Evening star., 1942-05-21
.PrinceGeorges
Transit Hearinq
Is Continued
p. S. G. Gives Time
For Further Study
Of Bus Changes

An indefinite continuance of hear
ings on Capital Transit Co. petit
ton to make changes in nearby
Maryland bus and streetcar services
at Thirty-fourth street and Rhode
Island avenue, Mount Rainier, has
been ordered by the Maryland Public
Service Commission.
The continuance, Commission
Chairman Stuart Purcell said after
an au-day hearing yesterday at Bal
timore, would permit reasonable
consideration of objectives already
presented" and afford extra time to
gather additional facts on the trans
portation problem created by gaso-
line and tire shortages.
Philip H. Dorsey, jr., P. c. c.
peoples counsel, asked a postpone
ment of the hearing until a pro-
posed survey of traffic conditions
in the District and suburbs could
be completed.
Arthur L. Rysticken, Greenbelt
town counsel and one of the Prince
Georges County delegation of almost
so, pointed out that traffic survey
figures presented by the company
were obtained from April 13 to
April "a, prior to gasoline rationing.
He also suggested poStponement so
the figures could be checked.
Chairman Purcell, however, di-
rected the transit company to pre-
sent its case first, the Associated
Press reported.
Smoke Screen Charge Denied.
The company was represented by
Dean j. Locke, staff engineer, who
emphatically denied charges that
national defense was being used "as
a smoke screen" to permit the
changes.
Protestants, firing questions at
Mr.. Locke, who was on the stand
most of the day, left little doubt
that they vigorously opposed the
changes. and Mr.. Purcell found it
necessary several times to caution
those in the room to confne dis
cuSsion to the subject at hand.
At conclusion of Mr.. Lockes sum-
mary Of proposed changes which
would eliminate some bus lines,
change some routes, and make more
use of the Washington -Beltsville
Md electric carline with the
Mount Rainier terminal the focal
point of operation, the commission
decided on the continuance.
The first accusation that the tran
sit company was attempting to get
the changes by pleading necessity
for saving tires and equipment came
from c. D. Anderson, secretary Of
the Prince Georges Chamber Of
Commerce.
Program Refused in 1889.
Mr.. Anderson recalled that the
commission refused similar pro-
gram presented by the company in
1899. He suggested the present petit
ton was not based on national de-
fenSe, but on a desire of the transit
firm to effect economies, a charge
that brought warm denial from
G. Thomas Dunlop, acting general
counsel of the company, who said
this conclusion was unfair"
Protestants from Greenbelt, Ber-
wyn, Cheverly, East Riverdale,
Riverdale and other communities.
including several new developments
expanding with defense workers,
listed variety of complaints, in
cluding these:
That the Mount Rainier terminal.
situated two blocks over the Dis
trict line, would be jammed during
rush hours, especially since it is To-
Gated on u S. Route No. /:
That the terminal had no faciu-
ties for sheltering large numbers
OF passengers who would be forced
to transfer from Washington car
lines and busses:
That they understood old equip
ment banned by the District Public
Utilities Commission would be op-
Grated on the Maryland portions Of
the lines:
. That longer travelling time to
downtown Washington would be
caused by transferring at Mount
Rainier, instead of through opera
ton, and
Ihat several proposed changes
would create accident hazards where
passengers would be forced to make
transfers on busy arterial roads.
D. ID. I. Letter Reviewed.
Mr.. Purcell prefaced the hearing
with a brief review of an Office of
Defense Transportation letter to
transit companies of the country
urging utilization of existing facili-
ties to the utmost to conserve crit
ical materials.
Mr.. Locke said that CAPITAL
Transit officials conferred with o.
D. T. officials and received verbal
instructions to see what could be
done along that line.
we were made a guinea pig bv
the o. D. T." Mr.. Locke said. add
ing that the o. D. T. planned to base
the policy it later announced on
findings of the Capital Transit.
Mr.. Dorsey and others observed
that the original petition to the
Maryland commission was dated
February q, and the peoples coun-
sci noted the petition made no refer
ence to national defense.
Mr.. Locke replied, however, that
this was taken into consideration
because of the conversation with
o. D. T. in February.
The February 27 petition suggest
ed that three bus routes serving
Cheverly, Riverdale and East River
dale be rerouted to end at the
Mount Rainier terminal instead of
entering the District on Bladens-
burg road.
On March the transit company
asked permission to terminate the
Maryland electric line at Mount
Rainier, with all changes to be ef-
fective April 10.
The commission ordered the post
ponement Of any changes pending
a hearing and IN April % the Copi