Evening star., 1951-03-30
0rio|e bus|ine
ToTake0yer2
Dropped Runs
Will Serve Portions
Of Capital Tronsit's
Y-3 and G-8 Routes

SAASsS Va AA4fS4 A0P4 444S Woo 4CoAy
today to take over two of the
Maryland suburban buslines which
the Capital Transit Co. will aban-
don tomorrow at midnight.
Manuel j, Davis. vice president
of Oriole, said the Interstate Com
merce Commission has given the
firm temporary authority for Is
days to serve portions of Capital
Transit's Y-3 route along Piney
Branch road in Montgomery
County and the G-8 route to
Greenbelt.
Mr.. Davis said authorization to
operate on the two routes is ex-
pected today from the Maryland
Public Service Commission, which
yesterday granted permission to
Capital Transit to abandon serv-
ice on the seven buslines.
May Take Over 2 Other Lines.
The Oriole line, which now
operates in and beyond College
Park and several Montgomery
County communities as far north
as GaitherSburg, also is consider
ing taking over two other of the
lines to be abandoned. They are
o., covering Kenwood, Edge
moor and Bradley boulevard, and
N-8, to Glen Echo.
Joseph w. Clark, District super
visor for the ICC, said Oriole was
given the 15-day temporary per-
init to operate on the two routes
because there was not time to is
sue the usual 180-day temporary
permit. Within the next few
days, he said. the ICC will give
the company supplementary
temporary permit covering the
additional 165 days.
In the meantime, Mr.. Clark
said, the Oriole firm. also known
as the Washington Suburban
Lines. is expected to apply for
permanent authorization.
In permitting Capital Transit
to discontinue the seven suburban
routes, the Public Service Com
mission said it had no alterna-
tive. The lines lose money, the
commission found, and the Mary
land Court of Appeals has ruled
that a utility company cannot be
required to continue operating a
facility under such circumstances.
Cites 1949 Ruling.
The commission cited a 1949
Court of Appeals ruling which
said such service need be oper-
ated only on the condition that
the public will supply sufficient
traffic at a reasonable rate to
yield a fair return, the Associ-
ated Press reported.
ITO compel "a company to
continue at a loss would amount
to the taking of property with
out just compensation, in viola
tion of che due process clause
OF the 14th amendment of the
Constitution of the United States, ;"
the court said.
We specifically hold that a
common carrier cannot be COM
PEELED to carry on even a branch
OF its business in an unbusiness-
like way with a resulting loss
unless it is necessary for the full
f1llment OF its corporate duties.
"If one branch of the service is
improbable. it would be neither
good business nor justice to COM
pei the company to continue that
branch because the loss could b.
offset by profit on the rest of tie
service"
Loss Put at S125,0OO.
The PSC said much had been
made at the public hearing in Sill
yer Spring last week of the fact
that the whole Capital Transit
system operated at a profit in 1850.
Its loss on the seven lines, however
was estimated at $125,000.
I'm view of the law as laid down
by the Court of Appeals" said the
commission, this commission is
required to permit the discontinue
ance of these lines
Capital Transit originally asked
for permission to abandon an
eighth line, the IA service in Ia
koma Park. 1t advised the COM
mission Wednesday, however, that
it would like to keep this service.
Oriole said it is ready to start
rush hour service between $50
and $50 am. and $3.50 and 7::3O
pm. on the Y-3 and G-8 routes
Monday. It proposes to increase
its service if traffic needs so re-
quire, an announcement said.
Proposed Service.
Mr.. Davis said the proposed
Piney Branch road service will
originate at Four Corners, thence
over Old Bladensburg road to
Piney Branch road, over Piney
Branch road to Sixth street NV.
over Sixth street to Butternut
street, over Butternut street to
o1dA 1OdQ, OFCl DIAL 1Odu "
Eastern avenue, over Eastern
avenue to Kalmia road, thence to
Twelfth street NV. and the
Eastern avenue terminal.
The return route will be via
Georgia avenue to Kalmia road
then to Eastern avenue, Blail
road, Butternut road, Sixth street
and Piney Branch road, turning
left at Piney Branch and Ole
Bladensburg road and thence te
Four Corners.
The Greenbelt service will rur
from Greenbelt road to Edmonstor
road, to the Rhode Island avenue
car stop and to College Park
Service also will be available from
Edmonston road to the Rhode
Island avenue car stop on Green.
belt road.
Commissions Findings.
This is the way the commission
summed up its findings on each
of the seven lines to be aban-
doned:
Route G-S, Greenbelt-From tn,
Branchville street car line, near the inter
section Of U. S. and Greenbelt road tx