Evening star., 1951-12-27
bethesdalns SET
To Fight Slash
In Bus Service
Citizens Groups Form
Committee to Protest
Capital Transit Plan

Citizens groups in the Old
Georgetown road area of Bethesda
have organized to protest move
by Capital Transit Co. to abandon
bus service between Alta Vista
and Montrose, Md.
, A co-ordinating committee from
four citizens associations and
some of the developers of the area
was formed last night. Walter
S. Steele, 6004 Roseland lane,
Luxmanor. was elected chairman
and Dale A. Jackson, 1908 Broad
street. Bethesda, was named sec
retary.
The meeting, called by the Lux
manor Citizens Association, also
voted to send letter to the Mary
land Public Service Commission
urging postponement of hearings
of Capital Transit's latest pro-
.posal to curtail it's Maryland sub
urban operation.
The hearings have been set for
January 8 and 9 in Baltimore.
Capital Transit petitioned the
commission for the changes on
December II.
Petition Approved.
Last nights meeting also ap-
proved a petition to be circulated
i'll the area. 1t protests the re-
organization as it affects the T-8
line which operates between the
District line along Old George
town road to its intersection with
the Rockville pike at Montrose.
Among other changes proposed
by the company is the abandon
ment of the H-68 line betwee1
College Park, Landover Hills and
Kent Village in Prince Georges
County. The curtailments have
been protested by the Prince
Georges County commissioners.
1t was less than a year ago that
the Public Service Commission ap-
proved discontinuance of service
on seven of Capital Transits
Maryland lines. Also a company
request for bus and streetcar
fare increase in Washington is
now pending before the District
Public Utilities Commission.
Raleigh w. Dawson. president Of
the Luxmanor Citizens Associa-
ton, said that more than 3 miles
of the Old GEORGETOWN road line
would be eliminated under the
proposal, and that property valuesI
in the area probably would de.
teriorate as a result.
He said traffic on the line has
suffered in recent years because Of
poor service.
When the old Montrose trolley
line was abandoned in the lare
1905 and Capital Transit was
given the franchise to operate
buses over the route. Mr.. Dawson
said, the utility assured the Public
Service Commission that it would
give equal or better service than
the trolley.
Franchise Problem Raised.
The civic leader expressed the
belief that Capital Transit would
have to get a new franchise to
eliminate part of the T-6 line.
He said the company would have
to give up its old franchise to
operate between the District line
and Montrose and obtain a new
one for service between the Dis
trict line and Alta Vista.
And if they have to give up
the old franchise" Mr.. Dawson
suggested, perhaps we can find
some one else to take it,
Harry J. Austin of the Monts uk
Corp, developers of Georgetown
Village. told last nights meeting
that the builders in the area ha6
counted on bus service when they
started their development.
In petitioning for the reogani-
cation, j. A. B. Broadwater. transit
company president. said the pro-
posed cutbacks are necessary to
offset a wage increase granted
after transit company strike
last summer.