Evening star., 1922-10-01
0NE-|MAN CARS
IN MORE M|SHAPS
Number OF Collisions Higher
Than When Operated by
Two Men.

That the number OF collisions with
vehicles is relatively higher in the
operation Of the one-man street cars
by the Washington Railway and
Electric Company on some Of its
lines in the District Of Columbia
than in operation Of cars in charge
Of two men is shown in the testi-
mony Of the car company presented
at the last rate hearing before the
Public Utilities Commission.
Two reasons were given at the
hearing for the number Of collisions
resulting from the operation of the
one-man cars. One was that they
were due, in some part, to the char
acter of lines on which these cars
have been operated and the other
| in some part to the lack Of extensive
experience on the part of the opera
tors. The railway company. how
ever. claimed that the comparatively
higher rate of vehicle collisions was
accompanied by low rate OF passen-
ger injuries. implying lack of
severity In the accidents Of the form
er class.
Opposes One-Man Cars,
E. w. Turner. president of the
Brookland Citizens Association. last
night criticized the operation of the
one man cars on the BrooklanI and
North Capitol street line of the Wash
fngton Railway and Electric Com
pany.
Mr. Turner said a protest had been
made to the Public Utilities Commits
sion and another to the Washington
against the operation of the one
man cars but that the committee
representing his associate had been
informed it was the opinion of the
ommission and railway officials that
these cars were proving efficient
These cars are not as good as
the old type of cars" said Mr.. Turn
er. They are generally crowded and
hard to get In and cut. The installa- :
tion of such type of car Is q step
backyard bs ass and not progressive for q
the interests OF it's patrons In view.
1hinks Cars TSo Slow.
'The cars are operated entirely too
SLOW" he said. People in these days
are In a hurry, and when the operator
Of this stylk Of car takes SO much
time to sell tokens. make change and
issue transfers before he is permitted
to sisIt his a. car, L, 1t certainly retards
operator runs MS car, and at the same
time performs the duties that should
be done entirely by a conductor. he
does so at the risk OF an accident"
Mr.. Turner said that the added work
put on the operator of the ear does
not permit the operation of the cars
ON schedule time. The railway COM
panF has, furnished me with a sched-
ule for the operation Of its cars from
the Brookland terminus to 11th and
Monroe streets, and have found that
the schedule cannot be carried out,
because of the delay necessitated by
the operator OF the one-inan cars In
collecting fares. The schedule calls
for q forty minute trip from Brook
land. to the other end OF the line. but
/ have found that It requires about
that much time fer the ears to get as
far as 11th and d streets.
Many residents Of Brookland have
entered protests against the opera
ti6h OF these cars; Mf Turner baid
He added that at the next meeting
OF his association some action is to
be taken relative t6 having this type
of cars eliminated entirely from the
Brookland line or to have some of
them placed on the Mt Pleasant line
of the washington Hallway aha Elec-
trio Company.
Mr.. Turner said he did not believe
the residents of the section traversed
by the Mt. Pleasant line would stand
by and have such service imposed
upon them.