Evening star., 1942-10-23
PUG Weighs Cutting
Wood|ey Bus Line as
Asked by Transit Co.
Conservation Program
StfenuousIy Opposed by
Residents of Area

Onicials of the Public Utilities
Commission today had under con-
sideration what changes to make
in the Woodley road bus line of the
Capital Transit Co., designed to save
bus mileage. The matter was con-
sidered at an all-day hearing yes
terday.
Short proposals, offered |
by the company and the PUG staff,
brought a flood of protests, particu-
larly as to asserted inconvenience
which would be caused by elimina-
ton OF. the large loop at the north
ern end of the route.
Dean J. Locke, staff engineer for
the transit company, agreed, during
the afternoon session, that consid-
cradle hardship would be the result
for many persons, but he reminded
the group that the company had the
obligation" to conserve buses and
tires, and that the public must ex-
pect to suffer inconvenience made
necessary by the war effort. He
said such curtailments would not be
permanent and he hoped would not
last long.
1000 Sign Protests.
More than 1000 persons signed
protest petitions which were filed
with the PUG.
A. JudSon Findley, principal
witness for residents of the Cleve-
land Park and Richmond Park
areas, declared real hardships would
result for many groups and ques-
toned whether the bus-tire saw
ings would be sufficient justifica-
ton.
He said many residents of the
area are elderly or have heart all
ments which would make it mat
ter of suffering or even danger for
them to have to walk up some of
the steep grades in the area between
Connecticut avenue and Thirty
fourth street to get home. He pic
tured also the problem of house
wives having to carry market pur-
chases additional distances and
submitted numerous figures on in
creased walking distances.
Says Many Would Suffer.
"Words cannot picture the anx-
iety and interest of these people
that this bus line be retained as
1t is" said Mr. Findley. He added
that one of the protestants had
said her husband, having a heart
ailment, believed it would kill him
to make the climb up grade from
Connecticut avenue. He asserted
members of Congress, Government
executives, war workers and domes-
tics living or working in the area
all would suffer from the proposed
changes.
will the saving of a pound or
two OF rubber on the small buses
used on this route justify the i'm
position of the hardships that the
change will entail?" Mr.. Findley
asked. He suggested that increased
use of private automobiles, occa-
stoned by the bus change, might
burn up more rubber than that
saved on the buses.
Presentation of the case for the
protestants was handled principally
by Julian c. Hammack, Joseph A.
Roney and Richard H. Wilmer. w. B
Clarkson represented the Wash
ington Cathedral and Mrs. William
Charming johnson the Episcopal
Church Home. The Right Rev
James E. Freeman. Bishop of Wash
ington. and the Rev. Charles War
ner of st. Adams Church have
written letters to the Cathedral
Heights Cleveland Park Citizens
Association, stating opposition to the
proposed bus route changes.
May Lengthen Headway.
The hearing disclosed that the
transit company is considering 6
lengthening of the headway between
the busses from 10 to Is minutes.
A possible compromise discussed
yesterday, as to the northern lool
of the line, at the instance of Jane
H. Flanagan, PUG chairman, wa
that the buses be routed through
Newark street, between Wisconsin
avenue and Thirty-fourth street
thus eliminating only the northern
half of the present large loop.
The advertised plan, developed b.
PUG and company engineers in re
xponse to the conservation call issue,
by the Once of Defense Transpor
tation, proposes to eliminate all tn
present northern loop and to tur
the buses back through Woodle
road, Wisconsin avenue, Lowe
street and Thirty sixth street
Woodley road. They then woul
60 via Thirty-second street, Cleve
land avenue and Calvert street to
point east of the Calvert stree
Bridge.
The buses now operate over Tai
Bridge to Nineteenth street and Co
lumbia road One counter propose
yesterday was to send them ca.
from the Calvert street bus-rail tel
minal to Eighteenth street and CT
lumbia road. to permit connectio
with the Mount Pleasant street car
Another was that some of the buse
In the middle portion of the rout
be sent through Twenty ninth stree
between Calvert street and Catht
dral avenue.
RooseveIt's S DoQ