The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1911-09-15
PUBLIC UTILITIES
DISGRACE THE LAW
To the Editor of THE TIMES:

To the Editor Of THE TIMES:
A few accidents and more hoggish-
ness on the Fart of street railway COM
parties has started anew the question
Of proper regulations and more definite
laws governing public service corpora
lions In the District.
The Times as a medium for the dis
semination of thought and timely dis
cussion has proven a friend 10 those
in need IF a friend, and II is 10 be
hoped that the good work will be con-
tinued.
The public service corporations as
they exist today are menace and dis
; grace to the good intentions Of the law
: that permitted their creation. Their
/ existence is alone made possible by the
will OF the people, which in their eyes
is a matter of no consequence. They
spring in a few years from a small be-
ginning into a monstrous and greedy
monopoly, that has no more respect for
the common herd-their patrons-that
they bleed and Cypress than the masked
hold-up thug on the public highway.
Their mind and sole desire is concen-
trated upon the one idea, that every
thing that exists is for their sole bene-
lit. use, ard profit.
OF all the public service corporations
doing business in the District, the street
railway companies stand prominently in
the front as needing the closest scrutiny
and the most radical reforms. The
writer, who fer the past six years has
been compelled to ride over four diff
ferent roads twice day, knows whereof
lie speaks. The pneumatic tubes, COM
monty called P. A. Y. Z. cars, recently
inaugurated by the Capital Traction
Company on their Georgetown rnc, will
prove a veritatle death-trap in the
winter time, and stands as a reflection
on the authorities who are supposed To
lcok after the " elfare of the public.
Another evil the commuter has to con-
tend with in endeaVoring to maintain
a home in the suburbs is that the
Capital Traction Company has long ago
forgotten the promise that was made
when the terminal station was con-
templated in Georgetown. Those con-
Neniences that were supposed to be
since disappeared or never really eX-
listed. They now force their passen-
gers out Of the cars from one to two
squares from the end of the route In |
an kinds OF weather, when they could !
easily and without costing a cent carry
them to the end and under cover. Only |
Few days ago sudden downpour Of |
rain came up as the car on which the |
writer was riding reached the station. |
Ih1rty feet more would have placed all |
under shelter. But no, the cars edict |
had gone forth, end the sick, old, |
ladies', and strangers, were compelled to |
get soaking through the cussedneas |
Of that company. Then the car was |
moved under shelter and to the end of |
the route. Is there any wonder that |
ofttimes indignation is wrought up to |
such an extent that reason and sober |
Judgment lie passive or ere forgotten? |
They also fail to provide shelter or |
waiting rooms for their patrons, and |
public convenience rooms, or toilets. |
have also disappeared. This is a serI- |
GUS question to the travelling public, |
and should be one of the first things
Drought to the attention of Congress,
Is there appears to be no one in
authority to regulate these matters.
10 add to the curse of the journey, IL
a person desires to cross over into Vir-
gina, there stands in the mud a d.
InlnutiVe and antiquated car called the
B1cge car that will carry you over
on transfer once every half hour. or
Wnen they see car from their look
gut approaching on the Falls Church
me, as their sole purpose for running
seems to be-apd it is plain on the
surtace-to pocket the fares COMING
INTO Georgetown. They should be forced |
20 run that car for the accommodation |
OF the public, redeening a transfer as
cheerfully and diligently as a cash IA rc !
fcf small outlay the RAILWAY com
peny acquired practically a m0nopoIT
of the Aqueduct bridge and II has bean
question as to whether a cent is ev-r
Pald as taxes on that acuufrerncnt |
ihey should also be compelled 10 raI-s
me street at their terminal, even n II
3 pupnc ground, as the railway COM
pany is the sole beneficiary.
Clarendon, Va.