The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-07-30
CAR GOMPAN BOWS
TO PUBLIC OPINION
Officials Order $50 Coaches
of Chevy Chase
Line Type.
Continued from First Page)

Continued from First Page-)
were run on the Mount Pleasant line
Today more than half the cars on that
line are open cars These particular
open cars are Of rare old vintage, and
some Of them show signs Of having just
escaped the scrap heap. but they are
more comfortable than the closed cars
and passengers indicate their preference
by allowing the closed cars TO pass while
they wait Cor one Of the bounding open
ones
When Secretary Eddy made his re-
port on this subject the Washington
Railway and Electric Company had
a large number Of open cars in its
shops with no indication that they
would be .perated. The interest mani
tested in The matter by the Interstate
Commerce Commission evidently had
its effect, for the Capital Traction Com
pany is now operating every open car
owned by 1t, and the Washington Rail
way and Electric Company has put into
operation a vast majority OF the cars
which, two months ago, We're accumu-
lating dust and rust IN the barns.
Competitor May Follow.
President HamiIton's letter anuOunc-
ing the future plans OF the company and
the probability that the Washington
Railway and Electric Company viii
take a similar step within few days
is Believed 10 mean that for the present
the Interstate Commerce Commission
viii not md II necessary to make a
ruling on the question submitted by
the District Railway Commission as to
whether the laws sufficiently broad
operate open cars or TO authorize the
commission TO order the companies TO
operate types OF cars more comfortable
than the closed cars now run during
the sumner months.
While no statement from the Inter
state Commerce Commission accom-
panied President Hamilton's letter il Is
understood that Chairman Knapp and
his associates have taken the position
that IL would be wei 20 see how far
the traction companies are willing 10
90 to meet the demands OF their pa
irons
Chairman Knapp has already been in
conference with President Hamilton on
that subject It had been his intention
10 confer with officials Of the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company, but
President Norment Is away on his Va
cation and General Manager Geor-e H
IIarries is busy winning victories in
Gettysburg.
Il is expected that upon his return
he Will - called upon 10 tell the com
mission What his company intends 10
90 TO meet the demands made upon Il
BY the riding public
M Hamilton's Statement.
when, because Of our recent eastern
extensions. including approaches 20 the
Union Station. put in operation during
1905 and 1909. II became necessary 20
increase our car equipment, careful con
sideratiOn Of the several improved types
Of street cars was entered upon, with
the result that for the Chevy Chase
line the pay within car was adopted,
and for The increase on urban lines the
-pay-as-y OU-enIer' car was selected,
and the cars of the 'pay-as-you-enter'
type were placed in operation on the
Fourteenth street line. where, because
Of the volume Of traffic. the best and
severest test of the merit OF this car
would be given.
''TO carry into effect the policy Of
the company decided upon several
years ago TO gradually abolish trail
ers. and to substitute large motor
cars, the company gave careful OBJ
seTvatiCn to the oDeratiOnNOf the two
types Of cars above mentioned. in
order 10 be in d position to select the
type of car most available, both from
the standpoint Of cOmpany's operation
and from that Of public convenience
and comfort
Satisfaction Is Alleged.
Both the pay within and the pay
as-yOu-enter' car have given salts
faction. and their operation has mate
rally Iessened accidents, especially
those accidents resulting 10 passen-
gers IN getting of and on cars.
1--WE were impressed, however. with
the advantage Of the cars of the nav
within type-drst, because Of the
more absolute control by the COL
drctor and mOtormau over entrance
and exit, and, therefore. the added
safety to passengers: second. because
the pay within car, by reason Of the
absence Of buIkheads- was a more
comfortable car for aIl-year service
and, third, because this car. from the
start. has given absolute satisfaction
10 our patrons, and has been the sub
9ect Of their unqualified approval.
Al the time OF the purchase of cars
ABOVE referred TO- the difficulty Of ODer-
Rting the doors OF the nav within ar
0y a mechanical device rather than air
s6eSSure was an obstacle to their 11se
On urban lines. a series Of exDerfr1errs
IN which this company partfcfpa ted
during the time that has intervened
since the Chevy Chase cars were placed
IN operation, has resulted in The con
stTuctiOn by the Pay Within COMPANY
or mechanical device that Overc0meS
the difficulty above referred TO. AMI
permits the operation of exit and IN
trance doors by a mechanical device.
hand operated, and which seems, after
practical test, 10 be quite as good as
operation by air pressure
Test Car Ordered.
Early in Nay the company ordered
one Of its cars TO be equipped with 5he
pay within mechanically operated de-
vice, and on June y this car was placed
in operation on the Fourteenth street
line This car proved so satisfactory in
operation. and under test, that OF the
80 new cars ordered IN June 1910 The
nrst twenty viii be of the pay within
type and these VIII be placed in opera
ton about December ]. 1915. 1t Is the
hope of the company, and its expecta-
ton, that the fun test Of this type Of
car by use Of the twenty cars referred
70. viii be so satisfactory as 10 war
rant the company In adopting that type
1Or the fun order OF 80 cars above re-
feTred 10.
In addition to the safety afforded tc