Evening star., 1900-08-18
TRANSFER SYSTEM.
Discussion of the Question From o
Legal Standpoint.


To the Editor of The Evening Star:
A New York gentleman Of prominence In
financial and railroad circles once gave ex-
preston In a curt phrase to the sentiment
whicnIs p puarly regarded as indicating the
feeling Of corporations toward the public
Experience, however, has shown, at least
in the case of street railways. that the SYM
pathy of the public is the best augury OF
success The street railways Of Washing
ton have secured from the public fran
chises of inestinable value, paying no fran
chiSe tax therefor, and for them the public
have right to expect reasonable return
The present naEement of the syndicate
railways Of the city is doing much to an
tag"nize the public and to engender opposi-
tipu. The public have borne with patience
the Inconvenience resulting from changes OF
system. appreCiating the advantages which
w1uii accrue therefrO{n. They nave ike
wise borne without grumblirg the constant
changes Of the destination OF cars from dif-
f.reut sections of the city, and the un-
wieldly transfer system They are willing.
and expect. that the companies shall have
fair return upon the capital invested The
public are not in the confidence of the
street railway companies, and therefore not
In position TO know whether such return
Is being received or not; while on the other
hand they are keenly sensible to the incon-
TeDiences and unjust Determinations to
which they seem to be unnecessarily sub
tected The management Of the railways
will undoubtedly lind in the end that meet
ing the expectations Of the public Is the
wise thing on its part to do, even at some
cost to Itself.
on the other hand. the public should not
expect too much from the railways. The
Law indicates pretty clearly what the cor
puraJions may be compelled TO give We
have had transfer system, cumbersome.
yet extremely liberal. which has been in
force for some time. but which is now to
he changed and restricted. In this connec-
ti0n ii may be well To call public attention
to the fact that by the act approved June
.. 1880 tS1 Stats. 2Ip). Il is provided that
the syndicate when organized under that
act shall be empowered to charge over
said rCut5 or routes thus acquired the rates
OF fare authorized by law to be
charged thereon 10y the respective COM
panies owning or operating the same. and
more y Is also provided that "All OBJ
legations imposed ~ law upon any corpora
Ucn whose road or route IS acquired in ac-
cOrtauce with the provisions of this act ex-
Cept as the same may be expressly modified
or repealed by this act, shall continue to
be applicable To such acquired road or route
and shall be confined thereto, and such road
or route shall be acquired subject to sucil
obligations and with all the rights and pow
els possessed by the selling corporation"
| nd-r this IT is plain, they claim that
the companies may. If they desire, charge
separate fares on each constituent line: but
they and the public seem 10 have overlook
ed law now on the statute books which
up 10 the present time. has remained unen-
forced. Section ) of the act of August 2
1894 t2> Stats. 2lIl, provides that The Met
ropOlitan Railroad Company is hereby an
th"rtZed and required Immediately to make
reciprocal transfer arrangements with
street railway companies whose lines row
connect with ITS lines. and to furnish such
facilities therefor as the public convenience
may require Provided. that sv-
cry street railway company in the District
OF CDIuHDla whose lines connect, or whose
lines may hereafter connect with the lines
OF any other street railway company is
hereby subjectedeo the same requirements
as 10 transfer and trackage ARRANGEMENTS
and upon similar conditions as in rhfs sec
ton provided IN the case OF the MetropoIi-
tan Railroad Company and the lines con-
Meeting herewith
However unfair this legislation p,ay b,,o
peen regarded fy the different companies
prior to the acquisition OF the roads by the
present syndicate, the objection does not
now apply. and there is no reason WHY the
statute should not be enforced at lea ST
against the syndicate roads, which now
connect Unfortunately. to enforce II
by a penalty requires additional legislation
which. In the event that the COMPANIES
shall lose the sympathy and arouse the op-
position OF the public, viii probably not he
Gihicult TO securs. In fact, law of this
Kind: prescribing a penalty. and further
providing that no changes In the destina-
tion OF cars or alterations In schedules
ehau be permitted unless the proposed
changes or alterations shall be publicly an
nounced. be submitted TO the Commission
srs of the District. be by them approved
and thsrsafter be advertised in the papers
OF Washington at least thirty days, would
be very desirable legislation from the point
Of view Of the public. The watering Of
stool. the ctsaffectton of stoc kholter,. the
treatment Of employees (some of whom. I
am fehxhiy fnfurmed. are now actually re-
cefvins under the "trip" system for the
SUPPORT Of themselves and their families
rs much as 30 cents q day), may induce
such com erted public action as to secure
such legtslation. In the absence however.
OF such legisIabon. il u to be remembered