davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22
Happy Commuters End 7-Week Wait
With Both Banter and Criticism
BY RICHARD RODGERS

Man, it's about time" said
an early bird boarding the first
streetcar this morning. 1--we
been waiting for you for seven
weeks"
James r. Hill, 55.sof 93l7 Du-
barry avenue. Lanham Park.
Md. was at the controls. He
has been plotting transit vehicles
80 years.
1--WE shouldn't have had to go
out" he said. THE company
should have given us this con-
tract without a strike"
Mr.. Hill wheeled car No. 1886
out of the lot at Fourth and T
streets NE. at 4:19 am. It's
run, Route 80, goes from the
Brookland turnaround at
Twelfth and Quincy streets NE.
to the Rosslyn tVa.) circle across
Key Bridge.
First Customer
His first fare was leroy Ezell,
26, 1927 Seventy-second street
NE. bound for his houseman's
job at the Roger Smith Hotel.
I'm glad these things are run
ming again." Mr.. Ezell told the
veteran operator. II don't have
a car. I've been walking or cab
bling or hitching rides all this
time"
r. M. Herring, 1919 Wisconsin
avenue, hailed John Allison, Sis
M street NV. as he climbed into
1886. Say" he asked, grinning.
what do you call this contrap-
ton we're in? Can you remember
back that far?"
Mr.. Hill had to get out and
hand the rails five times
during his first round trip.
whats wrong with those
things?" a rider inquired.
Dirt and stuff has got in them,
I imagine" Mr.. Hill told him.
1.-The crews probably haven't had
time to get to them"
Lost Her Touch
A woman in a red dress en-
Tered the car. AS IL started up, |
she lost her balance and grabbed
for a stanchion. "Ive got to get
back in the swing of things" she
remarked.
1t wasn't a very smooth trip.
you can tell cars haven't been
over these tracks for q while,
Mr.. Hill said. 1T will take a few
days to get them smoothed down
again."
He stifled q yawn. I'm not
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22
StorIight Movies
Playground Film
Proeroms for Tonight

Programs sponsored by Tit
Evening Star in cooperation
with the Film Center of Wash,
ington and the recreation de-
partments of the District ane
Alexandria and Arlington, Primes
Georges and Montgomery Coun.
ties:
Washington at Dusk
Janney. Wisconsin avenue and Abe
marie street NV.
Rudolph. Second and Hamilton streets
Lansdon, Twenty-second and Frank
lin streets NE.
Powell, Sixteenth and Lamont streets
New York avenue. First street snt
New York avenue NV.
Sherwood, Tenth and G streets NE,
Buryille. Division avenue and Hayes
Randall. First and Eye streets sw
SIMON. Fourth street and Mississippi
avenue Sc
Douglass Junior High, Douglass and
Stanton roads Sc
Arlington County, s:30 PM.
Fort Barnard. South Oakland and
Walter Reed drive.
Lyon Village, Lee highway and North
Highland street.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22

tive bureau and harbor precinct.
The Police training school pro-
vided Isl rockies and the re-
manning ITO came from the pre-
Icincts-the policemen who had
special duties until the strike
started. Fifty per cent of the
precinct plainclothesmen went
on traffic duty. When Hurricane
Connie closed the Metropolitan
Police Boys Club camp, the po-
Iicemen -counsellors came back to
town to take their turn directing
traffic.
In the beginning. police were
working a l2-hour day, seven
days a week. Gradually, both
the hours and the days were cut
down Most police worked Is
out Of the first IA days of the
strike, but in later weeks most
of them had one day off week.
In the final two weeks Of the
strike most of the men were
working a five-day week.
One Death
Police manned 1876 intersec-
tons to cope with traffic which
increased some rs per cent above
normal daily between s am. and
II am. and 8.8 per cent for the
whole day Generally speaking
the men standing for IL hours
lin the heat were a hardy lot.
A total of eight heat prostra-
tons were recorded Foui police-
men were injured and one COLI
Ilapsed and died while directing
I tro fir
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22
NOTHING so OLD
las JUNE NEWS
RIDERS DISCOVER

