The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1918-02-13
v. B. & A. MAY
LOSE TERMINAL
At 18TH Street
Bz-HILL PRICE.

Denial OF terminal 1actutlee ~ New
York avenue and Fifteenth street, the
most Scongested trafnc center In
washington, to the big cars of the
Washington. Baltimore and Annapolis
line, will be recommended in the third
report Of John A. Beeler, doctor ex-
traordinary to sick street railway
lines, to the Public Utilities Commits
sion,
This report, dealing with the H
street line OF the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company, the cars
Of which end their westbound trips
at Fifteenth street and New York
avenue and upon which run the cars
OF the W sshington, Baltimore and An
napolis will be submitted to the Utili-
ties Commission in short time
The experts End that the Inter
urban cars seriously interfere with
the schedules of the regular city cars
on the H street line, especially at the
terminal at Fifteenth street, where
they often lay a number OF minutes,
and at which there are frequently
two big cars, tying up the small city
cars.
End Trips in NOPtheaSt.
The experts see no reason why
these ears. should be given terminal
faciIiues in the heart OF the city,
and will recommend that they end
their journeys at Fifteenth and II
streets northeast, passengers being
transferred to and from the II street
cars.
1t will be pointed out that these
heavy, eumbersome cars. built for In
terurban traffic only, do not receive
NJ -
city, stopping only at street railway
crossings, and the service being des-
ignated wholly AfeF s-inteFurban ac-
comrnodatiou- - 81 1-
The purpose. pfzthe present inyes-
tigation and OF the utilities Commits
sion Being to better Itreet car service
in Washington all obstruction to
speedy and satisfactory city service
should be removed.
Various suggestions regarding the
terminal facilities OF the Washington,
Baltimore and Annapolig cars have
been made to the Utilities Commission
and Investigated by the Beeler ex-
perts, but the holding OF the cars at
Fifteenth and II streets Is the only
one likely to be adopted. One OF the
suggestions Is that these cars be al
lowed to Terminate their westbound
trips east Of Fourteenth and New
York avenue by the installation OF
suitable switches. Another mas been
to require loop somewhere in that
vicinity.
subways Vow Impossible
Suggestions by Senator GalIingsr
and others that subways may have
to be constructed in this city has re.
vived that subject among employees
of the Utilities Commission, who
have for years been studying the
problem and have maps made.
II was pointed out today, however,
that under present war conditions
OF subways here would
be practically impossible except at a
cost that is absolutely prohibitlve,
and which private money would not
undertake. u Is estimated that sub
way construction costs would be ten
times greater than. surface eonstruc-
tion. Contractors would not bid upon
the work now except on a costplus
basis.
Sixteenth street, II was said. would be
ideal for subway purposes. 1t Is also
the logical street. experts said. for an
other surface line to relieve the conges-
ton from the north and northwest por-
tons OF the city. Chat this would be
fought bitterly by important influences
has long been forcasted.
Eliminating Sixteenth street. utilities
officials say that Seventeenth street
would be the best north and south route
and that a cross-town line should be
built over / street This work could
not be done now, though. except at