Evening star., 1934-02-18
FEDERATION ASKS
TRACTION SERVICE
|. LAW Be ENFORCED
Citizens Association Calls
for Public Hearings After
Playing System.
RESOLUTION HINTS
PERSONNEL REDUCED
Utilities Commission Also Re
quested to Probe Washington
Gas Light Stock Ownership.


Washington's street car service was
subjected to severe criticism at a
meeting of the Federation of Citizens
Associations last night and a resolu-
ton was adopted asking a public
hearing before the Public Utilities
Commission so laws regarding service
may be carried into effect immedi-
ately.
The resolution, which was unani-
mously adopted. said: Whereas, the
present deplorable conditions now ex-
isting on all the lines of the Capital
Transit Co. are in violation of the
traffic section Of the public utilities
act. and
Whereas, those conditions have
continued for a long period Of time,
apparently unnoticed, and certainly
uncorrected by the Public Utilities
Commission, although the commission
has in its employ inspectors whose
duty it is to report conditions on the
street railway and bus lines of the
city from time to time, and
Employees Reduced.
Whereas, the two street car com.
panies in the years 1881 and 1882
withdrew with the consent of the
commission without notice or hearing
to the public, 215 employees at a saw
ing to the companies of $685. .e8l.
And while no reports are available
yet for 1888, it is a reasonable de-
duction that these curtailments of
service by and with the consent of the
commission continued up to at least
November. 1888.
Therefore, be It resolved that the
federation requests a public hearing
before the commission looking to the
enforcement of the public utilities
act in the premises and immediate
carrying into effect Of those provisions
Of the law therein contained for the
protection of the car and bus riders
of the city"
William Nick. Clayton. chairman of
the committee. in introducing his re-
port, said that recently, during non
rush hour periods, the Brightvood
street cars had been so crowded r7c-
tormen had to get out of the v-'~-'-
side OF the car at the plow
change the trolley. Fred S -
said l4o persons had ridden or
with 48 seats. Other delegate
similar comments.
Defends Company.
Henry l. Quinn asked the del.
to give the company a chance, Ie-
marking that the merger has bsen
only in effect since December /, that
bad weather has been almost con-
tinuous since, and that the street car
system. like all utilities, had been
hard hit by the depression and vas
having difficulty getting readjusted.
The federation requested the COM
mission also investigate the stock
ownership of the Washington Gas
Light Co. The resolution asked that
either the La Toilette anti-merger act
be enforced with respect to the gas
company or else the law be amended
so as to allow the commission to ac-
complish its purpose of removing for
eign control of the company.
On recommendation of the Police
and Fire Committee, a resolution was
adopted in favor of requiring police
men and firemen to live within the
District
Another resolution introduced by
James F. Duhamel. asking for pas
sage of bill providing old-age PEN
sion for the District, was adopted.
The federation is already on record
in favor of old-age pensions. but took
this action in view of the recent re-
port by the budget director that the
old-age pension bill is not in accord
with the financial program of the
President.
Miss Eta Taggart introduced q
resolution favoring the establishment
of a national sales tax. This was
referred to the Committee on Fiscal
Relations.
Amendment Refused.
The request of the Citizens Forum
of Columbia Heights for an amend
ment to the federation's constitution
to allow presidents of citizens asso-
Citations to designate temporary sub
stitutes for delegates who are i'll or
out of town was denied.
The federation advanced S25 to the
committee conducting a membership
drive and gave the committee a rising
vote of thanks.
The Dupont Circle Citizens Asso-
citation called to the attention of the
federation statistics of the Health De-
partment purporting to show that al.
though there we're $50 violations Of
the smoke law observed in 1888, the
department had secured only 43 con-
victions. The federation requested
District authorities to investigate this
discrepancy
The Public Utilities Committee rec
commended that the President be
asked not to appoint the third member
of the Public Utilities Commission I'm.
til after disposition Of the gas valua.
ton case now on file. Chairman Clay.
ton explained that the committee
feared the gas companies might use
the appointment Of the third COM
missioner to In some way further
delay the hearings which have lasted
since last October. BY vote of 29
to 21, however, this recommendation
was laid on the table.