Copies of the June Is
Transit News" etc pub
LEGATION, were still in the
vehicles take one" racks
today.
The lead story started
Perhaps you have noticed
the new type of Capital
Transit transfer which went
into effect Friday, June
10. :"
Some of the carriers still
had signs pasted on windows
telling of impending route
changes. One described a
change scheduled for July 9.
Old as it was, it was still up
to date. The change didn't
start until today.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22

used to these hours" he said
I"I've been getting up anywhere
from 7::30 to $50, sometimes moi
going to work till 2 in the after
noon" He explained he was sell
ing real estate during the transit
tieup.
An automobile darted in front
of the streetcar. "A man has tc
watch the motorists" Mr.. Hill
said. They must have forgotten
what a streetcar looks like"
Going Pretty Well
v. F. Moran, 1101 West Vir-
ginia avenue NE, Capital
Transit bus driver, caught Mr..
Hills streetcar at Florida avenue
and North Capitol street. "How's
it going?" he asked his CO.
worker. I'm just going to
work"
Hasn't been bad" Mr.. Hill
said.
At the end Of the first round
trip. he estimated he had about
IT fewer passengers than on the
average trip before the strike.
IT expect they'll come back,
though" he said. Il was ex-
pecting the Three Musketeers
this morning but ! didn't see
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22
ext of Order RESTORING
District 7 ronsit Service

land approved by the Commits
sioners.
Such public transportation
shall be furnished under the
terms and regulations now estab-
lished by the Public Utilities
Commission, except as the same
may be hereafter modified or
changed upon the recommended
ton of the Public Utilities Com
mission with the approval of the
Commissioners, provided, how
ever, that such terms or regula-
lions shall not ID provide for
the removal prior to August IA.
1856, of any tracks of the COM
pany now located in or on the
public streets or highways of
the District of Columbia. except
upon abandonment by the COM
pany, or (2) encroach upon or
interfere with the usual and
normal prerogatives of the COM
.pany's management in the con-
duct of its business, 90 change
or vary the terms and conditions
upon which the company is pres
emily permitted to effect reduc-
|tions in service in the District
Iof Columbia.
The Capital Transit Co. in
Guiding its subsidiaries, is fur
ther authorized, with the APP
prevail of the Public Service
Commission of the State of
Maryland, to furnish public
transportation in accordance
with the provisions of said Pub
lie Law 389, 84th Congress, with
in the portion of the State Of
Maryland which was provided
with public transportation by
the Capital Transit Co., includ-
ing its subsidiaries, Immediately
prior to July /, 1855.
This authorization shall be-
come effective Immediately.
Dated August 81, 1855.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22

them. know they'll be back"
"Who are they?"
They're three fellows who
walk together and get the car
at Thirteenth and G. They'll
probably be there tomorrow"
Comment on Fares
Only a tiny percentage of the
rush hour fares had any COM
iment for their drivers. But
thousands of them had a ques-
Ition. Hands afumble in purse or
pocket, they would pause and
ask:
How much is it now?"
One woman, handing over 95
cents for five tokens that for
merly cost 80 cents, said with
heavy sarcasm, Poor Mr. Wolf
son needs the money more than
I do. I guess, so I'm really happy
we're making him happy"
Evan at advanced prices. the
majority felt relieved at the re-
turn of the buses and streetcars.
Frederick G.. Umhau, a lawyer
whose Office is at Fifteenth and
H streets NV, uses etc cars
around the downtown section.
He summed up the consensus.
1--WE missed them like the very
dickens" he said. Those cab
fares! They were really some-
thing"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22
IAB&W LINE SAYS
1T LOST $4,000
DUE TO CTC TIEUP

Officials of the AB&W bus
line, operating between the
District and nearby Virginia.
today estimated the firm lost
$4,000 during the transit
strike although the buses of
that line operated daily
The loss for July was set
at $4,000, and for the first
three weeks OF August at
$4,000. Much of the loss
came because patrons of the
bus line normally had trans
ferred to or from Capital
Transit Co. buses and street.
cars.
Officials of the line said
that their operation would
not return to normal for
some time. They anticipate
a permanent loss of business
because Of car pool arrange
ments which developed dur
ing the strike.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22
Broodwoter's Statement
On 7 ronsit Settlement

