Evening star., 1937-04-16
TRACTION SAFETY
PROBE IS ORDERED
AFTER CAR BLAZE
Commission Takes Step to
Test Charge $50 to 200
Are "Dangerous."
CARRIER OF EACH TYPE
WILL BE DISMANTLED
Elgen Threatens Summary Rejec-
tion of Faulty Cars-Capital
Transit Denies Any in Use.

In the face Of charges before the
Public Utilities Commission that $50
TO 200 unsafe and dangerous" street
cars are operating in Washington.
chairman Riley E. Elgen ordered an
inquiry today to determine the safety
OF Capital Transit Co. equipment.
IF any street cars are found unsafe
and dangerous, you can bet the COM
mission will order them out of service
Just ike that" Elgen said with a
snap OF his fingers by way of emphasis.
The inquiry was being conducted
IN connection with that ordered yes
terday into the cause of the explosion
and fire which caused a panic in a
CROWDED street car on Georgia avenue
at Lamont street. TWenty-siX per-
sons were injured, Elgen said, on the
basis OF partial reports received TODAY
He believed the explosion was caused
oy short-circuit in the control box.
To Inspect Each Type.
inspectors for the commission will
take single street car of each tvpe
to the shops for a thorough break
Gown inspection. If it is found faulty,
every car of this type will be given a
similar inspection. Those found unfit
for service, Elgen said, will be placed
out of commission.
The charges which led to the broad
investigation ordered TODAY we're
made by William NICK. Clayton. pub-
llc utilities chairman for the Fed
Grafton of Citizens Associations. lust
before the close of yesterdays vslua-
tlon nearing. He demanded a rigid
and thorough inspection of all obso-
lete types Of cars in service.
Capital Transit Co. officials fatIv
denied that any unsafe and danger
Gus" cars were in operation.
AS the commission and traction at
torneys were about to close yesterdays
nearing, Clayton arose to call atten-
ton to a report that the street car in
Whlcn the explosion occurred was of
an obsolete, side-door entrance type.
Suggests Ban.
I want to ask the Public Utilities
commission to make a rigid and thor
ougn inquiry" Clayton declared. IT
1t is shown that any other cars of
the type that was in today's accident
are still in operation, I think the
commission should order them out
OF service"
President E. D. Merrill of the Cap
ltal Transit Co. leaped to his feet at
this demand.
We've already ordered As new cars
this year" he replied We borrowed
money to do this. 1t is all the equip
ment the company is financially JUS
Tuned in ordering at present"
Clayton, who has attacked street
car service at nearly every rate and
valuation hearing for many years, was
not to be quieted.
II these types of cars are dan
gerous, you wouldn't want to operate
them?" he asked the transit official.
"Of course not Merrill retorted.
AN accident of this kind has not
occurred in car of that type before"
Investigation Under Way.
Chairman Elgen interrupted the dis
pute at this point to say that two Pub
lie Utilities Commission officials ARE
on the job now investigating the ac-
cident."
AS soon as it was reported Fred A.
Sager. chief engineer, and A. B. Miles,
chief inspector of equipment for the
commission. were ordered at once to
the scene, he said
Clayton returned to the verbal COM
bat and, turning to Merrill, asked that
II any defects are found in the street
cars, whether the company would get
rid of them
At this point Richmond B. Keech,
vice chairman Of the commission, in
terrupted to say that ANY car on the
streets must be safe; we'll see to that"
Well" Clayton remarked, Il am
(See STREET. CAR Page A6l