Evening star., 1902-02-20
FOR FREE TRANSFERS
Engineer Commissioner Fa-
vors Senate Bill.
CARRIERS PROTEST
LETTERS FROM MR.. HARRIES
AND MR.. DUNLOP.
Former Claims Law Would Work
Hardship to Street Railroads
and is Unjust.

Col. John Biddle the Engineer Commits
siOner. has recommended to his assocda tes
of the District board that a favorable re-
port be made upon Senate bill 1867. ito pro-
vide for free transfers between street rail-
way lines In the District Of Columbia" The
colonel also recommends that the Commits
sioners state in their report to the Senate
committee on the subject that in the event
of the enactment Of the bill into law they
will hear all parties interested and endeav-
or to adjust the schedules upon basis fair
to all concerned. The bill in question gives
the Commissioners authority to fix a sched-
ule Of the points of intersection and con-
junction at which street car companies, in
cluding competing lines, shall issue free
transfers.
The District Commissioners, in their con-
sideration of the measure. asked for an
opinion from the Washington Traction and
Electric Company and from the CAPITA
Traction Company on the subject. Mr..
Harries, vice president of the former COM
pany, replied as follows:
Mr.. Harries Replies.
have the honor to suggest that the
measure contemplates the establishment Of
conditions which would be onerous and un-
just to our companies, inaSmuch as it pro-
poses to compel us to furnish the public
with extraordinary facilities and does not
even hint at proffer of recompense.
The theory of the bill is fundamentally
erroneous. 1t cannot equitably be claimed
that any person has the right to demand
street car transportation from any part of
the District of Columbia to any other part
thereof Such proposition is commercial
~ nntenable and has never been advanced
save in municipal campaigns, where re
duced fares and universal transfers have
served for brief season as political war
cries. and have then been laid away until
another political exigency should call them
forth to again deceive the credulous voter.
Public demands, legislative require
ments and remarkable spirit of corporate
Willingness have established in this city
transportation system which required an
investment exceeding twice the amount
necessary to install the same mileage in
Baltimore. Philadelphia, Pittsburg. Cleve-
land, Buffalo or Detroit Coupled with the
insistence which resulted in such an enor-
nous and largely improbable investment
was adherence to the low rate of fare-six
tickets for twenty-five cents. The injus-
tice Of such an adverse combination was
manifest. but the companies declined to be
discouraged; they determined. to make the
best of the situation, although many dis
interested legislators and very many Wash
ingtonians were Of the opinion that there
should either be a straight f1ve-cent fare
or two-cent or three-cent transfer. The
establishment of the former would require
congressional enactment, but the latter
suggestion could be made effective by in
ter-company agreement, yet the companies
have refrained from exercising this valu-
able privilege solely because their major
consideration has been the public and not
the corporate interest.
Have Been Too Liberal, He Says.
$50 far as the companies controlled by
US are concerned, there has been lavish
distribution Of transfers, so lavish that the
chairman of the House committee on the
District Of Columbia declared on the floor
of the House that the management was,
in this matter, most foolishly liberal. Yet
now there comes a demand for universal
transfers; demand that takes no note Of
anything other than the desire Of the
trainers OF the bill to ride anywhere they
please within the District, each for the
sum of four cents. Operation of the ac-
quisitive faculty, when not unreasonable or
unlawful, Is to be commended; the minor
economies of life should always be con-
sidered by persons Of limited means. but
there should be no encouragement for
those who, either individually or colec-
lively, seek selfish advantage and who
would disregard the legal and equitable
rights of persons or corporations with
whom they may have business dealing.
my acquaintance with the authors of
this measure leads me to believe that they
cannot have any information as to the in
jury which would be wrought our COM
panies by such legislation as they pro-
pose. Had they been in possession Of the
facts this bill would never have been
framed by them"
Mr.. Dunlop's Statement.
Mr.. G. T. Dunlop, president of the Capt.
tai Traction Company, has forwarded to
the Commissioners copy Of letter writ
ten by him to Senator Mcmillan, chairman
of the Senate committee on the District Of
Columbia, in which he says:
1--WE beg to state that the tenor of this
bill leads to a universal free transfer be-
tween all the railways in the District Of
Columbia, inasmuch as 1t places at the dis
cretion Of the Commissioners Of the District
of Columbia the power to order free trans
fer between the railways whenever and
wherever they desire. We do not think
there is any necessity for such legislation
and it would work great hardship and
loss to all the companies. We do not be-
lieve that with the present systems and
existing transfers received by the public
there is any just cause for complaint, and
we respectfully request that the bill be not
favorably reported by your honorable COM
mttee.'
Other Recommendations.
Colonel Biddle has also recommended to
his associates that the modified copy of
Senate bill 5S22, ITO regulate the operation
of street railways in the District and for
other purposes" introduced during the Sec
ond session of the Fifty-sixth Congress and
reported by the Commissioners with certain
proposed amendments. be transmitted to
the chairman of the Senate and House COM
mittees with recommendation for favorable
action.
He also recommended that his associates
urge favorable action upon House bill 1861,
Requiring corporations operating street
railways within the District to equip open
cars with guard rails"
Colonel Biddle has moved. in reference to
Senate bill 1870. ITO regulate the heating
and care of street railway cars in the Dis
trict," that a report be made that the
subject of the bill is embodied in Senate
bill 5822, ITO regulate the operation Of
street railways in the District which Is
recon- muaeniled for favnrahle action