Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-28

cents. The lower rate became general which
naturally made the struggle for business more
aggressive and violent Then the regulative
authority Of the city council was evoked and
an ordinance was enacted prohibiting racing
and also designated stands, to put an end to
the obstruction of the streets by drivers watt
ing for a paying load. But the regulation did
not regulate. The process of consolidation
as 1t advanced and centralized the control Of
the business, had that effect. For about the
year 1854 the omnibuses had largely been ac-
quired by one man. The dominant figure
was Gilbert Vanderwerken, who had come to
the city from New York some four wears before
At first he was associated in partnership with
John z. Reside, who had gone so far along
In the direction taken by Mr. Vanderwerken
that he had enough vehicles in service to
designate them as the Union Line
"'HE Georgetown tobacco warehouse, on the
south side of M street a short distance
west of Wisconsin avenue, was purchased from
the town by Messrs Reside and Vanderwerken.
and the buildings were turned into stables.
Then the opposition formed stock COM
pany, the first in this business, and gave it the
name of the Citizens Line. In less than n
year, however, a harmony of interests was
discovered by these two rivals, and it was
by which the two lines will be run in regular
order, as If all were of the same line This
virtual consolidation carried with it a public
advantage as for the first time the omnibuses
were run on q schedule instead of when it was
OF advantage to the drivers. The public de-
mands were further met by establishing n
night service the buses running from the
Capitol to Georgetown twice an hour from 7
10 ll:15 pm. Attention was given to the an
pearance OF the omnibuses, which bore the
name OF some man of general or local promi-
ence. Painted on the panels on each side were
apt 70 be portraits Of the individuals so hon
oied while the interior panels were adorned
with landscapes. Mr.. Vanderwerken, as sole
proprietor OF the Union Line became the main
spirit in the combine, so that when three years
later, capitalists from New York fresh from
the experience of successful street railroad
building In that city, asked from Congress the
franchise for street railway occupying the
omnibus route, at once understanding was
reached with the Washington magnate"
A FEW days ago the writer had the pleasure
OF meeting Mrs. George e. Truett, daughter
Of Gilbert Van Derwerken, referred to by Mr..
Bryan, and. though quite child at the time
her father was operating the omnibus line in
this city, yet she recalls with much clearness
the old buses that preceded here the first
horse cars
During the Summer months Mrs Truett
lives on the old homestead erected by her father
on large tract of land in nearby Virginia.
purchased by him a few years before the
breaking out of the Civil War, part of which
even today skirts the Potomac River The
Admiral Rixey home and the Country Club
are nearby and the Little Falls road runs by
the property just to the east. 1t is not one OF
those famed Colonial estates of Virginia OF
which we love to speak, but it is an Interest,"
ing place and closely associated with that great
struggle between the North and South out Of
which has come this splendid united country
of ours.
Mrs. Tiuett has at ivan Derwerken" with
her, in addition to her husband, DR. George Z.
Truett, daughter and son-in-law who rep
resent part of the household
DR.. Truett is a veteran clergyman and like
MIS-. Truett is delightful company. Indeed,
even the doctors English setter dog was
friendly, and tried as best he could to dis
play that real Southern hospitality that we
folks just love to rave about-and not without
Justification either.
The doctor is a gunner and fisherman, and
showed the writer his credentials that per-
mitted him to exaggeTate If he cared 20 do SO.
Above ALL though, he is q golf fend-or enthu-