Evening star., 1942-01-23
0nIySubwaysC Can End
D. {. Transit Problem,
House Group Told
Capt. Whitehurst Predicts
Tunnels for Streetcurs
Will Have to Be Provided
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Continued From First Page.)


u streets NV, to effect general re-
distribution of street car operation.
I'VE understand" he said, that
some public officials now favor the
use Of streetcars in place Of buses
because of their greater passenger
capacity"
Further staggering of the hours OF
Government workers as well as those
in private employment was advo-
Gated by both Capt. Whitehurst and
Traffic Director William A. Van
Duzer.
Engineer Commissioner Kutz and
Chairman Gregory Hankin of the
Public Utility Commission both ex-
pressed the belief, in response to
questions by Chairman Randolph,
that a preliminary survey OF the
feasibility of subway system should
be made at this time. Gen. Kutz is
a member Of the commission.
Representative Randolph pointed
out that the House several months
ago passed bill directing the Public
Utilities Commission and the Com
nnissioners to make such a survey,
but that no action had been taken
on 1t in the Senate.
434 Buses and Cars Added.
Since June, 1910, at the beginning
of the defense effort, Mr.. Merrill
said the transit company had added
434 buses and streetcars to Its
morning peak-hour service. The
company now, he said, owns 1857
vehicles and has 567 on order which
he expected to have delivered by
September.
New equipment has been slower
coming through than usual because
of priorities. he testified. Hence the
company Is just beginning to receive
cars and buses ordered In April.
Normally, he explained, delivery
takes about 80 days.
Representative Schultz, Democrat,
of Indiana, long an advocate OF
subways here. asked Mr.. Merrill If
he did not think an underground
transit system would provide more
efficient service.
"You would still have to have the
same number of cars to carry the
people" he replied.
Mr.. Merrill, however, said If the
population here goes to 100000
there should be some double-decked
streets with short tunnels, perhaps
8 or 10 blocks long, in the downtown
area and lesser grade separations to
relieve street intersections in other
parts of the District.
The transit company head ad-
mitted under questioning that q
subway would be desirable" if the
population exceeds 100000. Bos-
ton, he declared, is the only city
with population less than 1,OO0, 900
with a subway system. The under
ground transit lines there, however,
he explained, serve heavily con-
gested contiguous areas.
"Door-to- Door" Service Raped.
Representative Schultz asked Mr..
Merrill what he thought of the pro-
posal for a so-called "jitney" serv-
ice by private automobiles and taxi
cabs to augment streetcar and bus
service.
Il never liked the jitney idea"
he replied. 1T was tried and found
wanting in the last war"
Capt. Whitehurst emphasized that
greater distribution OF mass trans
portation Is one OF Washington's
most important needs. Further, he
declared, I'VE have got to stop Civ
ing door door service. Streetcars
and buses have got to make fewer
stops"
In this connection, he said. II
washington had a real underground
rapid transit service like New York
and Boston, stops would be made
only every five or six blocks.
Firm Held Ready to Build Subway.
At that point Representative
Schultz said he had been informed
that New York organization is
ready to build and operate an under
ground rapid transit system here.
He revealed no further details of
the plan, but asked Capt. White
hurst If he favored 1t.
Il wouldn't oppose anything that
would improve traffic." the highway
director answered.
Capt. Whitehurst, however, said
It would take "a long time" to
build a subway.
Mr.. Schultz declared the New
York firm could build the subway
In one or two years.
Capt Whitehurst also told the
committee that further staggering of
the hours of Government workers
as we'll as those in private employ
ment can do more Immediately to
relieve congestion than anything
else.
Traffic Director Van Duzer ex-
planned that under the staggered
hour plan. $4,000 persons can be
comfortably" removed from the
congested area every Is minutes.
$4,000 of them in street cars and
buses.
Brother, you're a magician" Mr..
Schultz said.
Chairman Hankin of the Public
Utilities Commission declared If the
public needs a rapid transit subway
service "by all means" it should
get 1t.
Depressed Roads Planned.
Capt. Whitehurst told the COM
mittee extensive planning now is in
progress to improve traff1c conditions
and that he intended to ask Con-
gress for money to study the prob
lem more intensively.
Projects in mind, he declared, are
more extensive" than underpasses
and overpasses at traffic bottlenecks,
and include depressed highways in
the Northwest and Northeast sec
tions.
1--WE are in the progress of making
developments that are going to be
helpful" Capt. Whitehurst declared.
Representative Randolph asked
him if the permanent solution of
transportation problem is subsurface
transit lines.
"Unquestionably," he replied.
"The time is rapidly coming when
we will have to build tunnels for
street cars. But that will cause q