The Washington times., 1918-02-09
WOMENH HALT
CAR AND CROWD.
TAKES COMMAND.

Broolc1and citizens, indignant at
long waits for cars, took the street
car difficulty into their own hands
today. After waiting for an hour.
while car after car bound for the
barns. refused to stop for them.
twenty citizens seized one OF the
"deadhead'' cars, and over the pro
tests Of the crew, ran it into the
city.
The determined effort was led by a
dozen angry women who, at the risk
OF their lives, stood on the track in
front OF the approaching car, and 1t
was brought to a stop. Men Ia the
party then boarded the car and held II
while one Of their number called the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company on the telephone, told OF the
action that had been taken. and final
" secured sanction to the demands
that the car should be run back.
Who gave consent for the com
pany has not been learned.
Crowds waited
At $3.50 this morning along the line
Of the Brookland route were crowds
OF business people waiting to get to
$40 a number OF cars passed without
stopping, while the waiting crowds
grew more Indignant. The cars were
marked "Eekington," and were all
bound for the barns.
Finally at 9:45 part OF the walters
At Ninth and Monroe streets tried t.
stop one OF the dead" cars by stand
ing on the tracks, but they we're al
most run down for their pains, and |
the car proceeded.
Women In Cars Path.
1t only got to Twelfth street how
ever. There a number OF women took !
the matter into their own hands. |
They stepped out on the tracks and /
firmly held their position. The
motorman braked the car to a stop
just in time to prevent running them
down.
A crowd Of walters then boarded
the car and refused to let the crew
move. in spite Of their protests. Faced
by the angry women and men, the
conductor and motorman protested
that such action was entirely against
their orders and schedule and every
thing but the crowd held the ca.
Frank ID. Roach, of 34OO Ninth
street northeast, telephoned the com
pany OF the crowds intention to be
come passengers in fact, and finally
got sanction to direct that the car be
brought into the city forthwith. This
was then done, and the workers
reached their offices an hour late, but
victorious.
-Four Women OF Nerve.
Miss Anna NJ. Lynch. of s15 Newton
street northeast. was one Of the lead
ers Of the determined women. and
she was backed by Miss Merle White
side. OF 1O2S Lawrence street north
east; Mrs. E. a .Lally, eO7 Michigan
avenue; Miss B. W. Hetheld, 1888
Lawrence street, and several other
women.
The Rev. Father c. d. Donohue. Of
Catholic University. was one Of the
men who forced the movement, OF the
car into the city. Hugh Higgins, sec
office. Agriculture Depart
ment; Ralph Molster. OF Fourteenth
and Monroe streets; Ernest L. p.
Trueheart, a chemist. Of the War
Department; Samuel NJ. Gaines, of
1881 Hamlin street northeast, and
il''@"s NNNASs "cAC III Aht EGDclllOuS /
The determination to seize the car
when It became known
that a naval lieutenant in the crowd
had sailing orders that were in a
fair way to be violated through the
action OF the cars in refusing to stop.
Saw Two Idle Cars.
Passengers on the car say that
while they waited for cars there were
two standing at the Brookland ter
minus OF the line that had gotten be-
hind on their schedule and had de-
cided to wait over for one trip in or
der TO catch up with their time. In
this way persons bound for the city
would have had to walt more than
half an hour while the two cars
stood idle.
On the way into the city those on
the seized car passed another car at
Fourth and Michigan avenue which
also had lost time and was waiting
for the time OF a full trip to get
even with the schedule again. The
and conductor had desert.
ed this car, passengers said.
The action OF the citizens followed /
a meeting OF the Brookland citizens |
association last night at which the |
Beeler report was approved, and a |
petition asking the Commissioners for |
better car service was adopted, in