The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-04-26
Would Get Chestnuts.

Under any plan OF transfers. ne said
the long haul' would be upon the twp
old companies; the new company woulj
always be the beneficiary at the expens,
Of the Capital Traction Company anc
the Washington Traction Company. 4
He recited the difficulties under which
the two old companies had struggled to
get on. and now he said the new COM
pany seeks to come in and share with
them what they have long worked to
obtain.
The passage of the bill With a free
transfer system, he declared, would
mean twelve additional points Of trans
fer. Twelve additional transfer points
would mean that instead of getting
10 cents per passenger the old COM
panies would get only 21-12 cents per
passenger.
By reason of the operation of the
present system OF transfers. he de
clared the amount which the railroad
companies receive for fare per passen-
ger is only about 3 cents.
Harries discussed the transfer sys-
TENS of other cities. In many of them,
he said, IT was the practice to charge
? cents for a transfer. and in some of
them 3 cents. In a great many cities
also; he declared. the fare is 5 cents
straight. instead of six rides for %
cents. as in Washington.
Only New York and Washington re-
quire the construction Of the under
ground electric system. other cities
permit the construction Of trolley lines.
which can be built al about one-half the
cost of the underground system.
Would Tour company be willing that
the Capital Traction Company should
construct the NJ Street line" Chairman
RabcOck asked Harries.
'UnquestiOnably II would" lie replied
He explained that the NJ Street line
would NOT nsfTgllgt the lines no
Washington Traction Company. His
company, however, was opposed TO the
East Washington extension because il
would parallel its roads
Mr.. Sims, a member of the committee.
inquired: Would your company con
struct the NJ Street line If it were given
the opportunity"
mo. sir. We would build it II we were
required 10 do 50. but not otherwise"
Not Required by Necessity.
Continuing General Harries said he
did not think necessity demanded the
construction OF a line on NJ Streets He
thought II there was TO be a crosstown
line 1t should be north of NJ Street.
G. G. Boteler, representing the Great
Falls and Old Dominion Company, APP
peared in support of the bill and made
a brief argument and answered num-
Der Of questions. Among other things
he expressed the opinion that If all the
lines in Washington We're ever To be
consolidated that the city should own
them. He did not believe the Govern
ment mould build Il single line, but Ii
consolidated he thought there should bt
Government ownership
Mr.. Dunlop In concluding the hear
ing. pointed out that the people who
would come into the District from Vir-
ginia on the old Dominion line would
not want TO go through NJ Street They
would want to come down town to the
business section. Therefore they would
nearly all transfer TO the Capital Trac-
ton C0mpanys line at the Auueduci
Bridge and come down on free trans
fers. Only a very small percentage OF
them would continue on the new com
psnys line for the purpose OF going
through NJ Street. The Capital Traction
would therefore DC The loser.