Evening star., 1918-01-28
'SK|P-STOP' SYSTEM
UNDER AMUSEMENT
Administrator Garfield May
Make 1t Compulsory on
Street Railways.
MEANS OF SAVING FUEL

The street railways of the country
may be ordered by Fuel Administrator
Garfield to put the "skip-stop' system
into immediate operation, as a coal
saving measure.
Adoption of such order is understood
to he in contemplation. Exports esti-
mate that on urban lines the saving
would amount to half a pound of coal
per car for every stop eliminated. The
saving for big heavy interurban cars
would be more than pound of coal per
stop eliminated it is claimed.
Lines in several cities already have
put "skip-stops' into operation in the
interest OF saving coal. In Detroit,
where the system formerly obtained.
but was abolished by the city council as
a reprisal measure against the street
ear company for increasing the rate of
fare, the fuel administrator overrode
the council and ordered "skip-stops'
restored.
To Be Inaugurated in Washington.
Washington is expected to have
'skip-stops' in operation within a
short time, irrespective of any action
that may be taken by the federal au-
thorities. This plan has been recon-
mended by John a. Beeler. traffic ex-
pert, who is making a survey of local
traction conditions for the District
public utilities commission, as an effec-
tive means of speeding up service. in
addition to making possible a big saw
ing in coal.
1t is estimated by engineers who have
Investigated the matter that operation
under skip stop" system, which
would allow not more than eight stops
to mile on urban lines. would enable
the street railways of the country to
effect a saving of approximately 10 per
cent in the amount of coal they nor
.mally consume.
1t is pointed out. therefore. that the
amount of coal which would be released
under the PRONUNCIATION of such a gen
eral order as the fuel administrator is
said to be considering would run into
hundreds of thousands of tons
Considered by MI. Beeler.
It was learned today that the next
report to be made by Mr. Beeler to the
utilities commission proba bly, will deal
exclusively with the subject of skip
stops. The traffic expert and his as
sistants are considering such plan for
all the street railway lines of the
capital, and will present it to the COM
mission at the earliest practicable time
They also are considering the ad-
visibility of abolishing the majority
are said to make more than $4,000 stops
day at the regular fire stops. many
of which: it is claimed. could be elm
mated. If coal saving could be eff
fected at the rate of half a pound for
every stop abolished the aggregate
saving in one day. it is estimated.
would be more chan 10000 pounds. and
this would be in addition TO the saving
effected through "skip-stops."
THE commission has not reached a
decision on the recommenda tions con-
tanned in the first Beeler report, sub
mitted Friday. dealing with conditions
at the throat of the Capital Traction
Company's hnes-the New York and
Pennsylvania avenues and 18th street
intersections-but there is every indi-
cation that the recommendations will
be acted on with little delay.
Come Before Commissioners.
Commf Brownlow stated this
morning that some of Mr. Beeler's pro-
posals are in the nature of police mat
ters, and will have to be acted on by
the District Commissioners. For ex-
ample. the parking and vehicular traf-
f1c recommendations will have to be
passed on by the Commissioners in
stead of the utilities commission. Wal
ter c. Allen. executive officer of the
utilities board, has been directed to
segregate the recommendations accord
ing to whether they should be con-
sidered by the Commissioners or the
public service board.