The Washington times., 1911-09-08
BOARD OF TRADE
STAND A PROBLEM
Much Speculation As To organi-
zation's Position In Big
Public Service Issue.

Charles Linkins, vice chairman Of the
law and legislation committee of the
Chamber Of Commerce. today Is plan
ming a meeting Of that committee with
view to taking up at once the In
structiops Of the board Of directors to
have the Chamber appear in the trans
fer suit between the Baltimore and
Washington. Transit Company and the
Capital Traction Company and repre-
sent the interests Of the people Of the
Mr. Linkins is endeayoring TO arrange
q committee meeting for an afternoon
not later than Monday.
The District Electric Railway Com
mission did not meet yesterday after
loon. as It's members had planned. and
the application Of Mayor W. u. Piatt.
OF Takoma Park, that the Interstate
Commerce Commission enforce single
rate of fare from the, Maryland suburb
more and Washington Transit line and
the Fourteenth street line, went over
to next Thursdays meeting for consid-
GRAFTON.
Board of Trades Stand.
With the Chamber of Commerce ac-
lively interested in the suit which IN
wolves the right Of the people Of the
District to universal transfers, there Is
considerable speculation today as to the
attitude the Board of Trade will assume
toward the question.
Alex Britton, chairman of the public
transportation commfttee Of the Board
OF Trade, said today that he had iust
returned to the city and is not familiar
18TH the events which have led up to
The present suit. He thought, though.
that no meeting Of his committee would
be called until some time in October
The annual report of the transporta-
ton committee Is not included in the
annual report of the Board OF Trade.
which was issued few months ago.
Nor has this report which Is distinctly
complimentary to the street railway
companies, yer been finally acted upon
by the Board of Trade.
June 80. the report was adopted prac-
tically without debate But during the
same meeting II was again called up
and, after a molten to reconsider was
passed, was the subject of a warm de-
pate. Finally. action upon it was de-
terred until a future meeting.
II the board, however, adopts this
report, any hope CT assistance frorl
that quarter, such as the Chamber OF
Commerce Is giving, II Is conceded, will
PC Zen useless th Tor the report Itself deals
cision.
The committee views with disfayor.'
reads the report, THE Incorporation by
construct short lines Of road In the
suburban territory. Wholly aside from
the fact that such roads are usually
built to exploit some suburban and I'M
developed territory beyond the limits
that the best results can ultimately be
had through service by the companies
already In existence and operating lines
In the District"
Baltimore and . Washington Transit
Reasons for Objections.
THE creation and construction OF
small Independent roads," continues the
report, ultimately works 10 the dis
advantage Of the people who grow de-
pendent thereon for their transporta-
ton. Built at the lowest possible cost.
and not primarily as transportation
company, they are naturally inclined
either to compel transfer Of their
at uncomfortable and incon-
venient junction points, or to seek ac-
cess to the center Of the city over the
rails Of an existing company.
The free transfer from such a road
to one Of the larger transportation COM
panies would manifestly be unfair to
the latter, as would also the right to
operate cars over their system from the
suburban terminal to the center of the
city"
The report nowhere intimates that
under the law Of 1894 both Of these propo-
sitions are legal requirements, as claim
ed by the receiver Of the line now sn-
ing under that law.
mot only would operation Of sched-
ules be embarrassed" the report says,
by such an arrangement, but the
question Of transfer Is seriously embar-
raised by the creation Of Independent
companies operating without relation
to each other"
The report is prefaced by the observa-
don that ''the entire transportation
situation In the District during the
current year has been so generally sat
Isfactory, the work of the COMMITTEES.
has been light"
the proposition to vest In the District
Commissioners the powers Of a public
service commission.