The Washington times., 1922-12-20
Street REPAIR
]. IGNORED,
He SAYS
Lawyer Tells commlsslons
Condition at Track orossings
10 Menace % Drivers.

Calling attention 70 the act Of
Congress which provides that rail-
way companies should keep the
pavement between tracks In re-
pair and asserting that this act
was not passed for "mers amuse-
ment. or with the intention that
the Commissioners should ignore
It's provisions" H. s. Barger, Q
local attorney, today called upon
the Commissioners 10 take some
action to improve the conditions
around the tracks Of railway
companies, especially the WASH
ington Railway and Electric Com
pany. 4l
Conditions Called Horrible.
In a letter to Engineer Commis-
sioner Charles Keller. Barger says
that "a casual drive over the city
will disclose the horrible condition
Of the w. r. and e. tracks"
"Very good authority has IT,,
says the letter" that the recent
lamentable injury Of one OF our
firemen was probably due. prin-
Cipauys N uOk SuSAA osys ~ sssS
bad state Of repair on the street
car tracks where the accident &C.
Cured"
Barger's letter says that when
the rail becomes separated from
the pavement and bad places ap-
pear, there seems to b no disposi-
ton whatever on the part OF any
one to see that the streets are 70
stored or repaired.
Il Getting Worse. He Says.
"On the contrary" he says. ''the
condition is permitted to grow
worse and worse. without com.
manding the attention either OF
the District authorities or OF the
street car company"
Tho letter writer points out that
the Commissioners, acting a. q
seen fit to stir their lethargy"
stockholders Of the w. r. and E..
are guaranteed a fair return on
their Investments. And It would
seem a fair assumption" he says,
that in doing 30. the Commis.
sioners acted only upon proof Of
proper items Of cost . the rail-
way companies in the matter Of
paving and repairing the streets
In and about which their tracks
run.
"It would seem to follow. there
fore. that. in the interest Of q long.
suffering public, these companies
should both be compelled to dis
charge their duties in the matter
Of paving and repairing the streets
In and about their tracks, the COM
panies having, supposedly, been
furnished the money, by the public,
as the result Of the Utilities Com.
missions authorization of increased
fares. These increases have, In
effect. been forced upon the Cap.
ital Traction Company; but. be II
said to it's credit, that company
has performed it's duties to the pub.
lie much better than has its com
peti.or, even in the matter OF re-
pairing its tracks and the streets"
Time To Act Now.
Referring to the statute provid.
ing that street car companies shall
keep the track around the pave
ment in repair. Barger says:
with such a law on the statute
books. is 1t not about time that
something should be done for the
public; and cannot the District
commissioners, a. such, compel the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company to spend on It's tracks and
the streets some Of the money
which they, as members Of the
Public Utilities Commission, have
made 1t possible for the company
to obtain3 Certainly the act was
not passed by Congress for mere
amusement, or with the intention
that the Commissioners should
utterly ignore its provisions; and Il
seems that some action should be
taken with respect to these mat.
ters."