lation that would have held ur
resumption of service perhaps
another week before the differ
ences we're compromised. BY
taking the proposal of the Com
Imissioners and their assurances
of cooperation. we are left to
our own ingenuity prior to get
ting out of business next Au-
gust.
THE unfortunate part of the
entire regrettable strike, the end
result of which has yet to be
appraised. is that it would have
been avoided had the p. U. c. ex-
ercised foresight last June in
stead CT waiting until today to
reach a conclusion. 1t only proves
that the regulatory procedures
as they apply 10 transit opera
lions under present conditions,
are obsolete or else require Com
misSioners with broad under
standing and sympathy for the
problems of a private enterprise.
I'VE will be back on the road
on Monday. We hope the past
So black days will serve to
strengthen the company, the
union and the D. C. Commission
ers to work together during the
next year to warrant improved
patronage and respect for the
high standards of service rem
dered prior to the strike. The
strike. if it has had any merits,
has most certainly highlighted
and made paramount the fact
that higher expenses can only
be met with higher revenues,
and in a transit operation, the
public must pay.
"The next year will be q chal-
lenge which the company &C
cepts willingly and will strive
to set a goal that will be a
stepping stone for those who will
follow in assuming the RESPONSE
bility for providing transit serv-
ice to the community"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22
|Arm-Weory Police Out
I o Ease | ronsit Return

Washington police turned out
in extra duty force again today
to make sure traffic doesn't get
snarled, as the city readjusts to
having streetcars and buses
again.
Officials hope that by tofnor-
row commuters will have re-
sumed normal driving and tran
sit-riding habits to the point
that extra duty can be called of
and regular days off and leave
resumed.
During the long strike, police
lost $4,000 days off and worked
81, 900 hours of unpaid overtime,
authorities estimated today.
What astonished the public
most about the effects of the
transit strike was the smooth
flow of traffic and the cheerful
ness of the men who kept it
smooth. This was largely the
product of advance planning by
Police Chief Robert v. Murray
and Deputy Chief Howard v.
Covell. executive officer who
master-minded much of the
planning for police operations
under strike conditions.
$50 Men Shifted
| In all $50 men were taken
from their regular assignments
to help handle traffic at the be-
ginning of the strike. OF these
SIS came from administrative
headquarters, morals division
youth aid division, communica.
|tions and records bureau. detec.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22

FOLLOWING is the teri OF the
Commissioners order Guthoriz-
ing Capital Transit Co. to OPP
crate until August ID. 1856,
and setting ne,D transit fares:
Capital Transit Company, hav.
ing signified to the Commission
ers of the District of Columbia
its willingness to furnish public
transportation in the District OF
Columbia under the provisions OF
Public Law 389, 84th Congress
entitled IAN Act To amend the
joint resolution entitled Joint
Resolution to authorize the mer-
ger of street-railway corpora
tons operating in the District OF
Columbia and for other pur-
poses,' approved January IA
1888, and for other purposes,
approved August IA, 1855. with
out a contract or contractual
agreement between said Com
pany and the Commissioners. or
the contractual provisions set
forth in subsection tb) of Sec
ton 8 of said Act, is hereby au-
thorized to furnish public trans
probation in the District of CO.
lumbia until and including Au-
gust IA, 1856. in accordance with
its franchise duties and obliga-
tons. and the provisions OF
Public Law 389. 84th Congress
approved August IA, 1855.
The public transportation
shall be furnished at the rates OF
20 cents cash, S tokens for 95
cents and a weekly permit cost
ing 80 cents, plus 10 cents per
ride, which have been recon-
mended by the Public Utilities
Commission of the District of
Columbia and approved by the
Commissioners, and such school
fare as may be recommended by
the Public Utilities Commission
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22

| FOLLOWING is a statement By
! J. A. B. Broadipater, Capital
Transit Co. President. issued
after settlement of the transit
strike.
The company elected to pro-
coed with the alternative to en-
ter into direct contract with
the union as reached by the
D. c. Commissioners for the
coming year, rather than to
enter into a contract with the
District. In electing this pro-
lcedure the company is relying
once again on the P. U. C.'s esti-
mate that a fare of 20 cents cash,
19-cent token and 90-cent per-
nit, plus 10 cents for each ride,
will reach the estimates made by
them that 1t will produce the
revenues needed to meet the adj
ditional labor costs incurred
under the new labor contract.
The company also has the as
surance that the school fare will
be equitably adjusted promptly
and that the D. c. Commission
ers will consider another up
ward step in the fare structure
III the new rates fail to produce
sufficient revenue to keep the
company from operating in the
red. The company also has fur
Ither assurances that any serv-
ice economies will meet the
prompt attention and decision
of the Commissioners.
The paramount reason for
proceeding directly with the
union was the consideration that
the process was the most direct
and quickest way of getting the
wheels rolling, now that the
differences with the union are
resolved. If we had entered into
a contract with the District it
most certainly would have re-
suited in trying to put into simple
language complicated formulas
for arriving at a deficiency calcu-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22
Crews Pitch in Happily
TO Get Cars Moving

