The Washington times., 1908-01-16
General Manager of Rail-
way Company Pleads
With Eloquence Be-
fore Congress.
Willing to Give Univer-
sal Interchange If s.
Cent Rate Is Al
lowed Them.

With the urbanity OF a diplomat and
the eloquence of a Cicero, Gen. George
II. Harrles. general manager If the
| Washington Railway and Electric Com
pany. led the members Of the House
District Committee today through a
| labyrinth OF figures and facts regarding
| street TaiiroadIng in the District, and
concluded with an appeal that uni
versal transfers be not required by Con-
/ gress.
For two hours he spoke and answered
/ questions. In discussing the early.
1 financial difficulties Of his corporation,
| he was sad and wistful And, in de-
| scribing the tremendous burdens upon
| those who nave invested their money
| in the company for the publics benefit
and convenience, he was lavish in his
| praise Of what the investors have en-
dured for the cause.
During his remarks he said:
I know Congress has a right TO re
quire universal transfers IN the Dis
trict. But is It just? Think OF what
the railroads have 70 bear their tre-
mendous expenses.
Universal TIA ifeTs If
However, If you sehtlemen will allow
US 10 charge a fat scent fare instead
of selling six tickets for IS cents. We
will be willing to put universal trans
fer arrangement into effect"
His discussion was IN a public hear
ing given by the committee on the bill
for trackage to the Union Station and
other pending street railway legisla-
ton This afternoon the hearing will
be resumed, when citizens will be heard
on the pending matters.
General Harries began with a general
historical sIketch Of the lines composing
the present Washington Railway anu
up OF some good lines, with others
that began nov here and ended In the
woods, and had bOb-taiied cars, Two
horse cars, and toS many boards OF
directors" He pointed out that group
of capitaAEts ia New York finally came
/ brayely TO the rescue and put good
money, real money" into these ROADS
| thereby saving the situation.
These investors, he said. pracucally
rebuilt the suburban rosCs, and, by
unifiCatiOn OF many liIies, greatly in
| creased travelling conv&Aiences for the
/ Washington public
Upon the early financial troubles Of
| the united companies, the genera. dwelt
with emphasis, saying they were due 70
the too liberal spending OF money Tor
| improvements to please and Se:Ys the
/ Ialized he denied. pointing out t.lat the
| present capitalization represents al mat
| mas been done On the roads from the
time OF the bob-taiied car to now
And with all this he said, our
| fastest ears now n axe the trip from
/ Lincoln Park to G orgetoWr in only
ten minutes less ne than the old
I horse cars did,
System Is low Good.
The system as it is now, he contended,
| is good and satisfactory, but it has re-
] IL,
/ having been done, the committee had TO
! consider whether additional burdens
should be laid on the shoulders of the
/ companies, burdens impossible TO esti-
/ mate.
| Il refer he said, Ito the universal
! transfer proposition. Except from the
standpoint Of the man who wants some
| thing for nothing, the universal trans
| fer is absolutely without defense. As
/ IL is now, a man can ride on our system
/ fourteen miles I'm the District of Co
/ lumbia for / 1-6 cents. There are free
/ transfers on all our lines
/ In the cOmpany's expenses he men
| toned an annual tax Of $1,000 TO pay
| street crossing policemen.
/ That's not tax, cut IN Representa-
five sims. Its sum the company
pays TO have those men there to avoid
accidents and damage suits"
I'VE don't want Them cOntradicted
tie general ''Ninety-nine times out OF
100 they're in our way, and I'm sure
/ they're IN their own way at least that
often"
"We Lose; That's Certain"
Addressing himself to the universal
transfer question again, Mr.. Harries
said
.sNo man can adequately foretelI the
effects of such an arrangement. 1t
means that many people will be carried
at a fare OF 2Ih cents by each company
our company will lose by the thing
/ That's certain
! .'IinouestionabIy, Congress has a
/ right TO put this thing on us But
Z would it be just? Think OF ell the
things we have done for the public and
/ then consider what burden the univer-
cal transfer would be IN us.
| ''Y5ut please remember that practical
/ ~ one-half of our passengers last year
/ used transfers. That IN itself, is a
great transfer concession.
| IF Congress will give US a fiat scent
fare, we will be willing to put into effect
! q universal transfer system. But ]
] would like to know where the demand
is for universal transfers. I haven't
/ heard of any"
The demand for it comes from Con-
gress," said Mr.. Sins.
Anyway, Eir. Harries' questions is
not pertinent suggested Mr.. Olcott.
]
/ turn by asking what kind of service the
Washington Railway ana Electric Com
pany giycs the public
| s'In the rush hours" said Gen. Har-
ries. ears must necessarily be crowded.
/ At other times the cars are not crowded
/ we have 900 cars, 70 seat everybody
In the rush hours we would have TO have
( threz times as many cars.
When You Want It as You Want It