Evening star., 1911-01-12
Uv3 Buu~uO. ~ wv
How the Commissioners WOULD
Prevent 0verCr0Wding.
SUFFICIENT LAW ON BOOKS
Blame Interstate Commerce Commits
sion for Neglect.
OPPOSE TWo-CENT FARE BILL
Tendency, They Declare. Would Be
to Put Premium on Travel in
overcrowded Cars.
SUFFICIENT LAW ON BOOKS
OPPOSE TWO-CENT FARE BILL

Responsibility for overcrowded street
cars in the District is put on the shoul-
ders of the interstate commerce commits
sion by the Commissioners of the Dis
trict Of Columbia in a report on q two
cent fare bill introduced in Congress jan
uary by Representative Clark Of
Florida.
The bill provides for a two-cent fare
seat in car after travelling a block. The
Commissioners recommend adverse ac-
ton, say the interstate commerce COM
mission has the power to regulate crowd
ed cars il it cares to and calls attention
20 the bill already in Congress which is
designed to cloak the Commissioners with
the powers Of a public utilities commits
sion.
The bill provides for fining a conductor
who takes more than cents from a pas
senger who has to stand for a block. II
also provides that the street railway conn.,
pany on whose line an overcharge of fare
is made shall be liable in damages. at
the suit Of the passenger. in the sum Of
SO for each overcharge.
Think Present Law Ample.
The Commissioners claim that the act
of Congress of May 23, 1908, which speci-
fes that every street railroad shall fur
nish "a sufficient number of cars'' ought
to settle the matter Of oyercrowding
wherever it occurs, and report as fol-
lows:
''The Commissioners believe that the
enforcement OF the provisions OF this bill
would be attended with so many difficult
ties that it would be practically inopera-
tive, and would give rise to conditions OF
disorder, endangering the comfort and
safety Of the travelling public During
the rush hours Of the morning and after
noon the street cars frequently carry
many more passengers than are provided
for by their seating capacity. and it Is
believed that it would be an impossibility
for one conductor, or even two, 10 at
tempt TO enforce the provisions OF this
bill. Such an attempt to carry out it's
provisions by collecting the lower rate
OF fare from all passengers on boarding
the car, and then collecting an additional
rare from those who obtain seats. or by
collecting the full fare and giving a re-
bate to those passengers who are not
provided with seats, would Undoubtedly
lead to interminable disputes between
passengers and conductors, which would
In all probability terminate in breaches
Premium on Crowded Cars.
moreover, 1t is not improbable that
the practical effect of the passage of this
bill might be to put a premium on trav-
cling In crowded car. and thereby ag-
gravate the very condition which the bill
intends to relieve, as a large proportion
OF the travelling public to whom 1t would
be no hardship to stand for one square
would deliberately board car already
overcrowded in order to effect a saving
Of car fare.
THE Commissioners believe that the
authority given the Interstate commerce
commission to require q reasonably suf-
ficient number of cars for carrying the
travelling public should be ample to Sc
cure the desired result as far as 1t can
be practically obtained, and they recon-
mend adverse action. on the bill.
In this connection the Commissioners
invite attention to the bill now pending
In Congress conferring upon them tho
powers of public service commission.
II this legislation was passed matters OF
q character contained in this bill could
be given consideration by the Commits
sin