Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-29
BY HECTOR MCLEAN


The decision on abandoning
Washington's streetcar system
would be left up to the proposed
Ithree-man transit authority be-
ling planned by the District Com
misSioners.
| This was indicated last night
by Commissioner Samuel Spen-
Icer, in outlining the city heads
thinking on proposed legislation
ito set up an independent Federal
agency to take over the dying
Capital Transit Co. franchise
next August IA.
ALI consideration so far. he
said, is purely tentative.
He outlined the plans in re-
Isponse to questions. after refus-
ling to release for publication the
draft Of q bill by Public Utilities
Commissioner Robert M. Weston
Ito set up such an authority.
! Mr.. Spencer spoke after the
Commissioners completed an all
Afternoon session on the bill.
Resume for Congress
Mr.. Spencer said the Com
Imissioners probably will not
manage to have the bill COM
pleted for submission to Congress
by the time it reconvenes Janu-
AIRY 8. However, he said. the
Commissioners will send report
ito the chairmen of the House
and Senate District Committees
providing an official resume
of transit developments since
congress adjourned last August
Meanwhile, minority Capital
Transit Co. stockholders met to
form q committee to protect
their interest as the firm APP
Iproaches the date on which II
will die by act Of Congress.
The session. attended by
NEARLY Is stockholders, was pre-
sided over by William B. Willard
former vice president Of the
National Savings & Trust Co
land trustee of the estate Of
Henry K. Willard.
He said the meeting had ap-
pointed an Executive Committee
1.-THE members of which he refused
to identify, to set up a perma-
Inent organization. Mr.. Willard
said the group had no definite
plans but felt the individual
stockholders in the area should
be represented" before Congress
land other agencies.
Control of the company is in
1.-THE hands of Louis e. Wolfson
Florida multimillionaire and
owner Of the largest single bloc
Iof stock.
At another session yesterday
President Edward r. Carr Of the
Washington Board of Trade, met
with two applicants for the etc
franchise in recent dealings with
the District Public Utilities
Commission.
They are I. William Stempil
land Morris Fox. president Of the
B. & F. Transportation, Inc.
Mr.. Carr said he and William
Press, executive vice president OF
the board, talked to them,
listened to their plan and prom
Used to see II we could be Of any
assistance"
MIR. Spencer said the Commits
sioners were refusing to release
the draft Of Mr.. Weston's bill
because there are so many
things to be worked out" Also
he said, a bill is being drafted by
Blyth g. Co., Inc, New York ant
Chicago investment bankers.
Awaits Blyth Bill
1--WE are waiting to see what
the bill being prepared by thu
Blyth people looks like and won'
attempt to make any decision
until them" he said. Mr.. Spen.
Ger said, however, that I'VE en-
visage an authority SUFFICIENT!
broad either to take over thu
streetcar system or to run an all
bus operation"
He declared the Commissioner!
plan to leave 1t up to the au'
thority to start a new system o.
take over all or part Of the ex'
listing Capital Transit setup b,
purchase or condemnation.
He said mo final decision" hal
been reached on whether com
petitive bidding would be re-
quired for selection of an under
writer to float the revenue bono
issue with which the authorit!