Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-28
FAVOR IMPROVEMENT
OF HERD|C SERVICE
Commissioners Recommend
the Passage of Representa-
tive Smiths Bill.

The District Commissioners today rec
commended to Congress the passage of the
bill introduced by Representative Smith
OF Michigan for the improvement Of the
herdic service on 18th street.
Because they have no authority for
regulating the operation of the vehicles
in this service, which is owned and con-
trolled by the Metropolitan Coach Com
pany, the Commissioners state the bill
Is an important one and that necessity
Of it's enactment. is very apparent
The Endorsement of the measure is made
upon the provisO Of certain amendments
offered by the Commissioners being
adopted.
The first Of the amendments directs
the entire elimination Of section Of the
bill. This section provides the company
shall provide a sufficient number Of We
hicles. which shall be kept in sanitary
condition.
The substitute offered by the Commits
sioners to take the place of section,3 is
much more specific. 1t requires that the
vehicles not only shall be maintained in
a sanitary condition, but that they must
be meat and clean, free from offensive
condition. sufficient in number and rea-
sonably safe and comfortable
Will Fix Routes and Fares.
In addition. the substitute provides 'the
company shall operate it's vehicles over
a route or routes approved by the Com
m;ssioners. or to be approved by them so
as to e"expeditiOus passage TO all per-
sons desiring to use the same, and on
such time schedule or schedules and for
such rates and charges as the Commits
sioners may from time to time fix and
determine
Another of the amendments offered by
the Commissioners is to take the place
of section 5 in the bill 1t provides that
the first day OF January. 1912. and that,
in addition to the penalties provided,
failure of the company to comply with
the terms of the act shall make 1t un-
lawful for 1t to operate It's VehlcieS over
its route.
This amendment is as follows:
Section 8. That the provisions OF this
act shall be effective on and after the
| ton to the penalties in this act pro
vided. the failure of the Metropolitan
Coach Company at any time or times
hereafter to comply with the terms mere
OF shall make it unlawful for 1t to oper.
ate its vehicles over its route. and II
said company shall. within a period Of
| thirty days OF notice thereof, fail to
comply with any Of said rules. regula-
tionS or orders, made by SAID COmmlS-
sioners, it's right to operate said vehicles
| shall terminate without notice, and the
| Commissioners are directed thereupon to
| prevent the use of the public highways
| by said company.
| Is Private Corporation.
| The Metropolitan Coach Company Is q
private corporation. 1t operates a line
of heridcs from 10th street and U street
northwest, south on 10th street to Massa-
chusetts avenue; south on 18th street to
PENNSYLVANIA avenue; west on Pennsyl-
yania avenue to 18th street: south on 18th
| street TO G street; west on G street to
| ODD street, thence on 22d, F and 21st
streets to G street. returning to 10Th ana
| u streets by the same route.
| According to the report OF the Com
missioners, the company was not char
| tered by an act OF Congress- and was
not regularly recognized by law until
the massage of an act OF Congress. ap-
proved May q. 1908. providing for an
extension OK certain Of the street systems
| OF the District Of Columbia to the new
| Union station.
The Commit esioners state they gave the
| company permission Nto operate its ve-
| hicles from 18th street and New York ave-
ma northwest, south on 18th street to
PennsyIvania avenue, east on Pennsyl-
vania avenue to Sth street, returning to
1hth street and New York avenue by the
same route This route. however. It Is
I said IL not being used.