Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1910-12-24
UTILITIES BOARD
GRANTS HEARING
ON TROLLEY RATE
Commissioners Will Take Evi-
dence on Mungle's Complaint
on January 18th.
SEEKS z5-CENT FARE TO
NEW YORK AND RETURN
Public Service Corporation De-
MES States Right to !.
Interfere in Matter.

The Public Utilities Commission no.
titled Commissioner Mungie today that
hearing on his application relative
to forcing the Public Service Corpora
ton 10 establish twenty-five-cent en-
curston rate between Newark and New
York would be held at the Court House
on January 13.
This will be the first time that the
Public Utilities Commission has held q
hearing in this city, and unusual i'm
portance attaches to the present case
because Commissioner Mungle's appb-
cation included a number of charges
against the trolley company that will
probably be settled as a result of the
hearing and tend 70 establish Just what
the c1ty may expect from the company,
not only In the matter of a twenty
f1ve-cent fare between Newark and
New York, but also In the matter OF
Issuing transfers at points where they
cannot now be secured
Commissioner Mungle alleges that
the company Is not living up to its
failure to establish and maintain the
26-cent rate referred to is only one Of
several Instances where the company
ments with the city.
Public Service Replies.
President McCarter, of the Public
Service Corporation, replied to Com
missioner Mungle's charges last week
so Tar as they applied to the rate OF
fare between this city and New York,
and contended that the company could
not legally maintain q service between
the two cities. 1t being foreign to the
company's charter to try and operate
outside of this State.
Mr.. McCarter further denied the right
OF the Public Utilities Commission 70
pass Judgment on the matter, claiming
that II was an interstate commerce pro-
position, and as such the commission
had no Jurisdiction In the case. He
claimed also that It Is possible now
to go to New York and back via trolley
and ferry for 25 cents, the only require
ment being that passenger must buy
ferry tickets at the rate of ten for 2S
cents. thus getting the advantage OF
the s-cent ferry rate
Commissioner MunEie says that the
reply Of the company is a pure evasion
Of the issues involved and will con-
tinue to push the case as far as he
can.
Mr.. McCarter's reply to Commissioners
Mungle's charges was as follows:
Dear Mr.. Mungie:
You will recall that In one Of our
recent conferences I said TO you that
while l was advised that we were under
no legal obligation to carry passengers
to New York and back for rs cents,
nevertheless, as the Pennsylvania rail-
road sold ferry tickets in blocks of ten
or more at the rate OF 21h cents apiece.
which we could buy and resell. there
would be no objection on our part TO
putting this rate into effect, and SO
stated, in substance, for publication as
well
Company Lacks Authority.
Upon taking up the matter with our
legal department before giving the final
direction for putting the ruling into
effect I ind. however. that serious
obstacles present themselves In the
first place, am distinctly advised by
that department that 1t is ultra wires
and Illegal for the Public Service Rail-
way Company to undertake TO carry
passengers to New York and return, no
matter what the compensation may be,
as that company has no legal authority
to- extend it's transportation business
beyond the confines Of the State.
Secondly. I am advised that under
the general railroad law OF the State
before our company could resell the
ferry tickets purchased from the Penn
sylvania Railroad Company II would
have to be designated as an agent fol
such purpose by the Pennsylvania.
''It is apparent that It would be nm
possible to obtain this designation, fol-
the result would be that the Pennsyl-
vania. through its agents. would be
selling tickets in small lots at one place
for cents apiece and in another for
2M cents, and to only limited class oi
people who were patrons Of our sys-
tenn, thus committing a Discrimination
In direct violation OF the Federal law.
'T write you thus fully on the subject
in order that you may understand the
reasons why I cannot put into effect
what I thought would be easy to dc
when 1 talked with YOU. Very truly
yours. THOMAS N. McCARTER.
President"
Mr.. Mungle has subpoenaed twelv,
witnesses to testify at the hearing.