the news by phone at 8 am. Al
Is am. he was waking up thu
other workers. BY z work started
The buses had been maintained
Throughout the strike by super
visors. u discovered muscles
never knew I had" Mr.. DiMarze
said.
Motors had been run 4 or
hours apiece each five or six days
Ito keep up the battery charge
Four buses that had been jam
med together so workers couldn't
get to them, went without. They
got new batteries yesterday.
Workers cleaned the buses
checked oil and fuel, checked
brakes and doors, checked the
signs, which had be-
gun to rust. Then the silver
buses were run through a big
washing machine and road
tested.
Happy TO Get Back
Did It feel good to be back in
operation again?
"Oh, mani" said Mr.. DiMarzo,
In the car barn adjoining,
Foreman George T. Flaharty was
all alone. He creased the tracks
in front.
Called at $40 am, MIR. Fla
harty had tried to reach two
other workers to tell them to
come in. One had no phone. the
other didn't answer.
1t didn't make much differ
|ence, he said, the cars were ready
to go. They had been cleaned
over the last couple of days, their
batteries were charged, all they
needed was drivers.
In similar scenes across town,
the morning passed in activity
and waiting.
First Car Moves Out
At noon precisely. the first
Streetcar seen on Washington
streets since July / nosed out OF
the barn at Fourteenth and East
Capitol streets.
It's job. and that Of the others
that followed. was to ride over
all the city's tracks, and make
sure they were passable. The
cars moved in groups Of two In
case one got stuck.
No. /, driven by C. D. Hess,
sos Twenty eighth avenue,
Hillcrest Heights, rolled slowly
to Mt. Pleasant. Pedestrians
and automobile drivers stared at
it. Some cheered. Others waved
and smiled.
One man walked up to the
car as it stood at Seventh and
F streets NV. and said, What
is this?"
"A Streetcar," Mr.. Hess replied.
II thought perhaps it was a
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22
Some Businesses Gained
In Strike, But Not All

"We re expecting a rapid re-
turn to normal operations this
week" he said.
Herbert j. Rich, president OF
the Merchants and Manufac-
Iturers Association and owner OF
Rich shoe stores here, said spe-
cialty shops had the same ex-
perience as the department
stores.
IF we had closed up on Sat-
iurdays we would have lost up To
20 per cent in sales in July and
August" he said.
One of the factors which
helped the speciality shops. he
said. was public acceptance of
the Downtown Park and Shop
plan begun in May.
Our demand for parking
tickets in July and August was
way above the May and June
figures" Mr.. Rich said.
Park and shop is a co-opera-
tive venture in which merchants
in the downtown area and along
Connecticut avenue offer patrons
one hour free parking at garages
and parking lots participating in
the plan while the patrons are
shopping,
Restaurants Suffered
A spokesman for the Washing
ton Restaurant Association said
a slump in downtown restaurant
business is normal during July
and August.
But not the kind of slump
we've had this year." he added.
Many of our members in the
downtown area report business
Is per cent below the compa-
rable period last year. Part of
that is the heat, but at least 20
per cent of the drop must be a
result of the strike" he said.
The biggest decline was in the
dinner hour business. This is be-
heved to result from former
patrons joining in car pools and
finding it necessary to leave the
downtown area at a fixed time
instead of being free to dine
downtown and return home at a
later hour.
We're just hoping the change
in habits won't be a permanent
one" the spokesman said.
AS for the cab driver, Mr..
Russo said the normal summer
slump Is bound to recur now that
the strike is over.
Our next big squirt in business
will be in the late fall" he said.
Then we'll have to wait until
Congress gets back before we
really begin to move again."
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22

