Evening star., 1938-10-18
MOVIES ARE USED
IN TRANSIT FIGHT
D. C. Firm Uses Film in Its
Argument Against Plea of
Auto-RaiIer Company.

The Public Utilities Commissions
hearing room at the District Building
was blacked out today while . select
audience Of utilities commissioners,
lawyers and special witnesses watched
motion picture starring rush-hour
trafnc on M street In Georgetown.
The picture was produced by the
Capital Transit Co. and exhibited to
the commission to support the transit
company's argument against the Ar
lington G Fairfax Auto-Railer Co.'S
application for permission to extend its
service from Virginia into the District.
Part Of the picture was taken during
the westbound S pm. rush period of
October IL and part during the east
bound rush period at $3.50 am. Octo-
Der l3. E. S. Pardoe, automotive en-
gineer for the transit company said
that the film emphasized the already
congested condition of M street.
Hearing Ends.
The hearing ended at noon todar,
The company and the Capital Trans.t
Co., which opposes the application,
were given until q week from tomor
row to file briefs.
The auto-rail company wants TO ex-
tend its service from Rosslyn, Va, into
the District by way Of the Key Bridge,
M street, Virginia avenue and Constl-
tuition avenue to Fourth street NV.
J. c. Bridwell member Of the Ex-
ecutive Committee of the Fairfax
Commuters League. took the stand as
the hearing opened its second day.
Mr.. Bridwell said that the league fav-
ored to a man the extension Of the
auto-railer service, which, he said,
would facilitate the journey into the
District Of persons who now have to
change at Rosslyn.
Dismissal Moved.
The attorneys, Edmund D. Camp
bell, for the Auto-Trailer Co., and
S. r. Bowen, for the Capital Transit
Co., bickered over testimony relating
to the Virginia boundary line
as it is drawn near Rosslyn. Already
the Capital Transit Co. has moved
that the Utilities Commission dismiss
the Auto-Trailer application on the
ground that the commission has no
jurisdiction, and the Auto-Railer Co.
has protested to the commission that
the transit company has no business
at the hearing.
ED Merrill, president Of the Capital
Transit Co., was prepared today to offer
figures on the loss of business his firm
might expect If the auto-rau COM
panys request was granted.
E. D. Campbell, counsel for the auto
rail firm, freely granted yesterday that
his firm would take from the transit
company some of the business that it
now gets in Rosslyn, Va, on its Penn
sylvania avenue line.
Right to intervene Denied.
Mr.. Campbell contended. however,
that the Capital Transit CO.. prospec-
tive loss of business had no bearing on
the case. And to Capital Trapsits
proposal, supported by the Washington,
Virginia and Maryland (Arnold bus)
Coach Co., that the Public Utilities
Commission dismiss the application.
Mr.. Campbell replied that neither OF
the parties really had the right to b.
heard on the question of the applica-
ton.
William A. Van Duzer, District
traffic director, testified yesterday on
traffic conditions along part of the
route the auto-rail buses would take
in the District If the application were
granted.
Mr.. Van Duzer said that accidents
on M street NV. between Key Bridge
and Twenty-eighth street, numbered
lis in 1887 and l07 up to October Is,
1888. He said that in the evening
rush hour in 1897 the average number
Of vehicles moving along M street.
between Thirtieth street and Wiscon-
sin avenue, was 1910; in 1898. 1923.
AS evidence of the auto-rail bus
safety, testimony was introduced that
the Fairfax County school children
have used the auto-rail vehicles for
more than q year.