The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-07-13
M'CREA ON WITNESS STAND
p. X. r. PRESIDENT SAYS Low
RATES DON'T WAKE TRAFFIC.
Testines That Demands NJ Business and
Growth Of the Country Alone Increase
Travel PennsyIvania May Ne Forced
TO Inc rease Communication Rates.

10 increase Communication Mates.
PHILADELPHIA. July Thames McCrea.
president Of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
stood up for the commuter to-day when
called to the stand in the company's suit
to test the constitutionality Of the two
cent a mile law. which goes into effect
October l..
He said that it is unjust to make person
who uses the railroad two. three or four
times a day pay as high a rate as the man
who uses IL once or twice a year.
This statement caused the City Solicitor.
J. Howard Gendcll. in cross-examination
to ask Mr.. McCrea VIII ether the company
would raise the rates on suburban traffic
IL then new law is sustained by the court.
yes. that will have to be done" replied
Mr.. McCrea.
He did not say what the extent OF the n
crease will be or whether It will approach
the maximum figure Of two cents a mile.
John B. Thayer. fourth vice president,
was also an interesting witness. He said
that careful calculation has convinced the
bllWdy Ifd TIC kcTb tuut " tut INV kOte lDtO
effect the railroads yearly earnings will be
decreased more than 81, OOO. 900 on the lines
east Of Pittsburg and Erie.
Mr.. Thayer produced figures TO show
that the interchangeable mileage books and
reductions in the price Of one way tickets
introduced last fall increased traffic only
to a very slight degree and resulted in an
actual decrease OF $500. 900 in earnings in
four months as compared with the first
our months Of last year.
John q. johnson. who conducted the
case for the railroad. asked:
Il suppose the legislators in passing
this two cent rate law believed that the
business OF the railroad would be greatly
stimulated by the reduction Of the fare in
creasing the number of passengers. Can
you tell US whether. in your experience,
this would be SOP"
My observation and experience" Mr..
McCrea replied, SIS that stimulation Of travel
is dependent very largely on the character
Of the service rendered and the natural
increase of business with the growth Of
the country. The reduction to two cents
in the fare rate does not affect the short
riders. as they already pay less. but even
IL so the number of passengers Is not mate
rally increased except by the natural
growth of the country.
Then outside the densely populated
districts a two cent fare would not be
enough to be remunerstive. People as a
rule do not ride because the fare is cheap,
but because Of the necessities Of business.
The growth Of a railroad is dependent
largely upon the growth Of business and
the increase Of population Of the whole
country"
Would a reduction OF he fare from FIVE
cents TO two cents In your Judgment per-
ceptibly increase the number Of passengers?'
asked Mr.. Johnson.
Il think not"
lis there something that does stimulate
passenger traffc?"
Passenger traffic is increased by the i'm
proved facilities and increased train s~ervice.
| mean the frequency OF trains. The oom-
fort and c~onveniences and the facility and
frequency with which people are called to
make trips stimulate ira vel, and the many
improvements in these respects, while they
have greatly increased travel by railroad
in the last fifty years, have also greatly
added to the expenses OF the company