The sun., 1910-06-15
'THR RAILROADS SIDB OF IT
POINTS MADE Ar TRENTON IN
REPLY TO COMMUTERS.


sxprelsei by officials OF the Pennsylvania.
Lackwanna. Erie aud New Jersey Ceatra
systems before the State RAilToad Com
mission to-day.
Representatives Of the four roads ap-
pearel In response 10 subp@nAs issue1 by
Nthe commission. which to-day began a.
lnv@tig&tioh the purpose Of which Is n
determine the reasons Tor the increase In
rates and the justification for changing
the passenger tariff schedules. The CON-
mission announced a. the Outset that 4
was without power 10 make orders upon
the subject and that whatever recon-
mendatiOns Il might make must apply
solely 10 intrastate trGfic. opposed 10 that
between States. and subject only 10 the
jurisdiction Of the Federal Government
Therefore. Il was statsi. complaints In
vOlving interstate trafiic would be referred
10 the Interstate Commerce Commission
A series Of resolutions vas adopted by
the commission asking the State Comp
troller. the state Board Of Assessors. the
commission to AppTaise railroad property
and the railroads themselves 10 supply
data showing the value Of each system.
the amount invested. Indebtedness. capt
tai stock issue1. and In short. the business
Of each.
With thia information the commission
hopes TO approach a physical valuation
of each road a. a means Of determining
tho Justice oG the increased rates.
Dir Patterson. in opening tho case
for the Pennsylvania Railroad. outlined
the general argument Of the speakers
who followed. he pointed Out that In
the last five years New Jersey has more
than treblesi tho taxes IT the railroads
In ten years. he said. wages have been
raised from 10 zoe per cent. The ex-
actions uf the aboF uniona in the aat
four months. he said. meant an increase
Of sti .00O.u00 a year IN the wages on tho
Pennsylvania system alone The cost
Of operation in the meantime has inoneasei
enormously
Adding 10 these causes the additional
facilities required 10 accommodate traf-
fic Mr.. Patterson said Il hat become
imperative 70 inCrease the revenues of
tbs company. should the present RATES
be maintained. be- said. the conpany
Of its service.
jackson =. Reynolds. speaking for
the Central Railroa1 of New JerJey.
sail that the increase IN passe- ger rates
hA leea MAZE with the avoNel yurnose
% making that branch Ot les bth h ess.
60 Tar ~ possible. profitable. For some
years. he cortiuuet. passenger revenue
has tot eJuallet the exIease Of cor.
duciiug the service ana has resulte IN
a large dehcit he result. he argue /.
hal heel 10 place al unlue share % the
burden on the skipT er Freight receipts.
he Eai I. hal lee reliet upon n take care
OF that portion of taxes. fxel charges.
AKe charges with interest. rentas ann
other tniss ellaIeous oNFe,fes involNst
"a the IerYmn' eat provision OF iat ilities
for the trevellisE public.
The estimated increase In revenue
20 be produCef by the sliRht Increase
in rates uDou the Central Railroai systeta.
Mr. Reynolds said. -amOunes 70 S75.nOO
foE ore entire year. The estimate IN
Croase of the payrolls of che ruaf ter
the STATE ilvolye in the re~ent wage
increase for,illv imposei by the lalor
"a ions upon the hiroais In recent month,.
with the eppb,haiiOn AMI acclaim Of
the public. will excel ~ one month
SIS, ,O00 In other Wor4s. this / crease Ut
lal,or cost on the Central caqnot . Offset
tor ore mouth by the increase IN pas
GO 1cer rates Tor OF q year
Mr. Reynolds gave some srecific
instances Of the iEoreaSe1 price Of
apparatus and equipment. he suh-
iiittet that the incTcas cost OF material
u-et by the railroads haI beel more than
the cost Of the purchases Of the oTIiaary
household
-1he railroads. he oortinuei have
no receptacle like the Biblical widow 4
cruise IRON which they eau get more
than the contents. and the point has
been rea hei where the public must
decide whether they desire the railroads
10 curtail their services 20 a degree
commenaurate with their income Or
whether the public desires 10 retain their
present excellent seFvice and pay enough
n enable the railroads ~ continue 20
gtve u That Is the problem in a nut
she'll
Speaking for the Pennsylvania Railroad
George " Boyi general passenger
agent. said that his company felt fully
warraEtei In Increasing rates beoA,Ro
Of it's improved service and termiral
facilities. summer excursion tickets %
seashore resorts IN New Jersey should
have consideration In this State, he argued,
before an agitation against the increaset
rates h encouraged. As an example he
sAi1 that the propose advance in commu-
taiiOn rates between New Brunswick and
New York will hardly cover actual
expenses.
Mr. Boyd said that Of the trafBc ending
In the Pennsylvania terminal at Jersey
City % per cent. originates within the
between New Brunswick and
Jersey City Tbs average cost 10 the
railroads is seven and a half cents a
passenger. exclusive OF ferry service
Tbs Increased Communication rates for
passengers between these points "a six
mills a passenger He said that no
profits accrue to the Pennsylvania through
the uss by it, patrons Of the McAdOO
tunnel
W. G. Hope. general passenger agent
Of the Central: George n. Cullen, general
passenger AGENT, W. y. Jennsy, vice
and N. NJ. stallman appeared fOr
the IAckawanna The Erie was repre-
sonted by ,. {. Tucker. traffic agent;
r. H. Wallace and y u. TAYLOR. In
addition 10 N. Boyd. r. ". Pile. assistant
passenger agent: B. ". Bell, counsel. and
Carroll NJ. Bunting. comptroller. appeared
for the Pennsylvania.
Attorney General Wilson and Assistant
Attorney General 0askill we're present
by invitation Of tho commission. The
hearing will BE- continued on the 2sth
instant
FORT TAKEN TO TASK.
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