Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-08
COMPLAINTS concerning the
condition Of Massachusetts,
avenue between Sheridan

avenue between Sheridan
Circle and wisconsin ave.
nue. continue among the motorins
population of the city. The
atrocious shape which the ave-
nue. is in was pointed out in this
column last Sunday.
Today sees little improvement
RutS running all the way across
the roadway present a constant
menace to the heavy traffic which
flows along one of the city's lead
ing boulevardS.
Traffic Director William H. Har-
land. recipient of many of the
complaints. has called the matter
to the attention of H. c. White
hurst, assistant engineer commits
Sioner in charge of the highway
department. Mr.. Harland asked
for immediate and adequate re-
pair before someone got killed.
Why this important thoroughfare
should be neglected so long is
hard to understand.
Adequate Repair Needed.
Speaking of adequate repair
work. it appears that such work
has started at last on the High
way Bridge. Temporary repair
work has been made on this
bridge from time to time. but its
effectiveness has been negligible
It is to be hoped that Chain
Bridge will be open to traffic in
the near future A bridge should
never be let get out of repair.
Many cases of violation of the
one-way streets have been re-
ported to Mr. Harland. A resident
of I street between Fourteenth
and Fifteenth streets reported
that nearly 100 motorists went
the wrong way on it the other
evening. There is no excuse for
this" Mr.. Harland stated, and /
have asked the superintendent of
police to request his men to
watch out for such violations. I
street has been one-way street
east for some time and there is no
reason why every motoriSt has
not become aware of it,"
Markers Expected Soon.
The arrival of the direction
markers through the American
Automobile Association is ex-
pected soon. The in. 10 It. poles
on which they will be erected are
now being made. The route num-
bers and the letters r and L, de-
scribing right and left turns, will
be appended to the lamp posts.
It is hoped that their installation
will be made before the Summer
tourists leave the city.
Mr.. Harland reports that to-
tai of SIG, 500 has been saved on
the new traffic lights, compared
with those ordered more than
year ago. Much Of the money
was saved by shortening the
length of cable running from the
post into the lamp itself. This
vas done by using the connection
at the lower end instead of the
upper.
The fact that the salaries of the
policemen at intersections where
there is street car traffic are paid
by the traction companies creates
0 pnzzling situation. It has been
Mr.. Harland's plan to remove
many of these policemen when all
the traffic lights were installed
But what to do with them is
question. They should not be
thrown out Of work while they are
efficient men, and If they are de-
tailed elsewhere more of the tax
payers money would be needed
as the street car companies would
no longer have them on their pay
rolls.
Just why the policemen are
paid by the traction companies is
! mystery. There is no good rea-
son for it, and, while it causes no
harmful result, it does not seem
Q wise plan.
Record at Traffic Bureau.
Last Tuesday was a record day
at the Traffic Bureau. The num-
Der of men and women applying
for operators permits totaled
252. OF course, not all of these
obtained them, but enough did to
add greatly to the ever-increasing
number Of drivers in the National
Capital. The daily total runs
around 200, 1t is reported.
Many residents of Washington
viii be glad to learn that the
siren of the Emergency Hospital
ambulance has been toned down.
Il still is a siren, but its ear
piercing sounds have been greatly
reduced. Similar action will be
taken on the siren of the Casualty
Hospital ambulance.
Hack Inspector Joe Harrington
states that the motorists Of
Washington are not superStitiouS,
"for they do not believe in signs"
He also calls attention TO the fact
that the new regulations provide
that the hack stands are for taxis
only and that a driver of a pri-
vate car is subject to a fine from
81 TO $40. This regulation applies
also TO bus stands. Mr., Harland
adds a word TO Harrington'S re-
marks that "a few fines may make
motorists more superstitious.
"Sign Believers"
Speaking of signs, Inspector
Henry @. Pratt parked his auto
mobile outside of his home the
other day unmindful Of the fact
that an American Automobile
Association placard hung from
q tree bearing the inscription
Trees on this street will DC
sprayed today by the District
Trees and Parking Department.
The trees were sprayed and SO
was the inspectors car.
On a hot day recently Joe Har-
rington was going around the