New-York tribune., 1910-03-09
TO ISLAND, 10 CENTS
ROADS GAIN TICTORY.
p. S. c. Holds scith Court of
.4ppeais on Reduction,

p. S. {. Holds gcith Court Of
-lppeols on Reduction.
1t viii cost 10 cents 10 ride fro,, r,-.,-,.--,
Bridge 70 COney Island ever, dav !, ,he
week in the future. as 1t has since sor,sr,-
her 1905. So the majority OF the pubIic
Service Commission decided Yesterday in
dismissing the complaints of Jonas Mon
heimer and Scott MacReynolds against the
companies operating roads to Conev Island.
The war by Brooklynites or the Brook
lyn Rapid Transit system. which onerates
the various roads going to the great Meas
ure resort has thus ended in victory for
the COMPANY In August 1906 as a result
OF an opinion expressed by Justice Gaynor,
now Mayor. that the company had no right
10 charge d second fare riota took place
along the line two persons met their death.
many were injured. the superintendents Of
the Brooklyn Rapid Transit Cnnnanv were
placed under arrest. and Bird : Coler. then
Borough President OF BROOKLYN, posed as
the friend Of the people by advising them
tC resist - the end The exactions Of the
company. Attorney Genera. julius S.
Mayer submitted the question 10 the Court
of Appeals, and the decision was against
The view expressed by Judge Gaynor.
The decision Of the Court of Appeals is
the basis of that rendered YESTERDAY bv the
Public Service Commission. Up 20 Septem-
her. 1908, most Of the companies operating
to Coney Island charged 10 cents only on
Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. When
the double fare was enforced throughout
the week complaint was made 10 the COM
mission. The complaint was dismissed. but
Hn ,Fesef.
which was interpreted to mean that they
favored a 5-cent fare on days other than
Sundays and holidays
New complaints were then made by
Messrs- MacReynoIds and Monheimer. but
only Commissioner MaItbie favored their
contention in its entirety Chairman Will
cox filed his opinion that The Brighton
Beach line. operated by the Brooklyn Union
Elevated Railroad Company should carry
passengers for five cents, but he agreed
with the majority so far as the other COM
panies were concerned.
Mr.. Maltbie's Views.
Commissioner Maltbe saic on the ques-
ton
1t is probable that the wisest solution Of
these cases would he the reduction of fares
from 10 cents to cents upon the sur
face lines Of the Brooklyn Rapid Transit
system running TO Coney Island A lO-cent
fare for rapid transit and 5-cent fare for
slower transit not only would be equitable
but would tend 10 distribute the traffic
more evenly among the various lines
Commissioner Maltbie expresses some
doubt 10 the jurisdiction OF the COM
mission TO force such a reduction of fares
on the company, but he points out that the
-,-s,,.
such jurisdiction.
He further analyzes the receipts and
comes to the conclusion that the companies
are making sufficient profit to justify such
a reduction. The advantage granted to the
companies of using the citys bridges with
ont charge, he argues, should be compen-
stated by some reduction which would allow
dweilers IN the congested sections of Brook
}yn and Manhattan 10 reach the seashore
a the lowest possible cos
Comm jssioner McCarroll. who conducted
the hearings on the complaints against the
four elevated and seven surface roads az
fected. handed down q long opinion. Com
missioner Bassett filed his opinion 10 re-
ject the complaints. and Commissioner
Eustis concurred. The issues raised by the
Complainants We're substantially that the
10-Cent fare was unlawful. unreasonr ble
and excessive.
AS each OF the roads attacked has an
elevated OF a steam surface railroad fran
chse for a portion Of its road. Commis-
sIoner McCarrolI points out that the de-
Cision of the Court OF Appeals applies AT
the present time and that the charge e
10 cents does not violate the -aw
Rate Not Excessive.
The compIainants have failed. he says. 70
show that the rate charged Is excessive.
to show that the several routes are oper-
ated by one company except in the case or
The Brighton Beach line and the Coney
Island & Grsvesend line. They have
also failed To show that the companies are
overcapitajized- The commissioner sub
mits figures 10 show that some Of the roads
give transfers and carry passengers eieh-
teen miles for cents and :wenly-oue miles
for 10 cents.
An ANALYSIS ~ TIE income Of the various
companies IS set forth by Commissioner
McCarroli showing that the earnings are
not excessive ranging from 1.6i per cent in
the case Of the Coney Island and Graves
end line to $40 per cent for the Brooklyn
Union Elevated Railroad Company He
saws further.
The DIVIDENDS paid have been Infrequent
in most cases and small In all cases.
cept that Of the dividends paid b. the
Brooklyn Heights Railroad Company on the
stock Of the Brooklyn City Railroad Com
pany The latter have beeu relatively
small as the total capitalization of the
Brooklyn city Railroad Company amounts
rc less than Sl9.D0o000, as against present
value or approximately 325.0000G
Both Commissioner McCarroH and COM
missioner Bassett in their memoranda init
mate that the growth Of the outlying sec
rjous may supply such a local traffic that
reduction of fare later may he justified.
The peculiar conditions affecting the Cuney
Island fare the uncertainty of its duration
and the necessity of providing extensive
rolling stock for traffic lasting only a few
weeks IL summer are also invoked as fur
ther reasons for refusing 10 compel re-
duction Of fare at This time.
SUIT FOR BREACH OF PROMISE.
Spokane Citizen Wants $4,000 from a