Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-02
Head of Chester Valley Line
Also Says "Chiseling"
Will Result.
INTERSTATE CARRIERS
DISAGREE ON PROJECT
Witness Cites Conditions in Other
Cities as Argument Against
Plan Here.

Disagreement among interstate bus
carriers over the advisability of estab-
fishing one or more union bus terminals
in Washington developed at today's
hearing before the Public Utilities Com
| mission, when Eric Biddle, president
and general manager Of the Chester
Valley Line, warned that such a project
would increase traffic evils.
Il know Of no way to secure an alb
so,utely disinterested form of manage
ment for terminal in this age of
rackets." said Mr.. Biddle, who was
qualified as an expert witness on ter
minal financing and construction
There is bound to be favoritism
shown. and certain amount of 'chisel-
ing in any terminal Of this kind II
would only serve to bring new evils to
traffic conditions"
Cites Other Cities.
As horrible example" of mis-
management and chaotic conditions at
bus terminals In a number of cities,
Mr.. Btddle referred particularly to the
terminal in Newark, N. ]. Even in the
days Of unparalleled prosperity. when
all 1t was necessary to do was to pro-
duce the plans to obtain a million dol
| lar check. he declared, it took approx
mately two and a half years in New
York to work out completely all the
details involved in the first interstate
bus terminal.
After four years in New York, they
are still loading bus passengers from
the streets" he added.
Two groups of bus operators at yes
terday's hearings, announced plans to
establish large bus terminals in Wash
ington.
While Mr. Biddles views as to the
ACCESSIBILITY of rushing in to finance
such terminals was opposed to testi-
mony offered yesterday, he agreed with
other bus operators that the congested
area offered the only convenient site
for a terminal.
Before the commission enforceS regu-
lations under the recently enacted law
| whereby of -street loading would be
restricted. Biddle urged a postpone
ment until a reasonable time.
Two Terminals Planned.
Yesterday afternoons session de-
veloped that two groups Of interstate
bus operators are planning to build
union terminals in the downtown sec
ton.
B. L. May, president Of the A., B. d
w. Rapid Transit Co, testified that
group he represented proposed to build
terminal lin the heart of the bus
AA4CSS 0bStA1NI w SCINc IIlIeG lOCdl ana
suburban lines and one long -distance
carrier. The depot would net be COM
pleted before July l, 1882.
Maurice Judd. counsel for the Wash
ington Bus Terminal Co., who had
tried to gain more explicit information
from May, announced later that he
would make a proposal to the cemmis-
sion in behalf of his client to con-
struct a union bus terminal that would
be adequate to serve all the bus lines
which now have scattered stations IN
the city. The depot planned by Mays
interest. it was Fought out, would not
be open to all the bus lines operating
in the District. The Washington Rapid
Transit Co. a1d the Washington, Marl-
boro & Annapolis Co. are interested in
the venture with his line, May said.
Capt. r. B. Lamb Of the TRAFFIC Blu
reau. testified that trafic congestion
in the first zone would be relieved by
the removal of bus terminals. and re-
peated questioning failed to bulge him
from this opinion.