The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-02-14
District Committee Has Pub
Tic Hearing.
GEN. HARRIEs IS UNDER FIRE
Opposes interchangeable Transfer
Project and Tells Of Benefits the
People EnjOy - Citizens Associs-
tIons Present Strong Pleas for
Cheaper Gas and Better Inspection.


matter OF the pending bills looking to
cheaper gas and TO a regulation of the
street car system.
Il was, perhaps. the best attended
meeting that the District Committee has
had. There were representatives, from
the Petworth Citizens Association, the
Northeast Washington Citizens Associa-
ton, the Brightwood Citizens Associa-
ton, and Gen. HarFies.
Gen Harries came last on the pro-
gramme. and although he took the floor
with only few minutes time at his dis
posal, for the session was scheduled to
close at y o'clock, he was submitted TO
such a running fire Of questions and was
compelled to make so many statements
that il was 80 before the session closed.
Starting to make a speech. for which
he had elaborate notes prepared, Gen.
Harries never got chance 10 make it,
but all the same, he managed to get
some interesting facts before the commit
tee, and the subject Of universal trans
fers he fought with a skill and adroit-
ness that could not fail Of some effect.
He said. for instance;
Objects te Transfers.
The proposition for universal transfers
| is Objectionable from every standpoint, ex-
/ cept that Of the man who wants to get
/ something for nothing He said that
( in the last seven years the Washington
/ Railway and Electric Company had
done more for its patrons than any other
I IN, fa l..
urged that a transfer system from one
/ line to another was an unheard Of thing;
/ that as IL was now, a patron Of the sys-
TEN could get to any place in the city
within a block or two, and he said.
/ Never, anywhere IN the world, has there
| ever been a system Of eXchangeable trans
1 fers between unrelated companies"
/ Chairman Babcock a. this point re-
marked; 7 have heard that legislation
/ looking to such a requirement would be
unconstitutional Is that so, Gen. Har-
ries?"
/ Gen. Harries replied: Il am not a con-
stituuonal lawyer, but il certainly would
/ be illegal TO require US to carry a passen-
4 ger anywhere on our lines whose fare had
/ been paid only 70 the Capital Traction
Company"
! Representative Sims: You mean, then,
/ general, that If We should pass a law re-
quiring interchangeable transfers such a
law would be void. Consequently il could
not hurt your road"
Gen Harries. Not hurt us, no. But |
don't think that Congress would want 70
I enact legislation that would be discredita-
bic 10 il and manifestiy unfair"
Gen Harries then entered on the story
lof the reorganization Of the electric street
railway companies of Washington He
Showed that OF the eleven companies taken
In by the merger all but one, the Bright
wood division, was earning a surplus, and
the questioning Of the members OF the
committee was designed 10 prove. and the
fact was not successfully COutrOverted by
Gen. Harries. that II the Brightwood com
pany had been taken in fully as the
other companies had been. IL would not
now show, as it does, an annual deficit.
= Good Deal of Hope.
In speaking OF the reorganization, he
told how every holder OF a thousand-dol-
lar bond in the old company was taken
care of by being given new stock and new
bonds bearing various rates of interest
OF many questions. TO an exact statement
Of what the old holders received for their
money. Asked what the company Of CAPT
talists who now own the system acquired
when they bought the present properties
he replied:
"a good deal Of hope and-mighty lit.
tie patronage
At this point, when Gen. Harries. who
still had a smile on his face, thought Ia
could realize that the fight was bitter
was replying 10 questions from ali quar-.
tiers Of the room, Prof. Hin. Of the Nava
Observatory, rose and asked;
The Potomac Electric Company ha,
been mentioned. Is it not true that IN,
Potomac Electric Company sells Tn,
, power il generates to the various sys
/, TENS that go to make up the Washington
Railway and Electric Company, and how
much are they required to pay for thei
current per one thousand kilowatts?"
They pay-a fair price" answered Gen
Harries.
But I want TO know how much?" per
: sisted the questioner.
Il wont tell YOU snapped Gen. Har
RIGS. IF any member of the committe,
desires 20 know l will furnish the infor
, nation, but l don't propose to be sub
p jected to discrimination by ever
b. whipper-snapper that gains entranc
here
No member Of the committee took VI
! the question.
Taking up the financial side OF tn
Washington Railway and Electric Com
pany Gen. Harries declared that the Law
authorized them to charge more for fare
than they really did. Asked to be NOR
nj hR~ L. y
i replied that on the Brightwood line tn
. Law gave them the right 10 sell four tick
= cts for a quarter; they gave six ticket
j instead. "Oh, we are not wholly bad
. Mr.. OlcOtt" he added. with a smile.
saved People Money.
He declared that through the system o
six tickets for n quarter the company h
: represents had saved the people Of Wash
, ington s2.000.000 within seven years. am
, he said that while there was a lot o
, talk about reducing fares ana putting o.
/, more cars. he had not heard any sugges
tons as to how the street car compan
was to reduce it's fixed charges or it
operating expenses. 'Three-cent fare
ne said. means a Scent service. wit
all that that implies
Many Of the members Of the committe
complained they had had to stand up o
the cars. unable 10 get seat. and thi
not in the rush hours Gen HarTies ad
mitted that this might be so, but n
claimed that it was due simply 10 the &C
Z, cidents that no street railways syster
could be free from. He spoke of the z0n
system as it is in force in Great Britain
and said that while it insured passenger
seats # was system that America coul
not endure for ten seconds.
Put" he said, I came 10 talk abou
this bill. Bill No. 23023-a significant mum
Der" he added He took up the tax fea
ture Of the bin and declared that tn
/ XK-acbincton Railway and Electric Com