Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-01-11
LOCAL CAR TRANSFERS
Hearing at the District Building
on Two Bills.
PROVISIONS OF MEASURES
Citizens and Railway Officials Express
Views.
ONE SECTION Is TOO DRASTIC
Opinion of Members of Association as
to Schedule for Suburban Lines
Other Speakers.
ONE SECTION IS TOO DRASTIC

UNIVERSAL tranS1erS>prONlQeu Dy Two pliS
now before Congress, which have been re-
ferred to the Commissioners for report,
were the basis of a spirited hearing before
the board of Commissioners at the District
building today. The hearing was held in
the board room, and more than 100 persons
were present. Both the Capitol Traction
Company and the Washington Railway and
Electric Company were represented, we'll
as the various citizens associations and
business and trade organizations.
One of the bills in question was intro
duced by Representative Wiley of New Jer
sey. 1t simply provides for universal trans
fers. The other bill was introduced by
Representative Madden of Illinois, and its
provisions are more extensive. By its terms
every street railway company operating in
the District shall ISSUE free, continuous
transfers to passengers, which shall be
good at every point of intersection with
other lines of the same or other roads, and
all the companies shall sell twenty-five
tickets, or fares, for 81, instead of twenty
four tickets for 81, as is now the case. All
companies shall run cars at least every five
minutes upon every branch of the roads
within the District, between the hours of &
o'clock In the morning until one hour after
midnight; and between 1 o'clock and 9
o'clock in the morning, cars shall be run
at least once every thirty minutes.
In Lieu Of Personal Taxes.
One provision of the bill requires all the
railway companies to pay to the District of
Columbia. in lieu Of personal taxes, 20 per
cent year of their gross earnings instead
of per cent. as Is now the case. Such in
crease of is per cent would be an important
addition to the Districts income, 1t was
contended by those advocating the bill at
the hearing today.
Section three Of the Madden bill is too
drastic" Mr.. ]. N. McGill of the Cathedral
Heights Citizens Association stated. TT pro-
vides a rather hard schedule for the COM
panies in that cars will be compelled to run
at periods of not less than five minutes on
all lines and branches between the hours of
am and one hour after midnight, and
not less than every thirty minutes between
l. O'Clock and o'clock am. 1 think the
commissioners should be empowered to fix
a reasonable schedule and l and my asso-
ciates think every fifteen minutes for SUBJ
urban lines in day time would be sufficient
and that it would not be necessary for the
cars to operate between 1 o'clock and 6
o'clock in the morning"
Liberal With Transfers.
The Washington Railway and Electric
Company is most liberal in it's transfer sys-
tenn is the opinion of W. F. Ham, control
Ter of the company, who was the next
speaker. He stated that the company might
possibly increase its gross earnings by the
universal transfers, but was in doubt re-
garding the net earnings.
Il believe that after a years use of this
system the company would be the loser" he
SAID. In excess of fares last year we is
sueo 4o'Ooo0oo transfers, making the aver
age fare about three cents and this show
ing will compare very favorably with other
cities. l think anything more liberal would
be hardship on the local lines"
Commissioner West interrupted the speak
er and asked if the two railroad companies
here have not conferred with a view of
adopting some feasible plan by which they
could issue universal transfers both to the
satisfaction of themselves and the public,
to which Mr.. Ham said he knew of no con-
ference.
Our transfer system Mr.. Ham contin-
ued, lis already abused by the riding pub
Tic, and II the system were extended as is
provided 1t would be still harder to satisfy
the demands of the public. BY this uniyer-
sal system person could get on a car at
the Capitol and without paying another
rare could ride all over the city and return
This abuse would be great, especially in
the summer time, when persons are going
to no particular destination, but are simply
out for long cool ride"
In answer to question by Commissioner
Macfarland, Mr. Ham said the rival COM
panies could not control the issuance of
transfers under this proposed act and each
company would not be protected against
tNe OCner. he also said that he had no SuP-
gestions to offer as to amendments, but
that the tax of 20 per cent of gross earn
!nss would be decided hardship and would
mean great loss to the company.
Views of w. ]. Lambert.
Mr. Wilton j. Lambert Of the Brightwood
Citizens Association was the next speaker
Il think better system of transfers
should be adopted he said whether or
not these bills will bring it about. The
local companies, to my mind, by a recipro-
cal arrangement could bring about a bet
ter condition and relieve much congestion
by issuing universal transfers. The Mad
den bill without entailing any hardships or
financial loss would prove most satisfac-
tory. l think the Commissioners should be
given much more power to arrange for
the enforcement of universal transfers If
the bill is enacted. / do not take it from
this bill that an indefinite ride should be
given. l think it only means continuous
ride. and transfer should not be given on
a transfer and l do not think the privilege
would be abused any more than 1t is now.
/ hope the Commissioners will report IA
vorably on the measure
A. F. Kinnan. president of the Brookland
Citizens Association, was the next speaker
He said he and his associates favor the is
suing of universal transfers. He added that
he had closely studied the question and was
confident that the giving of universal trans
fers would in no way reduce the revenues
of the companies but IL anything, would
increase the revenues, as it would have a
tendency to induce more riding. He gave
several illustrations of persons riding in
stead of walking if they could have trans
fers from the two separate companies AS
to the taxing provision, he said, he should
like to see the companies treated fairly.
President Dunlop Speaks.
Mr.. George T. Dunlop, president of the
Capital Traction Company, said: This all
providing free or universal transfers will
mean throwing open both lines to the pub
lie and will cause many complications and
will be greatly abused. A transfer is in
many instances more valuable than a fare.
1t would mean transferring from one road
to another right along, with only one fare
coming to the railway company Some peo-
Pile refuse to pay their fares often by sneak
ing. and they would not hesitate to abuse
and impose on this privilege
Couldn't the issuing of transfers be lin
tied and restricted to work successfuay?'
Mr. Macfarland asked
Il wish you could furnish me plan"
was the reply. LAS railway man | don't
know of any. There is no demand for
universal transfer. There is - -
room who will say he is paying an unreal
sonable fare. The public OF Washington is
satisfied If the 20 per cent reduction was