Evening star., 1946-12-15
Prince Georges
Trial Bus Plan
Hif byCitizens
Renewal Opposed
When 30-Doy Test
Ends on Tuesday
By chorIes A. McAIeer


Commission this week Is expected to
decide whether to continue the new
Capital Transit Go. system Of OPP
Grafton in Prince Georges County
at the expiration Of q 30-day trial
period Tuesday or to restore 1t to its
former status and consider q coun-
ter-proposal.
The latter request was made yes
terday by q joint transportation
committee Of the Prince Georges
County Civic Federation and the
County Chamber Of Commerce,
which described the present system
as entirely inadequate and unsatis-
factory to the great majority Of
riders affected"
In q letter to the Public Service
Commission, the committee asked
that the service be restored to the
manner in which it was operated
before the first step Of the so-called
master plan was put into opera
ton"
Principal complaint by most OPP
ponents to the present plan has
been the discontinuance OF direct
bus service to downtown Washing
ton from College Park and River
dale, via Hyattsville, and from
Cheverly and Riverdale to the ter
minal at Seventeenth and Pennsyl-
vania avenue Sc.
Traffic Congestion Cited.
The committee also reported It
had received numerous complaints
charging traffic congestion and
overcrowding at the Mount Rainier
streetcar and bus terminal, Thirty
fourth street and Rhode Island ave-
nue.. principal transfer point Of the
system now under trial.
Hearings on q counterproposal
filed last April with the Public
Service Commission by representa-
tives of the two civic bodies also was
requested.
Walter r. Mulligan, president Of
the Civic Federation and chairman
of the Joint COMMITTEES, which also
comprises Fred w. Cast, Louis A.
Day, C. D. Anderson and A. w. Bru-
mel, said the groups proposal would
include through service on College
Park -Hyattsville and Riverdale-
Cheyerly buslines to Washington and
three new routes.
He said the new routes would In
'clude an extension Of the B-2 busline
to East Pines; q new line from West
Lanham Hills to the Baltimore 81
Ohio Railroad Station at Riverdale,
via the Prince Georges General Hos
pital, Landover road, Defense high
wayyEdmonston and Riverdale roads,
and 8 third line on Eastern avenue
4foMAvoTda3e to BlG0 nSburg rod.
u af&anntit spokeSn3en for the
Capital Transit Co. and the County
independent Trade Association, who
rGcc1Elo doptien III the plap
n0N II edecf 4i3f1psanced general
satisfaction with the present meth-
od Of operation.
e. Cleveland Giddings, assistant
to the president Of the transit conn
pany, said q letter was sent Thurs
day to the Public Service Commis-
sion requesting 1t to issue q perrnas
nent order of operation after q few
minor changes"
He said the company had studied
operations and found its major as
poets" successful, although q few
bugs" have been uncovered These
are being corrected, he added.
Admitting that some riders Suf-
fer inconvenience, Mr.. Giddings
claimed that q majority has bene-
fitted from it. He said the system
viii lead to a more orderly growth
of the county," and will provide a
more flexible and integrated serv-
ice." The Maryland carline is the
principal link of the system, he ex-
planned.
Charles T. Hartley, president Of
the Independent Trade Association,
declared that the plan "is working
out at least 90 per cent favorably," I"
but said a final decision would be
up to the Public Service Commits
sion.
Mr.. Day, chairman Of the Utilities
Committee Of the Civic Federation,
In a letter to the transit company,
said better service must be obtained
or bids should be requested from
satisfactory" new applicants.
Besides criticism OF the discon-
tinuance Of direct downtown bus
service and conditions at the Mount
Rainier terminal, Mr.. Day recon-
mended consideration of q proposed
bus service, from East Riverdale to
Washington, via the Washington
Baltimore boulevard at Riverdale,
Bladensburg road, and either New
York or Maryland avenues.
w. T. Helm, president Of the West
Hyattsville Citizens Association, also
asked the transit company to honor
weekly passes and tokens on the
Hyattsville-Mount Rainier Queens
Chapel road bus line, instead OF
straight 10-cent fares only as at
present.
Arthur H. Koonce, chairman Of q
newly-organized Citizens Trans
poftation Committee representing
residents Of Northwest Hyattsville
which also have requested the
Maryland Public Service Commits
sion to restore direct bus service to
downtown Washington, last night
said approximately 1000 citizens OF
the area had signed petitions fav-
oring it.
The Hyattsville City Council also
has gone on record as requesting q
commission hearing, following COM
plants from residents Of the COM
munity. Last Monday, Acting May
or Robert T. Pitt, reactivated the
councils Transportation Commit
tee, headed by Councilman Freder-
lex M. Coxcn. Mrs. Coxcn an
nounced that public meeting
would be held soon to sound out
sentiments Of bus riders.
Do You Know That
/ Children's Hospital treats
many small children for paraly-
sis other than poliomyelitis
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