Pueblo chieftain., 1921-10-30
Hy FREDERIC J. HAsKIN

problem, which here, as aihoSt every
where else. becomes more distressing
every year. Furthermore. in Washing
ton the situation is complicated by
that unique spider web of streets and
avenues which the ingenious L'Enfant
constructed at the behest of George
Washington and to the confusion of
everyone who drives car.
At the present time it is not the
driving but the parking of cars which
is stirring the emotions of our great
Capital. relegating world disarmament
. and taxation TO secondary positions
II the street system of Washington is
unique. its parking problem is typical.
and is one which every city of its
class in this country is struggling with.
There are plainly only two ways TO
solve the problem in the long run.
One is to forbid all parking in the
downtown section. and the other is TO
provide some system of public garages
in that section, where shoppers may
store their cars II is manifestly out
Of the question 10 let the cars go on
piling up at the curbs, surging through
/ the streets blocking street car traf-
fic and knocking down pedestrians
The condition is already bad and
growing worse.
The Washington commissioners
thought 10 solve the problem by the
Hrst method They issued an order
stating that after a certain date about
a month of there would be no parking
curing the greater part Of the day in
toe down town section. They desig-
mated section of the city about 10
blocks long and wide. Anyone will
ing and able to walk from ) to
blocks would still be able to reach the
heart of the business section without
Inconvenience But Ii appeared that
NO one was willing to walk that far.
me publication of the order brought
forth striking demonstration of the
extent to which people have come 10
depend upon their cars. Practically
without exceptions the motorists pro-
Claimed that terrible hardship was
being worked upon them. They were
being asked to walk three or four
hundred yards every day. and in some
instances individuals might have to
walk as much as half a mile II was
not merely injustice il was cruelty!
THE ASTI-WALKING MOVEMENT
Father walked ) miles To school and
back every day beginning when he
was : years old, and he walked down
town every day until about 1871.
Grandfather. who was a pioneer, walk
ed across the Allegheny Mountains.
and always felt that he needed about
- miles day to keep him in health.
But to the present generation. foot
is merely something with which to
step on the gas.
The motorist is a docile bird He
ooeys complicated lot OF laws. He
lets policemen cuss him and roar at
HIM without ever losing his snilc
But do not ask him to walk. That is
| an insult.
And tho insulted motorist wa. back
cd up in his complaint by the frightcn-
ed merchant He said and evidently
II cars were kept out of the business
section He evidently believes that
| shopping Is for many persons, especial
~ women. a seni-outdoor sport fol-
| lowed in motor cars. and one which
| would be less popular on foot. Doubt
less he is to some extent right. Yet
II Is hard to believe that the total
amount of retail sales in any city
would be reduced In the long run by a
rule keeping the cars out Of the husi-
ness section. People will still have
the same needs and desires to satisfy
| Anyway. the retailers howled. The
commissioners, at last reports. had
| lost their nerve. wholly or in part.
II was announced that the order might
| De rescinded or modified. and that a
hearing on the subject would probably
bo held. Holding hearing is tho
time -honored Washington way of do
Ing nothing about anything.
| Meantime. Washington present. n
parking comedy de luxe. Large park
! irs areas are set aside. so that about
half OF the total street area is de-
| voted to them. and yet they are al
ways fun. and every parking street in
/
| out and getting In. SO that traffic is
about half-blocked all the time.
| Large sreas are preomptcd by the
autos for hire which take the tourist
TO Mt Vernon and other adjacent
! points of interest The drivers OF
these vehicles regard themselves as
the real owners of the earth and every
one else as an intruder.
| There are mystcriously sacred
| places where no one is allowed to
Faa A .4vEH H.. ~
edge of the business section. though IL
| seems nearly always to be empty,
has its whole front defended by no.
parking signs. and there are various
other curbs where the motorist may
not niight for reasons somewhat OBJ
scure.
TRAFFIC IN CONFUSION
Late in .,he afternoon the stream of
| auto traffic in tho down town sec
| tions Is bewildering thing. The
number OF traffic cops necessary to
| regulate IL has grown steadily. They
| are now necessary at almost every
down town crossing Minor collisions
are frequent. Street car traffic is
| greatly delayed. Putting on more cars
| does no good. The trouble is they can't
| get through the automobile traffic
fast enough TO keep up with their
| schedules.
Serious accidents arc distrcssingly
| frequent in the Washington streets.
and this is due in part to its ingeni-
Gus street arrangement, which Is pro-
badly the most curious in the world.
/ The system of streets radiating from
a single center like the fiiaments of
| a spider web. cut by avenues at every
| conceivable angle. with minor circles
thrown in hcre and there. IN one which
might have been designed for the con-
| fusion of the motorist. II creates, for
| one thing. intersection OF which three
| streets cross each other making six
lthoroughfares that branch out from
| a given point. It II high comedy to
| watch green traffic cop trying to
| straightcn out a tangle of cars at the
| point where Sixteenth Street. " Street,
| and New Hampshire Avenue come toe
| Eether, In fact. even veteran finds
1T hard to mako the motorists OH two