Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-25
CAPITAL TRACTION
OPPOSED ONPLANS
TO END RAIL ROUTE
Citizens Protest F and G. SITS.
Track Removal and Bus
Service Scheme.
RIVAL LINE EXPECTED
TO RESIST PROPOSAL
Hanna Denies Territory Grab and
Tells Hearing Route Work
Would Cost 100000.

Would Cost 100000.
Opposition developed today at the
hearing before the Public Utilities
Commission on the application of the
Capital Traction Co. to abandon and
remove its tracks on r and @ streets
between Seventeenth and Twenty-sixth
street and to supplant the rail service
with bus service which would extend to
the market at Fifth and K streets and
to the Camp Meigs site at Fifth street
and Florida avenue northeast.
Because the proposed bus route would
open up q new territory and would
cross the tracks of the Washington
Railway & Electric Co. at Fifth and K
streets, this being the only rail line
serving the market directly, It was ex-
pected that company would offer stout
resistance to the application for the
bus service. S. r. Bowen, general
counsel for the company, paved the
way for this attitude by asking a num-
Der OF pertinent questions regarding the
patronage expected for the bus service
Citizens Enter Protests.
At the same time representatives of
the West End Citizens Association
entered sharp protests against aban-
and @ street territory. They declared
that II bus service is substituted, either
the Washington Railway g. Electric
Co. or the Washington Rapid Transit
Co. should be granted the service on
account Of the inadequate facilities pro-
vided heretofore by the Capital Trac-
ton cars. They declared further that
abandonment of the rails would prove
detrimental to students and parish
oners Of st. Stephens Church and
School at Twenty-fifth street and
Pennsylvania avenue
John H. Hanna, president Of the
Capital Traction Co., was the first wit
ness at the hearing and explained the
various routes for the buses which his
company had proposed. The desire of
the company to substitute bus service
was explained by reason of an esti-
mate Of 100000 as the cost Of in
stalling new rails In the F and G
street territory.
Denies Wide Bus Plan.
The opposition of the rival street
car company was expected to be de-
veloped on the ground that the Capital
Traction Co., in PROPOSING to extend its
bus service to the market at Fifth and
X streets and the Camp Meigs site, Is
trying TO seize upon new territory and
pave the way for q general extension
Of bus service in other sections This
was the tenor Of questions asked Mr..
Hanna by William NICK. Clayton.
This application is not indicative
that we desire to substitute bus lines
elsewhere" Hanna replied We've
come to the definite conclusion that
this territory can be economically and
definitely served by busSeS."
Hanna explained that the application
to substitute bus for rail service had not
altered the companys view that rail-
service Is the better and more econom-
zeal. Under certain circumstances in
particular localities. he explained, buses
can take care Of the passenger traf1ic
adequately.
IT don't mean that we intend to ex-
tend our bus routes elsewhere" he re-
iterated.
Bus Cost, $4,000.
Hanna, who went thoroughly into all
details involving the proposed bus
route and alternate route, estimated
the cost of the bus service ct approx
imately $4,000 a year. In reply to
Mr.. Bowen the traction official ex-
pressed the opinion the service would
prove compensatory.
II permitted to discontinue the rail
service on r and G streets and on
Twenty-flfth and Twenty-sixth streets,
the company asks to change the ter
minus of the Chevy Chase cars from
Twenty-sixth and q streets to Potomac
Park and to operate these cars south
at Nineteenth street and Pennsylvania
avenue and thence over the Potomac
Park route, returning to Pennsylvania
avenue.
Hanna also explained the. system Of
free transfers at Seventeenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue and Fifteenth
street and New York avenue, for pas
sengers paying cash fares, with two
cent charge for such transfers to pas
sengers paying tokens.
Would Better Service.
Hanna further expressed the view
that the changes would result in bet
terment Of service to the residents of
the Potomac Park area. The proposed
cross-town bus line, he said, would re-
iieve existing facilities to certain ex-
tent and provide more direct route
to the Fifth and K streets market.
Bowen inquired where traffic would
originate east of Fifteenth street and
Pennsylvania avenue, receiving the re-
ply, "All along the line" The Capital
Traction official also said traffic would
originate at Convention Hall and adj
mitted- other passengers were expected
from existing service.
development of the Government
building program west of Seventeenth
street and south Of Pennsylvania ave-
nue. was brought up by Mr.. Clayton,
who suggested 1t would prove Of value
to the company through the expansion
of that section. Hanna replied the Pc
tomac Park line would continue to
serve that; section below r street, and
said the proposed bus line would be sus-
ceptible to expansion to cover future
needs.
Chairman Patrick of the Public Util-
tiles Commission said he had been def
nitely informed this morning that none
Of the new Government buildings would
go up west of Twenty-third street. They
would all be north of B street, and
somewhere between Eighteenth and
Twenty-third streets. he said, but none
would be erected north OF F street.
Resident AssaiIs Plan:
Opposition to the application was ex-
pressed sharply by William T. Finn,
one Of several witnesses from the West
End Citizens Association who were OPP
posed to the change. Declaring he had
lived for so years in the section where
1t Is proposed to abandon rail service,
Mr.. Finn bitterly assailed the Capital
Traction Co. for inadequate service.
~ was hc WIN ptoPooSN 1lao OAAO Jus
application be granted to some other
company, explaining that the Capital
Traction Co., on account of its previous
record, deserved no consideration.
They want to tie up the territory,
and won't give us any better service"
e. w. Heberle, controller of the Cap
itol Traction Co., followed Hanna on
the stand He gave detailed reports on
the service now being rendered during
various peak rush hours and at other
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