The evening world., 1908-10-07
Public Hearing Attended by
Representatives of Public
|. and Railroad Companies.
WANT TO DIVIDE FARES.
One Cent Out of Five Sug-
gested as Proportion of
CroSStoWn Lines.

On the question of withdrawing trans
fers from the street car system of Man
haitian the Public Service Commission
to-day gave a public hearing which was
largely attended, the public and the
street car companies being represented.
All the commissioners were present to
hear the arguments presented
The order of the Commission calling
for the hearing was addressed to Adrian
H. Joline and Douglass Robinson, re-
ceivers of the Metropolitan Street Rail-
way Company, and the Central Park.
North and East River Railway Com
pany, requiring them to explain why the
companies should not make joint rate
of five cents for a through route be-
tween Thirty fourth and One Hundred
and Sixteenth streets.
A Basis of Division.
''This.' said the order. "applies d.
rectly to the issuance of transfers over
the F'ifty-ninth street crosstown line.
the purpose of the commission being to
fix for the companies the division of the
single fare which the companies shall
receive in the transfer interchange
Four cents and one cent have been sus-
gested as a fair division, the crosstown
line to receive the one cent"
This phase Of the subject was ex-
tensively discussed. 1t is argued that
II joint rate can be agreed upon be-
tween these two companies a precedent
will have been established whereby
other lines which have cut off transfers
will be forced into a resumption of the
transfer system. Business men gener-
ally are, as v ell as the public at large
interested in the controversy.
Prior to the transfer hearing, the Com
mission tentatively granted the Union
Railway of the Bronx permission to
operate a two-track road in Two Hun
bred and Thirtieth street. between its
line on Bailey avenue on the east and
Broadway from kingsbridge TO Yon-
kers. The new section of road will per-
init through transit OF passengers for
single fare to the Harlem River.
Railroads Make a Fight.
When the hearing on the transfer
question began John G. Mlburn, at
torney for the Metropolitan Street
Railway Company. caused a number
OF documents to be placed in evidence
before the Commission 10 pave the way
for future court proceedings, should
the Commission order the transfer sys-
tenn restored. One OF these documents
was copy of the proceedings cutting
off the transfers between the Third
Avenue and the Metropolitan Street
Railway companies. Another was Il
memorandum Of the transfer ticket sit
uaqon prepared in the office OF the
receivers on March ., 1868. \ letter
from Orren Root, dated March ., 1905,
and aled in the Circuit Court. March 3,
ls03 was also placed on file.
Frederick q. Wood, secretary to Gen
erl Manager Root. OF the metropolitan
Street Railway, was the first witness.
He was called by the corporations ,aw-
yers. 1t was 10 be their day in court"
they announced
Secretary Woods testimony was in
tended 10 prove that there is already in
existence on the Metropolitan system a
comprehensive transfer system from the
Battery to the Polo Grounds. over
2iglss route OF more than eighte IN
miles there are several transfer STA
lions tle said that the transfers were
used ILLEGALLY as "stopovers' in the
business districts.
Passengers" he said. "aaye ex-
''H++''~N49 hL f'it 'llbn II
longitudinal lines with crossto,,n lines
IN violation ~ the law We have prose-
cuted large number of cases and Sc
cured thirty convictions during the last
month. The greatest Offenders are
minors, Transfers are sold In small
stores adjacent 10 transfer points. These
are regular clearing houses for trans
fers. Clerks in stores are tratickers n
discarded transfers"
Great LOSS TO Company.
Through the i,lega, use Of transfers
the witness ADDED, the company loses
yearly an average Of three-q quarters IF a
million dollars.
"The public is becoming skilled in the
manipulation Of the transfer" said The
witness. The average fare collected
by the company is only 3 1910 cents.
instead % the full cents"
Ii was gtsted by the Commission
that transfeTs might be made east and
west ana north and south II Fifty ninth
street and Madison avenue Questioned
bv the cofnpany's LAWYERS. the com
pany's witnesses declared that such a
plan lFS4! been considered and declared
not tTalr'hle '''
MANY representatives OF taxpaNcrs'
organizations attended the bearing the
large business ellen cnt interested In a
revival OF Tie transfer SYSTEM VS. ZEN
resented by samuel j INnomi redale D.
BlOoringdale RroS
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