Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-15
CHURCH PROPERTY
OFFERED AS SITE
FOR BUS TERMINAL
First Congregational Loca-
ton Proposed Among Others
at Meeting.
PROMPT CONSTRUCTION
OF STATION Is URGED
Speakers Also Urge Attractive
Structure to Meet Trans
portation Need.

The First Congregational Church at
Tenth and G streets, where President
Coolidge worshiped when he was in
Washington, was offered as one site for
a proposed union bus terminal for
Washington at a public hearing called
to consider the question of building such
terminal today by the Public Utilities
Commission.
The offer was made by James r.
Ellerson, Jr.. sales agent for the property.
Other locations suggested we're the Hud-
son Hotel, 1929 H street; Convention
Hall Market. Fifth and K streets: the
square bounded by Tenth, Eleventh, n,
ana l streets; northwest corner of
twelfth and New York avenue: the plot
pounded by Pennsylvania avenue. Ninth,
Tenth and D streets. and E street be-
tween Eighth and Ninth streets.
Bus Operators Express Views.
All of the sites were submitted nv real
estate men who argued for the merits
OF their respective sites. The meeting
was then thrown open for discussion
py the bus operators, but only two of
them accepted the invitation of the
commission to express their views.
These were r. H. Norton, vice president
OF the Peoples Rapid Transit Co.. a
VI bAAC R0lla-
delphia Rapid Transit. and l.. c. Major.
Oh the Greyhound Lines, both repre-
Sentlng companies with extensive inter
state bus lines.
Mr.. Horton said he had come to listen
ana not to talk, but that he had been
much interested in the sites offered,
Mr. Major said that, after canvassing
tne SITES, ne felt sure he and Mr. Hor-
ton could get together and agree to rim
Inelr Dl1SSpS into 0nn tory11iY3oI
chairman John w. Childress of the
Puollc Utilities Commission said the
commission had power to route all IN
terstate buses in Washington to anv
Dus terminal it chose and that although
ne could not predict the ruling of the
commission, undoubtedly" If a suitable
terminal were agreed to by the bus on
orators, the commission would use this
power and compel all interstate buses
to stop there.
There is no question in my mind but
that these BUSES should be got of the
street" Mr.. ChildresS said.
Jesse G. Adkins. representing the
| Boaro OF Trade. said this body was
strongly in favor of prompt construction
| OF a proper bus terminal. and would
| render any cooperation possible.
Earl V. Fisher, executive secretary of
the commission, read a comprehensive
report as result of his study of the
question, which included a recent visit
TO Pittsburgh and Chicago Summing
up the necessity for a union terminal
mere. Mr.. Fishers report said:
AN attractive terminal is without
doubt the best selling agency for bus
transportation. storeroom with a few
benches does not attract and does not
sufnce. A person contemplating a trip
does not know the type of equipment
ne or she Is to be transported in, but
If the terminal &c o&f
tive passenger will have purchased
transportation before the arrival of the
bus.
One of the strongest arguments for
the terminal to the travelling public as
well as the bus operators, is that with
common terminal, such as the rail
terminal in this city. traveller can get
information and will not have to be
referred to two or three different loca-
tons in city, such as is now done in
most of the cities I have visited. par
tlcularly IN Pittsburgh 1 wish to i'm
press on the bus operators that in
cities where terminals are operated the
result has been a decided stimulus to
ous transportation by having an at
tractiye terminal"
Tells of Other Cities.
Mr.. Fishers description of the bus
terminal situation in other cities fol-
lows:
Chicago-A union motor coach ter
ninal company operates a building 100
Ieet deep with a 70-foot frontage.
Buses enter from Wabash avenue and
come out on Twelfth street. They are
at no time parked on the street for
loading. Unloading is done in front
OF the main entrance to the terminal
ana puSseS leave for a service garage
Immediately after all passengers have
alighted and baggage unloaded. The
building is a two-Story- basement
structure, built to accommodate 10
additional stories. with concessions in
cluding restaurant, drug store, haber-
dasher, news stands and barber shop
Madison, Wis.-The bus terminal in
the basement of new Office building
accommodates Is lines. Expenses are
prorated among the lines in accord
ance with the number of bus miles
operated into and out of the terminal.
Cleveland. Ohio-The terminal is at
Ninth and Euclid avenue. where buses
are loaded under roof. 1t is used by
about rs per cent of the bus companies.
Akron, Ohio-This city has an under
cover terminal owned and operated by
the Northern Ohio Power e. Light Co.
1t was formerly a street car shed
Pittsburgh, Pa.-ConditionS are ioen-
tical with Washington. There are
numerous terminals, the buses park
ing at the curDllne Tor l0-mlnute
periods and store buildings are used
for waiting rooms The Greyhound
Lines utilize 2-story building. while
the White Star Lines have a similar
terminal. Individual operators have
spaces allotted to them in the streets.
The order of the traffic director per-
hitting l5-minute layovers is strictly
enforced. Pittsburgh is dissau sfied
with the present situation and a city
ordnance is in prospect to force bus
operators to set up suitable terminal.
Newark Conditions Chaotic.
Newark, N. J.-Traffic conditions are
chaotic. with apparently no action to
be taken by the city authorities to
regulate buses, other than to provide
parking space in the streets. Buses
on long interstate trips either terminate
at Newark or pass through to New York,
stopping a few moments in front of
the terminal building, while all local
buses seem to be constantly on the
move. most of them terminating at the
tube station. Traffic conditions within
radius of three or four blocks of
this station during the day are the
worst MIR. Fisher has ever seen.