strange beast and I should shoot
it," he said.
Mr.. Hess and Austin McRobie,
"a transit instructor who rode
with him, kept their eyes on the
slot that let's the streetcar take
power from a conductor rail be-
meath the street.
Several times they stopped to
remove distractions.
Switches failed to respond to
the equipment operated from
inside the car. Some 80 per cent
of the switches in the city, it
was belived, would work for the
second car that came along. They
were just out of practice and
perhaps a little corroded.
The drivers Of the pilot cars
found that areas where cars
had been allowed to park on
the tracks were rougher with
debris than others, but that the
cars had blocked off sunlight,
cutting down on heat. and thus
had lessened the squeeze of the
third-rail slot.
None Of the pilot cars pulled
a plow"-ripped of the link be-
tween the car and the under
ground power.
Gravel over Tracks
The pilot car that tried the
Cabin John line alongside the
Potomac had to stop often so
the tracks could be dug out
from under sand and gravel that
had washed over them.
Hot. weary pedestrians who
watched the pilot cars snail
like progress were delighted.
Il won't have to walk to work
tomorrow" one woman smiled.
Here comes a streetcar!" hol-
Tered girl. 1--WE got to go tell
Nominal" She ran off, faster
than the streetcar.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22
By TOM BURKE

WaShington'S department anC
specially stores have emerged
from the seven-week transit
strike with higher gross sales
than they had in the same
period last year.
Key to their success. appar-
emily. was their decision to keep
the stores open on Saturday. Off
setting the effects OF mid-week
slumps.
Their good fortune did not rub
off on operators of downtown
restaurants who uniformly have
reported their business down be-
tween 20 and rs per cent for the
nearly two-month period.
Washington's mobile business
men, the taxicab drivers, never
had it so good, according to one
source.
Cab drivers came out ahead"
Gerald Russo. secretary of Dia-
mond Cab Co.. said. July and
August are usually the worst
months for cab drivers. Business
was far better than normal. but
i guess we'll be back into a
slump now"
Averted Hefty Decline
Philip M. Talbot. senior vice
president Of Woodward g. 10th
rop's and chairman Of the large
stores group of the Merchants
and Manufacturers Association,
said department stores averted
a Is to 20 per cent drop in busi-
ness for July and again for Au-
gust by the Saturday openings.
I'VE were hurt during our
normal ek-day operations.
he said. There is no doubt
about it-there were fewer shop
.pers downtown because Of the
lack of transit service.
Except for the fact We were
open On Saturdays our sales
would have been of Is to 20 per
cent in July and again in Au-
gust" Mr.. Talbot said. I'VE
made a gain in July as against
last July and we are ahead of
the sales figures for last August. /"
Mr.. Talbot said very little
extra expense was involved in
keeping the stores open on Sat-
urdays because 1t meant contin-
uation Of the normal work sched-
ule rather than going on the
summer schedule which has been
in effect for many years. The
summer schedule provides for
stores to close on all Saturdays
in July and all but the last
Saturday in August.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-08-22
BY FRANK sARTwELL

The glacial freeze on streetca
and bus transportation here be
gan cracking up with a wei
of late night phone calls, yawns
and hard work.
Behind the solid-ice appear.
ance Of the Capital Transi
strike, many had been working
during the 81 days of The
strike to make a quick thaw pos
sible.
The thaw struck at 1:12 am
yesterday. as the union and com
pany signed a contract.
BY 8 or $3.50 an. every mar
who could be Immediately use
full had been routed out of bed
Autos Taken of Tracks
The Police Department called
in crane operators and motor.
cyclemen to deal with automo-
biles parked on the tracks. BY
7:30 am. all had been removed
Crews of workers appeared In
the night at the transit com
pany's Georgetown Office, were
issued tools and equiment. anc
began walking the streetcai
tracks.
All switches had to be cleaned
and oiled. Curved track an6
third-rail slots pushed together
by heat-expanded streets had u
be creased. Deposits of dirt an6
gravel had to be cleaned from
some trackage.
Spikes, driven into the third
rail slots to keep them open
against the summers heat. had
to be removed.
Vehicles Get Checkup
And all buses and streetcars
had to be checked to see if they
were still capable of taking UP
where they left of SO days
before.
With iron bars, brooms. cans
of oil and buckets of grease. 10
four-man crews marched down
the miles Of tracks, taking out
the worst Of the debris. lubricat-
ing tight spots and switches.
The workers were supervisory
employees. inspectors and instruc-
tors. They reported finding re-
markable little trouble. Some
in radio-equipped cars. dragged
hooks along the third-rail slot
to dislodge anything wedged
there.
In the garages and carbarns.
workers reported for duty to find
most of the equipment in good
shape.
He Wakes Them Up
Paul DiMarso. foreman of the
bus garage at Wisconsin avenue
and Ingomar street NV, heard