Evening star., 1951-03-06
Bus Riders Seek
Hearing Nearer
Than Baltimore
Transfer of Session
On Capital Transit
Service to Be Asked

w 'SAo4444AS boA4s
Acting on citizens protests, tn,
PSC yesterday scheduled a public
hearing for 10 am. March 81 a
Baltimore's Munsey Building, Cal.
vert and Fayette streets.
Capital Transit was directed tt
continue service on the eight line.
connecting the District with Mont,
gomery and Prince George.
County points, pending an investi.
cation and decision by the com.
mission.
Company Cites Losses.
Citing revenue losses of more
than Sl05.000 on the lines las
Year, Capital Transit informed the
PSC Of plans to discontinue serv.
ice effective April /.
The lines affected are N8, Gler
Echo; OF, Kenwood, Edgmoor anc
Bradley boulevard; Y3, Piney
, Branch road; F8, Hyattsville: Go
= Greenbelt:. H3. East Pines; XS
Sheriff road, and IA, Takoms
branch line.
Faced with prospects of no pub.
lie transportation, whatever, COM
muters in those areas have
launched an organized protest
Three written protests reached the
PSC, enough to touch off the in
vestigation. and citizens groups
are circulating resolutions and pc
titions.
L. Paul Coppinger, chairman OF
the Montgomery County Civic
Federation'S Utilities Committee
said his group may petition Gov
McKeldin to bring the PSC hear
ing closer home
Calls 1t Reasonable.
"1t is more reasonable to expect
four or five commissioners and
staff members to come here than
to ask $50 or more citizens to
travel to Baltimore" he said.
Albert L. Deem, the PSC's execu-
tive secretary, did not rule out the
possibility of a change in hearing
scene. but recalled only one oc.
casion in 35 years when the COM
mission left Baltimore for a ses.
sion.
ANY request for a hearing ir
or near washington will be SUBJ
mitted to the commission ano
given careful consideration" Mr.
Deem said.
Mr.. Coppinger predicted lone OF
the hottest sessions in a long
time" when the Montgomery
County Civic Association meets al
8 pm. next Monday in the Wood
ward & Lothrop Auditorium al
Wisconsin and Western avenues
Chevy Chase, Md. -
Petitions Circulating.
He said many of the associated
groups were circulating petitions
some of which may ask the County
Council to support a request fol
a thorough investigation of "these
recurring crises" of the transit
company in the face of "unprec.
edented profits and double divi.
dends."
Protests to the PSC precipitat.
ing the hearing came from j. H
Sidebottom, chairman of the Brad
ley Boulevard Citizens Associa.
tion's Utilities Committee; E
Carlton Tatum of Greenbelt anc
Stephen Grubb, a Takoma Park
attorney. Mr.. Tatum said loss o1
the Greenbelt line would put him
on foot, since he has no car.
The company contends it is or
sound legal grounds in discon-
tinuing the lines through the
simple expediant of not asking
for an annual permit. A spokes.
man for the PSC said there OBJ.
viously was difference of opinion
Of this conception on the board
else the hearing would not be
called.
Last night the Greenbelt City
Council added its voice of protest
as Councilman Frank j. Lastnel
pointed out that the community
Of 1900 would be completely iso-
lated" if the line is dropped.
Students Would Lack Service
Pupils of Greenbelt High School
living as far as 3 miles away, woulc
be without transportation, since
there no longer is provision fol-
school bus service, he said. The
Council agreed to protest formally
to the PSC and public officials.
At Bethesda a transit company
official told the Chamber of Com.
merce that service on No and o:
lines could be continued only il
they were made self-sustaining.
Dean j. Locke, a staff engineer
said he knew of no practical wa!
for accomplishing that. but tina
the company "is always open tt
suggestions with a dollar sign at
tached."
To make the operation pay, i
would be necessary to increase tn,
fares on the routes from Z to /;
cents or to increase patronage ~
times, Mr.. Locke said in answer t,
questions.
He would take to the compan,
any proposals citizens might hav.
for underwriting losses on tn
lines, provided the suggestions ar
firm" Mr.. Locke added.
Others going on record for con
tinued service were the Hyatts
vile City Council and the Com
munity League of Takoma Park
The Hyattsville group asked tn
Maryland League of Municipalitie
to support the fight before tn
PSC. The Takoma Park Leagu
opposed discontinuance of the Y
and IA lines.
PTA Meets Tonight