Evening star., 1914-10-24
INCREASED CAR SERVICE
IS SOUGHT BY PETITION
Government Employees Ask Utilities
Commission to Grant Transfers
and Better Facilities.
Plea Made by Workers in Bureau of
Engraving and Printing and
Agricultural Department.

Increased street car service for en-
ployes of the bureau of engraving and
printing, the Agriculture Department
and of the auditors Office, now located
in the old bureau of engraving and
printing, is asked in petition, with
several hundred signatures. filed with
the utilities commission of the District
of Columbia today.
This petition points out that the num-
ber of government employees using the
street cars in this locality each day is
constantly increasing. It shows how
many of these federal clerks are COM
PEELED to pay an extra fare to reach
their place Of employment. others have
to buy a 2-cent transfer, while others,
to avoid the extra fare, have to travel
eight blocks by circuitous route.
causing a loss of fifteen minutes in
time.
Granting of universal transfers is ad-
vocated as means of relief, and the
suggestion is made that short-trip
line should be put in operation between
New York avenue northwest and B
street southwest, which would receive
and give transfers from and to all in
tersecting railway and coach lines.
Adequate Service" Sought.
The utilities commission is asked to
procure by legislation adequate serv-
ice" and mutual privileges of trans
fer to the public. The petition fol-
lows:
"The erection of the new bureau of
engraving and printing, providing for
an increase in the number of employees;
fhn f1Hyo tod nd
ing force of the Department of Agri-
culture, together with the recent as
signment of the several auditing of
fees of the Treasury with thousand
or more employes) to the old bureau of
engraving and printing building, have
made the street railroad facilities to
and from that section entirely made
quate.
'The approach of winter demands
immediate relief. If not given, much
of the government will be greatly pref
udiced.
Further injustice and inconvenience
is imposed upon all of these employees
residing in the northwestern section
of the city by the lack of a proper
and reasonable transfer system. For
instance, persons residing in George
town or Mount Pleasant on the line Of
the Capital Traction Company are re-
quired to pay cents additional for a
transfer to the Metropolitan line south
at 14th street and Pennsylvania ave
nue.. This should be remedied by the
issue of a mutual free transfer to all
persons going to and returning from
lines. Persons residing in Georgetown
or Mount Pleasant or on the lines of
the Metropolitan Railway Company de-
string to go south on 14th street are
required to go as far as 11th and F
streets and transfer to car going
south on 11th street, west on E street
and then south on 14th street.
"If a transfer was allowed at 14th
at 14th and E on south-bound cars.
eight blocks of traffic would be saved
the company, and at least fifteen min
utes in time saved the traveller
Required to Pay Two Fares.
persons residing on the line of the
Metropolitan Coach Company and de-
pendent upon its service are now re-
quired to pay another fare to ride
south from Pennsylvania avenue and
18th street on the Metropolitan line. A
mutual transfer is now made between
the coach company and this railroad
company at the crossing at 18th and n
streets northwest. Why should not
such a privilege of transfer be re-
quired of the same companies at their
crossings at 14th and Pennsylvania
avenue?
'.The whole matter might be remedied
by legislation requiring the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company,
which owns the line running south
from the Avenue on 14th street, to
construct a road on 14th street from
the Avenue to F street, and run num-
ber of short-trip cars from the stop
ming place on B street southwest to
New York avenue northwest, said line
being required to accept transfers from
all intersecting railway and coach
lines Oath street. New York avenue,
F and G streets and Pennsylvania ave-
nue. northwest). Said line to be re-
ouired to accept fares for all travel
north and to issue transfers to all in
tersecting lines. including the Metro
politan Coach Company, which shall
be accepted for travel by said COM
believing that the reforms herein
set forth are not only necessary. but
reasonable and just, and that their re-
ouired Institution would be equitable
to all, we. the undersigned employees
of the United States government, here
by petition and pray that steps be
taken by you, either by the issue of
proper orders, if the same is within
YOUR power, or that you secure proper
LEGISLATION requiring the adequate
service and the granting of mutual
privileges of transfer to the public as
outlined herein"