The Washington times., 1907-01-11
PUBLIC GIVES
ITS VIEWS ON
MADDEN BILL
Commissioners Hear EX-
preSSionS on Proposed
Cheaper Gas and Uni
YerSal Transfers.

The public hearing OF the Madden ana
Wiley universal street car transfer bills
was held in the board room OF the DIS
trict building before the District Com
missioners this morning.
Promptly al 10 O'Clock Commissioner
Macrarland opened the hearing by read
ing the text OF the bills. Commission
ers West and Biddle were present.
There was present a representative
body OF citizens from the Business Mems
Association and the various citizens as
sociations of the District, as well as
Representatives from the Washington
Railway and Electric and the Capital
Traction Companies.
A. +. Kinnan, Of the Brookland CIti-
zens' Association, opened the discussion
Of the proposed legislauons saying his
organization had fully discussed the
bills and favored the legislation.
A. ". MeGul, Of the Cathedral
Heights Citizens Association, objected
&c section 3 OF the Madden bill, which
nXes the schedule time Of the car ser
vice. He favored its amendment so as
70 give the Board of Commissioners
power 10 nK the running OF ears. He
traction companies 10 run all night cars
on suburban lines or TO force them 70
run cars every I'VE minutes during he
day. He thought fifteen minutes would
be reasonable and meet the needs Of the
people
Mr. McGm also objected to section
OF the same blll, which provides
general penalty for a violation OF the
law. He asked its amendment 10 pro-
vide a specific sum for each day the
law is violated.
Defense of Traction Company.
". F. Hand. comptroller OF the Wash
ingtOn Railway and Electric Company,
followed. lie said the District enjoyed
as liberal a street car transfer privilege
as any city in the United States. He
said that 100000 transfers were issued
last year IN excess OF fares collected By
his company. and that transfers are as
generally used in the District as in any
city. The number Of transfers issued
in the District approximately made the
cost Of transportation 10 the general pub
lie only 3 cents Mr.. Hand said II the uni
Versal transfers We're adopted so as TO
apply between the two operating lines,
the price OF a fare would be cut down
below the present Scent income on
fares, making it unreasonable and IN
just, cutting down the receipts of the
roads 10 a point when II would be un-
profitable TO operate these roads.
MI A1UN4 = IElAathE were well re-
oeiyed, and he made a favorable impress
ion.
Commissioner West cross-examined
Mr.. Hand as TO the use Of transfers as
now issued, asking IL the privilege was
abused. NJ Hand stated Il was pos
sible 10 make a trip 10 distant sections
Of the city and suburbs and by one fare
make a round trip, but he said regu-
iations could be enforced to prevent this.
However, he did not think this was a
proposition for serious consideration as
IL was a small feature OF transfers.
Wants Three-cent Fare.
John W. Ney. Of Langdon. did not
favor either, but wanted a Scent fare
with eight tickets for . cents. He
scored the traction companies for al
legged inadequate service. crowding cars
and collecting fares from STRAP hang
ers. He thought this packing OF cars
Continued on Page Thirteen.)