Evening star., 1915-01-01
STREET RAILWAYS.

During the past year the public utili-
ties commission received numerous Pc
titions for the extension Of street rail-
way lines within the District Of Colum-
bia. The commission Is empowered
under the law creating 1t, to require
any reasonable extension or extensions
of lines that shall promise to be COM
pensatory within a reasonable time.
Among the requests received was one
for the extension Of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company's line
from its present terminus at Mount
Pleasant street and Park road, so as to
form a loop around several blocks in
that neighborhood and to provide for
the more ready handling Of cars and
making the street car line more acces-
sible to its patrons living north of Park
road.
Other requests for extensions during
the year were as follows:
The extension of the lines Of the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company south from H street north
east, by way Of 18th and 18th streets.
to Potomac avenue and the navy yard.
The extension Of some street railway
or motor bus line down 17th street,
past the Continental Hall and the Pan
American building, to Potomac Park. .
The extension of the lines OF the Cap
ital Traction Company on Florida ave-
street northeaat, and on F street from
Sth to 18th stZSet northeast.
The extension Of the lines OF the Cap
ital Traction Company on 10Th street
north of Pennsylvania avenue to Ver-
mont avenue, thence north on vermont
avenue to Thomas Circle.
To these requests the commission re-
piled that no action will be taken until
the valuation and financial investlga-
ton of the street railway companies Is
completed These valuations and in
vestigations were begun in May Of last
year, and it is anticipated that they
will be completed during the coming
summer.
believing that public necessity and
convenience required the immediate ex-
tension of lines of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company from
their present terminus at the tntersec-
tion of Nichols and Alabama avenues, In
Congress Heights, along Nichols ave-
nue. to Upsal street. issued an order
requiring such extension. This order
requires that said extension be COM
pleted and cars be operated thereon on or
before June 30, 1915. This line pro-
vides transportation facilities for the
community in Congress Heights. which
has been built UP since the street rail-
way line was originally constructed.
The petition originating the case came
from the Congress Heights Public Inn
provement Association and the extern
sion desired by that association was to
the Livingston and Giesboro roads. The
commission did not. however. believe
that the full extension requested was
necessary.
The commission Investigated means
Of improving traffic conditions to ac-
commodate the changed conditions in
the vicinity of the new bureau Of en-
craving and printing and the adjoin-
ing Offices of the Treasury and the Ag-
ricultural departments.
Double Tracks Ordered.
On the basis of this investigation 1t
issued an order December 9 requiring
that the Washington Railway and
Electric Company construct double
tracks on Water street east from 14th
street, connecting with the existing
tracks of the Virginia
Railway Company on 14th street, the
Water street tracks to connect with
the existing tracks on that street at
11th street and to provide sufficient
space for storing cars to meet the
heavy traffic conditions required. The
Washington Railway. and Electric
Company and the Washington-VirBini
Railway Company were required to ex-
tend the joint use Of the existing
tracks on 14th street south to Water
street to permit the joint operation OF
| these two companies over this street.