Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1865-03-02


--ll6,2s7 50
ciatie nj .-..c.l-- . SlSll96s
Receipts for quarter ending Feb, l. 1861. S8l1l5 10
keceiptsfor quarter ending Feb. ], 1865. g3llS Is
Increase. % per cent .,..... sHoO3 O5
Expenses for quarter ending Feb J. 1864 S72 COS y
Expenses for quarter ending Feb. l. 1855 Jig 21 "a
Increase, 60 per cen. s4,23i 90
February 10, 1866.
METROPOLITAN RAILROAD CoMPANY-AaAIN.
Mr.. Patterson.-Mr. Speaker. it will be seen
from the paper read at the Clerks desk that
this company has lost over $4,000 during the
quarter ending February 1, 1865.
1t has been stated that the fare was five
cents Now, sir. the average price OF a ticket,
taking into account the transfers given on this
road, is only three and half cents and, sir, 1
say, without fear OF contradiction, that no
road in his city, no road in any other city in
the United States can make money or contin ne
to operate at that rate of fare. The gentleman
from Illinois proposes to put the price of the
tickets of the Metropolitan Railroad Company
at higher rate, while the price OF the tickets
of the Washington and Georgetown Railroad
Company shall remain what it now is
Mr.. Washburne, OF Illinois, did Aot mean
to propose anything of the kind. Now, ask
my friend whether, If the revenue bill passes
the Senate as it has passed the House, and be-
comes law, the fare will not be really nine
cents instead OF eight for they are there au-
thorized, in the case of a fraction to charge
the whole amount.
Mr.. Patterson.-If so, we will put 1t at seven
cents, as the company desire but eight, and as
that VIII be more convenient in making change
than nine. Let me remind the gentlema an,
however, that the bill provides that tickets
shall be sold in packages Of sixteen for a dol
lar. That would give only six and a quarter
cents per ticket. But as have shown, the real
price Of tickets at the present time is really
only three and half cents-that is, on the
of the granting Of transfers. Suppose now, we
allow the Metropolitan road to charge eight
cents, while the Washington and Georgetown
road is allowed to charge only five cents,
travel would gravitate to Pennsylvania ave-
nue., and all who ride would pass over the
latter road. Our desire is to pass bill which
will give some relief to the new road l will
send to the Clerks desk to be read q statement
OF the receipts and expenditures Of the Metro.
politan Railroad Company. 1t will show that
1t is losing six hundred and fifty dollars
ana seventy -hve cents week and unless this
relief is granted the company Will be compelled
to throw mp the road.
Mr.. Morris. of Ohio-1 think that the gen.
tleman from Illinois (Mr. Washburnel is yerv
the road is worth 500. think that it is about
one and a half as held by innocent holders.
am willing, as member of that committee,
10 allow the company to charge three cents for
transfer tickets, but / am not willing to in
crease the fare on the main line. II the stock.
holders OF the Metropolitan Railroad Company
have made bad investment, it is no reason
why we should raise the fare on the citizens of
this District.
Mr.. Patterson.-It has been shown that the
company is constantly losing money by run
ming this road at the present rates
Now, so far as this Washington and George.
town road is concerned, the difficulty might be
met by giving them permission to charge tor
transfer tickets, but that would be doing wrong
to the Metropolitan road. We ought to meet
the difficulty In way which shall not do in
Justice to either party. l will now ask the
the desk
The Clerk read, as follows
Statement of 1oeekly expenses and receipts of Ne
trepolitan Railroad for uUeek ending February s,
1865, and showing cost of running street cars at
present time:
Pay roll for week S73o H5
wes, and ns,esss,v rsn,,rs IN ,.,. 1.2ss os os
Wear Of harness, lubricatins and illumin-
ating oil, expense of keeping road in
roads, with depreciation Of stock and cars
per week, actual cost. ..---. .-..... los 10
Interest at six per cent. on the cost of road,
(actually expended, s2O0 600, is per week 2so 20
,.,, 1855 rs
Eess EssS ao1sfsRsnf tax: 5 per cent Sc
les 80
~ Actual weekly loss 49,, 65l rs
running ave horses have died, costing 500. The
severity OF the winter has kept an average Of
actual cost of running per diem is O6 each
Mr.. Patterson.-Ir will be seen by this state.
ment, drawn by director OF the road, that the
price Of hay has risen from sixteen or seven
teen dollars to fifty dollars a ton during the
last few years. The price Of labor is So so a
Gay. 1t was only 81 50 before the war, Every.
thing else which the roadi uses has risen in
the same proportion. 1t would seem, therefore,
but simple Justice that the rate of fares should
be increased in the same ratio. / know, from
facts which were before committee, that this
Metropolitan road must cease running their
cars unlesf aid is soon extended to them. Why,
sir, iron which cost only S45 ton when the
Washington and Georgetown road was built,
cost this road $164 ton; and the increase upon
the price oflumber and other materials used in
the construction of the road was equal to the
rise upon iron.
Gentlemen say there has been great Increase
upon the par value OF the stock of the Wash
ington and Georgetown road. That may be
so; but the majority of the present stockholders
bought it at an advance upon the original cost,
and they have not realized any great increase
upon their original investment.
The Speaker-The morning hour has ex.
pissed, and the bill goes over.
FINANc1AL.-From yesterdays New York