Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-02-13

District. He thought that In ordeHto give
adequate service the number ofScars op-
srated ~ tie Washington Railway and
Electric Company should be doubled. He
read an analysts Of the last annuaf report
81 the Brentwood Railway Company.
which, according to his statement, pur-
ported to show that the company had only
net p.os Of and sSaa each ear
made twenty trips On q six-mile run. carry.
ing eighty passengers per car per trip. or
1,610 passengers per day per car.
accuracy Of Mr., Harper's conclusions.
Anybody with any sense at 81. remark
ed Gen. Harries sarcasticaily-"even Mr..
mentioned there is entirely insufficient. and
could understand that this company leases
other cars"
Gen. Harries Replies.
Gen. Harries then took the floor to dis
euss- the universal transfer BILL which he
said was objectionable from every stand
point save thata Of the man who wantef.
something for nothing. He claimed that
more had been done In Washington con-
eeraiaE transfers IN the past seven years
than had. been done IN any. other city n
the country: He insisted that the great
bulk OF tfafHc. In the city could get WITHIN
& short distance Of the destination 1t sought
by means Of the present system OF trans
fers. The UNIVERSAL transfer Suggestion was
also brand new one. He had never hearo
Of free transfers between unrelated COM
panies. 49,.
Capital Traction Company by which 2-cent
transfers are gfven," said Gen. Harrles
Chairman Babcock inquired whether the
Washington Railway and Electric COM
pany had Investigated the legal side OF the
question-that fs to say, whether Congress
had a right to pass universal transfer
law.
Gen, Harries replied that his company
had investigated the matter. and>that as
result he did not believe there was any
his company to carry free passenger
who had paid his fare to the Capital Trac-
ton Company.
Then" suggested Representative u S,ms
pass might be void, and consequently wouio
not hurt your roadr'
''But at the same time" rejoined the
general. 'such legislation, Judge. Sims:
would not be very creditable to Congress.
But" continued Mr.. Babcock, sup
pose Congress requires you to accept trans
fers from the Capital Traction Co. and re-
Quires that concern. to accept your trans
fers Would that not be in nature Of a
compensation to both compapfesr'
Gen. Harries could not see 1t that way,
and in reply to a question of Representative
Taylor Of Ohio as to what would be the ef-
feet If his company had accepted fran
chise with this transfer provision In 1t, the
general said that this put an entirely diff
ferent phase on the matter.
Right to Amend Franchises.
'I don't think So" said Mr.. Taylor. "be-
cause every franchise we grant has an
alter. amend or repeal clause in it,
"That certainly raises very interesting
point" the general admitted.
Then Mr.. Babcock wanted to known how
it would do to provide for universal trans
fers and to stipulate that the company
which has an excess of its own transfers
over the other street railway corporation
should nay an allowance of cents for
each transfer so in excess. -
Gen. lIafries thought that that would
simply amount to Il reduction Of fare, not
to the passenger, but to the Company.
BIT You transfer nov with all of your
own affiliated lines free . suggested Mr..
Babcock, $50 what would be the differ
ence?'
Because" Gen. Harries replied, I'VE fig
ure on the mass of business and all OF the
receipts come to us"
why don't you pay dividends in mass?
asked Mr.. Sims
was impossible to do because some Of
the affiliated roads did not earn dividends.
Financial Conditions Discussed.
At the suggestion of various members of
the committee, Gen. Harries then left the
immediate consideration of the bill and o.s-
cussed in some detail the financial condt-
ton Of the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company. -, ''',, .
Returning to the discussion Of fares and
transfers, Gen. Harries said that hts sys-
tenn through the sale of six tickets for q
quarter had saved the people of Wash
ington approximately 2,OO0OO0 In the last
seven years. He was accustomed to hear
ing lot of talk about reduced fares and
universal transfers. but he, hadn't heard
any method suggested of honorably reduc-
ing the fixed charges, the labor charge and
the material charge, on the street railway
systems. :. D.. -.
Representative Olcott of New York
wanted to know If in order to pay divi-
dends Gen. Harries' concern found it neces-
sengers stand up. He wondered If it were
possible for the company to give them seats
and still make money.
The company had never looked at 1t from
that point of view, Gen. Harries replied
and he insisted that 1t was not possible to
give all passengers seats during the rush
hours.
1T don't travel during the rush hours"
replied Mr. Olcott, land yet 1t Is seldom
that get seat on the Mount Pleasant
tine" =,
At this point Prof Hill Of the naval
observatory, who was in attendance at
the hearing, jumped up and asked Gen.
SE7Harries what price the Tenleytown and
other suburban companies AFFILIATED with
paid for their current per LOCO kilowats.
"a fair price," replied the general.
what ia ftY' demanded Prof Hill.
ST won't tell you," cried Gen. Harries
with some heat. Il will tell the commit
tee but I don't propose to be cross ex-
amined by every vhippersnapper that
comes up here"
Annual Taxes.
Gen. Harries told the committee that the
Washington Railway and Electric COM.
pany now paid annual taxes Of $l68. 1873. or
1926 out Of every 500 received by the COM
pany.
Representative Sims wanted to know II
the witness considered that the amount
paid by the company for crossing police
men In the light of tax.
Gen. Harries replied in the Affirmative,
and Mr. Sims suggested that the crossing
policemen were worth something to the
company.
mot SO cents a year." said Gen. Harries.
why" he said, 'they are not worth any
more than Mr. Harper's opinion. and that
is worth considerably less than 30 cents"
Chairman Babcock wanted to know how
1t would do to reduce the fare merely on
the Capital Traction Company. which
earned a great deal more per mile than
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company, anu Gen. Harries said 1t would
not do at all He suggested that If Con-