Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-28

now come south on fourleen'n nhoI'
60 west of the White House. he ao-
mitted that, If it were not Ior 'lis 'o tt,o
ccstjon on Fourteenth street IN 'ne
vicinity of r and G streets. it might De
beneficial to run few Capital Trac-
tion cars directly south to the Bureau
Of Engraving and Printing. but in
sisted that it could not be done help-
fully except by making completely new
arrangements of general nature De-
tween the two car companies.
Suggests Rcrouting Cars.
Commissioner Iadue then suggested
tho recruiting Of Chevy Chase cars OIL
the Capital Traction Co. south on the
Connecticut avenue tracks OF the othcr
comranv. and asked whether that would
be helpful to the public,
We must first consider whether ms
would be done under system oil unlneo
-neration of the car lines OF ootn coni-
s,a,,ies or merely by tie-ins OF two OH
fcrent systems" replied MIR. Hanna.
There could be important improve
n,entS under = unified system, but l
can't think of any benefits that would
result from various separate ue-ins.
PriucinC our Chevy Chase cars Gown
Connecticut avenue might possibly De 2
good thing. if It could be- arranged III
connection with p unified plan, put that
would take study. Tho CheVy CflaSe
cars nov afford very direct route 10
tho business section. II ihev were rull
over Connecticut avenue there would De
much greater congestion on that aVerde
eouth of Dupont Circle. which Is no"
cue Of the heaviest loading points IN
this city" ,.
When hts attention was directed 10
+he tracks serving the Munitions Build
Inc and other buildings south Of Penn
.vivanis avenue and west OF seven
tenth. street. Mr. Hanna said these
tracks had been originally INTENDED o!
the companv as terminal loop. but
+bev had filled a very great need dur
ing and since the war. because OF me
,,In,her of Government structures erect
cd the~e and the building of apartment
houses in that vicinity. He No no'
think that line directly north TO the
residential section from Potomac PARK
would help conditions. because so many
passengers from the Potomac ParX sec
ton now travel eastward.
direct Route 10 Station.
Commissioner Ladue asked Mr.. Han,
mas opinion about running Ca pltai
FRACTION cars from Fourteenth street
pnd New York avenue to the Union S'a .
tion via p and G streets instead OF
PENNSYLVANIA avenue. as at present, so
three cars by way of Now York avenue
and Fifteenth street to Pennsylvania
avenue MIR. Ham said such plan
wound not bc practicable, although ne
admitted II would be more dlTecl
route to the Union Station q,
I'VE must always keep in mind.' saio
MY Hanna. that the Government is
erecting new buildings in the triangle
south of PENNSYLVANIA avenue ana tlaC
sufficient cars must be run on FenilSyl-
yania avenue to serve the workers IN
these buildings" !
.'Have anv definite plans been WORKED
ont for handling traffic in the triangle?'
asked Commissioner Ladue.
"Not yet" replied Mr.. Hanna
"aIt1,oIrh several suggestions have oeen
made. This could be worked out very
we'll under merger" ..,o
"JVouId the prospect of solving nus
rrohlem he improved by merger OF the
two car lines" asked Col. Ladue.
yes" answered Mr.. Hanna. me
principal advantage of merger Wonlo
he that il would enable us to work ON.
,,Iar= for the future development oil
Tho city. Two separate car companies
could give good service. but 1t would be
much better under merger.
Asked About Merger.
"could not the two companies do this
without a n1erCer?" asked Commissioners
ladue.
Mr. Hanna said that any such plan
IN its rractical results would De mer-
ger, and insisted that it would be I'M
ro7sib]e under existing law.
"Such agreements are now mace,
aren't tfev?" asked Commissioner Ladue;
Mr.. Hanna replied that in nearly an
,4:,, of
two companies at present was the re-
suit Of congressional authority.
Haven't VIC perfectly clear authority
for this under the public utilities law
row?'' insisted Commissioner Ladue.
II don't think So said Mr.. Hanna.
Il think, If NC were hard pressed. we
could rest on the present law, remarked
Commissioner Ladue.
II don't think it. is possible repeated
MFR. Hanna. TT contemplates an en-
tireIv different thing from the mere use
Of the tracks of one company by the
other. It would require a division OF
income, unified operation and such
thinrs. The two companies can con-
tinue To serve the public well. il they
are not permitted to merge. but mer-
GER is very desirable
Col tadne asked If the present serv-
ice On Fourteenth street south Of U
street was not considerably in excess Of
requirements. Mr.. Hanna replied that
j. was not.
Thomas Circle Congestion.
"Iz there bad congestion at Thomas
Circle during the rush hours?'
Yes Also every other circle IN the
city"
DO Peace Monument cars carry very
few passengers from Georgetown as far
p- the Peace Monument?'
Yes. but that line serves useful
purpose in filling out our. schedules.
Do YOU believe the routing Of your
svstem would be improved by central
city loop, where cars could be turned
back"
we have one"
"Where?"
at Nineteenth and p Streets
would you call that central
tcrminal?' -.
Reasonably central
MFR Hanna said in answer to further
questions that Washington has. in re-
Fpert TO diversity, the best street car
system in the country. particularly IN
fhe rush hours. All the experts VINO
have studied the Capital Traction sys-
fem unite in saying that it's route is too
complicated. But that very compllca-
ton he said. means service TO the pub
lie: service which. strictly speaking. Is
not efficient but highly desirable 10 tne
public.
Ask Separate Hearing.
I'VE can't sit here as part Of this
case" he said. and intelligently discuss
rerouting at this point or at tnaC POM.
Public hearings should be held on the
recruiting separately. The public Is
entitled to know and should know what
il to happen" a..
Col. I,aclue then asked whether the
h-st street car service was possible by
means of long, through routes or bS
sborter routes interesting short cross