The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-15

The Commissioners recently received a
communication from Lisle Morrison, who
resides at Takoma Park. protesting against
the proposed change in the rate of fare on
the Brightwood division of the Washing
ton Traction and Electric Company's sys-
TEN OF street railways.
AT present" he writes, Il receive six
tickets for a quarter. and one ticket is all
that is required from Takoma Park TO the
corner of Fifteenth Street and New York
Avenue, transfers being given at the old
stables on Brightwood Avenue and at
Ninth and New York Avenue. Under the
proposed arrangement l will receive four
tickets for quarter, and one OF said TICK
cts will carry me between the points men-
toned This is an increase of 80 per cent
on each fare.
The Capital Traction Company carries
a passenger from Chevy Chase Circle to
Fifteenth Street for one fare OF cents
or one ticket at rate of six for a quarter.
The haul in both these cases is about the
same; if anything, the Takoma Park lire
is the shorter
II give you these facts and request T. a.
you inform me whether or not under ex-
listing law the Washington Traction and
Electric Company can exact more than
one fare Of cents cash, or one ticket at
the rate of six tickets for a quarter, be-
tween Takoma Park and the corner of
Fifteenth Street and New York Avenue
northwest.
In this connection it may be also
stated that the same methods and rules
apply in the case of a passenger who
takes the cars at Seventeenth and II
Streets northwest and desires to travel
ne far I an mr.
on the Tenleytown branch"
At the request OF the Commissioners
L. P. Bradshaw. inspector of the Engi-
neer Department. has reported upon the
letter of Mr.. Morrison and says: BY
way of complete answer to this commu-
nication it seems pertinent to state that
the act of Congress. approved June 3,
1900. authorizing in effect the consolida-
ton of certain railways, eleven in num-
Der, has not as yet gone into effect. The
corporation known as the Washington
Traction and Electric Company. and
popularity supposed to represent such con-
solidation, in legal contemplation literally
does not.
This corporation as such has never re-
ceived the authority Of Congress TO oper-
ate street railways and its status is sim
ply that of a shareholder holding a ma
jority of the stock of the respective roads
named in the act of Congress, and its name
is made use of as having the controlling
interest Thus far, therefore, eonsolida-
ton not having been effected under the
act, these roads at the present time are OPP
Grating as independent systems under their
own respective charters. with all the
rights and privileges conferred thereby, SO
that answering specifically Mr.. Morrison's
question as regards the Brightwood road,
whether or not under existing law the
Washington Traction and Electric Com
pany can exact more than one fare of 3
cents or one ticket at the rate of six for
& quarter, ETC.. the language of this com
pany's charter and that of the act of Feb
ruary &c. 1895, providing for the Issuance
of transfer coupons between this and the
Metropolitan Road, is as follows: Said
company shall receive a rate of fare not
exceeding cents for each passenger for
each continuous ride between all points Of
its line, but shall sell six tickets for %
cents That the Brightwood Company,
and the Georgetown and Tenleytown Rail-
way Company be, and they are hereby, res
pectively, authorized and required TO sell
four coupon tickets for % cents, good for
one continuous ride in the District of Co
lumbia over the lines of said companies.
and the lines Of the Metropolitan Railroad
Company. indicates that 1t can, and that
passenger of the Brightwood Road failing
TO take advantage of this coupon transfer
arrangement under existing law in order
TO reach his destination at Fifteenth
Street and New York Avenue over the
Metropolitan and its connecting lines. must
either pay two 5-cent fares or two tickets
at the rate of six for a quarter.
at does not appear from the follow
ing language OF the act authorizing the
consolidation, that the Washington and
Great Falls Electric Railway Company
on the purchase of the property or fran
chises Of any or all Of said railroad COM
panies. as in this bill authorized shall be
empowered to charge over the said route
or routes thus acquired the rates Of fare
now authorized by law TO be charged
thereon by the respective companies
owning or operating the same and no
more, were the roads operating thereun-
der consolidated. that the question of
fares and transfer arrangements would
be any differently affected from this. but
that their regulation would still be at
the option Of the railroad management"
Capt. II. C. Newcomer, Assistant Engi-
neer Commissioner, in forwarding the re-
port Of Mr.. Bradshaw to his chief, recon-
mended that Mr.. Morrison be informed
that the proposed rates of fare to be charg-
ed between Takoma Park and the corner
of Fifteenth Street and New York Avenue
northwest are authorized by the act of
February &C. 1895, provided that the