Evening star., 1925-08-11
ADDITION Of SLOW
TO STOP DEEPENS
TRAFFIC MYSTERY
Modification of Dead Halt
Considered on Plea of
Traction Lines.
HAM AND HANNA VOICE
OBJECTIONS TO SYSTEM
Officials Will Study intersections
to Determine Those Merit
ing Change.

ITO stop or not TO stop"-a question
that has been causing confusion
among Washington motorists since
the advent Of arterial highways here
paled into insignificance today when
it became known that officials may i'm
pose more complicated problem-to
slow down or not to slow down
The new possibility in the way OF
traffic complications here developed al
a conference today between public
utility officials and Representatives of
the street railway companies. who had
frankly admitted that the stopping"
problem had them "stumped"
Out Of the wide variety of ideas
proposed and discussed at the meet
ing came an indication that the street
cars viii be allowed to dash right
across the boulevards at certain in
tersections, followed by hesitating, but
not halting, automobiles
At other points, however. the street
cars will have to come to a complete
stop, along with other vehicular traf-
fic. For more than two hours today
the officials of both car companies
the traffic department debated the
boulevard stop system in the board
room of the District Building.
Will Study Specific Needs.
The trend of the discussion indicated
that the commission probably would
decide to study the peculiar condi-
tions at each intersection where car
tracks cross a boulevard and decide
hot 10
each of these points in accordance
with the conditions prevailing.
William F. Ham. president of the
Washington Railway and Electric Co,
and John II. Hanna, vice president
of the Capital Traction Co, both urged
the commission to consider that the
street car lines transport 100, 600. 900
passengers year and that this large
number of people should not be un-
necessarily delayed
Engineer Commissioner Bell indi-
Gated what might be done when he
asked Acting Traffic Director Moller
how it would do to require the street
cars to stop at all boulevards where
stopping would be in the interest OF
safety and by painting a Slow" sign
on the boulevard for vehicles at all
intersections where street cars would
not be required to stop.
Col. Moller replied that he was
willing to consider any plan that
would solve the problem with the least
possible delay to car service. but he
told Col. Bell he thought each inter
section should be treated on its merits.
and added that he would like to haze
time to go over the intersections before
answering the Commissioner ques-
tion definitely.
Objects TO Present Sign.
Mr.. Hanna told the commission he
thought that. aside from what the
street cars are required TO do. the
stop rule for vehicles should be marked
in some more conspicuous way than by
painting the word stop" on the pave
ment. He said lighted signs should be
erected
Commissioner Fenning said that was
recognized by the commission and in
dicated it would be accomplished later.
Reference was made during the
hearing to cases in which an automo-
bile stopping suddenly on d stop"
sign had been in collision with a street
car behind it. Mr.. Hanna said that as
an automobile driver he had narrowly
averted rear-end collisions with other
machines because the machine in
front did not see the sign until the
President Ham, who more than
week ago raised the objection to
street cars stopping at boulevardS,
opened the conference today by stat
ing that while his company was de-
Sirous of cooperating with the Traf-
fic Department, he felt ii was the
company's duty to be spokesman for
the millions of car riders, who, he
said. would be delayed by the stop
signs.
Questions Eldridge's Power.
Mr. Ham questioned the right of
the traffic director TO regulate street
cars, but said he recognized the right
of the Utilities Commission TO order
such stops as would be necessary in
the interest of safety.
Mr.. Ham said the stopping of a
street car at a boulevard crossing
and at the same time giving vehicles
on the boulevard the right of way
over the street car was striking at n
long established principle that street
cars have the right of way over We
hicles.
Commissioner Fenning asked Mr.
Ham If it was not a fact that street
cars lose the automatic right -of-way
rule wherever policeman is on duty.
Mr.. Ham replied that he had no OBJ
lection to the street car losing right
of-way where all traffic is regulated
by an officer.
Bell Issues Statement.
Following adjournment of the con-
| ference Col. Bell stated that each of
| the boulevard intersections crossed
| by street cars would be studied as 10
particular conditions, after which the
/ Utilities Commission will prepare a
| list of ss,se boulevard intersections at
which street cars should stop IN the
! interest of safety.
| Col Bell stated that under the utili-
ties law it would be necessary To hold
a formal public hearing before order