Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-03-31

will be removed from the rush-hour
demand il the hour for the opening Of
stores is advanced to 10 o'clock.
High schools, while contributing a
relatively small number. nevertheless
add considerably to the overlooking and
can materially aid the situation and
benefit themselves by changing the
opening -four to $3.50 am. he says.
Another exhibit accompanying the re-
port shows how adoption of the changes
proposed will spread out the load
curves. The sharp peak of the present
rush hours is softened into a gradual
curve.
The spread in hours is such that cars
can take down one load. return to the
outer terminal and take down another.
Also short-line cars or those which
only run a portion of the way to the
outer terminals can be used to better
advantage, 1t is claimed. Combined with
the faster schedules possible by the
use of the skip stop, the same number
of cars now used will give much i'm
proved service.
"It is readily seem" says the report.
that the companies should not only be
enabled to handle in comfort thousands
who are now compelled to walk, but
that seats will be available through
both the morning and evening rush
hours for a much greater proportion of
the total passengers than ever before
possible.
Adjustment Of Time Tables.
1.-The time tables will. of course. have
to be adjusted to fit the new conditions.
1t should be possible to rearrange the
hours Of work of the conductors and
motormen so that they. too. will share
in the benefit of the change in office
hours Since the cars will be in service
longer during the rush hour. there
should be less 'trippers' and split
runs This will remove one of the
sources of complaint of the men.
staggering of hours will be a more
uniform distribution of the load on the
power plants, which will permit of
more economical use of the coal. The
line voltage will be maintained more
readily, which should insure an even
operating speed throughout all periods
Of the day.
The improvement of the car service
which will be made possible by the
changes in the working hours. is an end
which in itself will justify the means.
There will be less danger of delays to
the service and hence less need for
hardness. The railways will be able to
carry greater portion of the people
to work and can provide greater num-
Der with seats than heretofore possible,
thus serving the public better as a
whole.
"Suburbanites should be especially
benefited. A regularity of headways on
the long lines will be especially
helpful instead of the docks. of
cars which are now run in an effort
should result in opening up suburban
territory to a larger number of work.
ers, including those who are boarding,
and so relieve the congestion of the
downtown districts.
1.-THE noon hour for lunch should be
IN
with the opening hour. This will tend
to spread out the peak load in the
restaurants, SO that conditions of
crowding should not be, so serious as
at present. This should result in bet
ter service, less dyspepsia and hence
more efficient work for the government.
This staggering of the hours should
be of great advantage. in fact. to all
riders themselves. The present ire
mendous crush that now occurs daily
due to nearly every one nthe city try
ing to observe the same hours affects
the entire commercial life of the commu-
nifty more or less. There is no really
valid reason why any one should insist
on its continuance. except that 1T Is a
long-established custom and difficult
to change"
Eighty-four exhibits. maps and sum-
maries setting forth the result of in
teresting traffic and population studies
made by experts working under MT;
to the commission as the bases for the
various changes proposed.
Discusses Traffic Situation.
The first part Of the report is taken
up with general discussion of the
traffic situation. Pointing out that the
capitals population is still increasing,
the report has as one of its exhibits a
map showing the density of population.
compiled from the returns OF the po-
lice census made in November, 1917.
Each lot on the map represents q pop
ulation of 50 people. The density and
rernarkahlY even dietrihufion Of tha