New-York tribune., 1909-07-04
FARE OF DIME TO BEACH
OLD Rate ON WEEK DAYS.
CT. & B. r. r. AdUised to Restore 1t
-DiIqdend Issues Criticised.

The Public Service Commission yesterday decided,
on the complaints OF J. Monheimer and Scott Mac
Reynolds against the Coney Island & Brooklyn
Railroad Company. that that company was justi-
fed In charging a 1O-cent fare to Coney Island on
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays but that the 10
cent fare charged on other days was unjustfed
Under this decision. if a complaint is made about
the Decent charge on week days, the commission
unquestionably will make an order for scent fare.
in accordance with the charge prior TO August 81.
of last year, on all days other than Saturdays.
Sundays and holidays
Commissioner Bassatt wrote the opinion which
the commission based its unanimous action. The
1o-cent fare special days was held be justified
on the ground that while a straight scent fare
the company would lose money, the extra charge
on these special days enabled it to keep it's head
above water. The average fare collected recon-
pensed IL properly. One for the commits
sion not making straight average charge, it is
understood. is that during the week the company's
lines to Coney Island are used very largely by
and children, TO whom the cent extra
would be a hardship.
The complaints Of Monheirner and MacReynoIds
were that the Coney Island & Brooklyn company
was discriminating in charging a 1O-cent fare TO
Coney Island on Saturdays Sundays and holidays.
while IL charged only cents on other days. Hear
tnEs were begun by the commission on these com
plants and the company promptly jumped its
every day fare TO 10 cents Six routes TO Coney
Island by through cars or transfers. are operated
by the company. as follows:
From Covert avenue. In the Borough OF Queens.
to Coney Island. a distance Of f1-53 niles
From Delaney street Manhattan, p g miles
From Park Row, Manhattan, lI2!8 miles
FROM Hamilton ferry, Brooklyn, SO miles
For the fiscal year ended June 80 1907, the pro-
ceeds from the extra 8 cents collected on Satur-
days. Sundays and holidays were s94.724 S. Out Of
a total income OF S1612 924 o2, the net income
*s1oA 10 figure which the company would
Ha-1 haa gya -r-fT,
the extra fares.
Commissioner Bassett's opinion points out that
since 1883 the company has paid practically its
entire surplus earnings In dividends, which ranged
from To IS per cent a year In 1906 the dividend
was Il per cent, falling to per cent in 1875 and to
par cent IN 1907. d condition produced. Commits
sioner Bassett saws by failure put aside
serve for depreciation and keep up the roads
equipment The company maintained that the en-
tire Coney Island business conducted at loss.
Commissioner Rassett found that the extra
needed for summer and rush hour work would
cover practically all the needs OF the Coney Island
traffic. and that The summer business brought
profit so that an increase Of that business meant
increased profit The operating cost was less in
summer than winter. he found that for five
days q week Coney Island business was profitable
A. cents a trip.
Taking Up the question Of whether a straight 5
cent fare would be profitable, Commissioner Bas-
sett works out an elaborate table showing COM
company from 1872 70 1907. from which he deduces
thar omission Of proper maintenance and great in
crease OF power cost produced the deficiencies
shown by the company ~ hearings, and that losses
Coney Island business were not responsible 10
ans pe-ceptiole degree. The company recently put
I'm a new power supply. and its operation for sew
ersl months shows that from cants car-mile in
October -s1s. the cost dropped 70 is cents mile
in May l@ta
Commissions Rassett. therefore, assumes The
Of yvffl he al 2 z a
ca~-rnIe f7- the twelve months IN the fiscal year
The cortl.-sIor c-fcfci~es severely the company's
policy % paying dividends even while is property
deprsc.ating and also IT'S action in raising tina
weekday fare. Mr.. Bassett saws
The action OF the company in increasing The fare
ION weekdays, appears O 20 have been un-
t1stifsbe. The increase appears also - have been
urrsasona bic. because it places an additional Dur
den the traftlc with slight profit TO the com
a az. The scope Of the present
hearing is not broad enough 10 lay the founda-
tlon Tor order dealing with The company re-
cent increase OF fare on business days The com
pauy should remedy the matter now that the
np-oDriety of It's action is called to us attention