for every
thing and everybody without hitch.
In ordinary times the force of baggage
men at the station handles about 5000
to 1000 pieces of baggage each day. but
since September 1 the daily average has
been between 5000 and 1900 trunks,
valises. suit cases and bags, and at the
station last night the boast was made
proudly that not one piece of luggage has
been lost. Many big conventions have
held meetings in the east in the past
few weeks. and since it is the custom
of the railroad companies to route most
travellers through Washington, with the
stopover privilege here, the mass of bag
gage to be handled sometimes has been
tripled and quadrupled in a single day.
Another Busy Season Coming.
Because most of the colleges and schools
will open within the ensuing fortnight,
the baggage handlers expect to experience
their busiest season between now and
September %. Scores and scores Of fam
so that the boys and girls may start their
studies with the beginning of the fall
terms.
About October 1 the railroad men will
look for the vanguard of returning Euro
pean tourists. and then the real struggles
Of the baggage hustlers will be at hand,
because the baggage men know that quite
few of the parties of transatlantic trav-
elers carry big trunks and many of them.
When the last of the European travellers
return, the railroad men will settle down
to another period of comparative quiet,
since the next real rush, with the pos
sible exception of that incident to the ar
rival Of the statesmen for the opening of
Congress, will be in evidence during the
Christmas holidays.