Evening journal., 1911-08-12

Following an announcement that
the Wilmington and Philadelphia
Traction Company would abolish six
for quarter tickets after The close
Of business on Sunday. the Street and
Sewer directors this morning held
special meeting and directed the COM
pany to recall its order pending a
conference on the subject. The order
sent to the Traction Company is as
follows:
"August -, 1911.
wilmington and philadelphia Trac-
tiOn Company, Wilmington, Del.
"GentIemen: We note by the pub
Tic press Of this date an announce
ment concerning your company, and
regarding that portion of said an
nOuncement stating the intention Of
your company TO discontinue the sale
Of six tickets for a quarter, thus in
creasing the rate OF fare on your
lines I'm this city, this department d.
reefs that you recall your order re-
garding the six tickets for a quarter
pending conference with this Board
on the subject. Respectfully,
aboard of Directors OF the Street and
Sewer Department
IL. V. Christy, Secretary"
As the authority over rates of pub
lie utility corporations also is vested
IN the Public Utilities Commission,
this is the first conflict that has come
since the Utility Commission was
created.
The Street and Sewer directors at
their meeting last week requested City
Solicitor Hastings to furnish an opin-
ion defining the duties Of the Street
and Sewer Board and the Utilities
Commission in order to avoid con-
nicts. The street directors claim they
have practically all the authority and
duties vested in them that were given
to the Public Utility Commission.
The Street and Sewer Board, COM
prising George w. Sparks. Charles A.
Rudolph and Matthew d. Murphy lost
no time today in moving to halt the
abolition of strip tickets until they
could Investigate whether 81 is war
ranted.
Whether the order will be obeyed
by the railroad company could not bc
learned early this afternoon, as Pres
ident o. T. Crosby is out of the city
and General Manager Heindle said he
had no statement to make at this time
The Street and Sewer Directors had
no statement TO make about their ac-
ton, except to say they thought they
are acting within their legal duties.
According to the announcement o
the Wilmington ana Philadelphia Trac
fion Company after the close of bust
ness on Sunday night no more tickets
will be sold, but tickets that are out
standing will De good until used. Judg
ing from expressions on all sides, thi
action is very unpopular and it prob
ably will also form the basis of thl
first complaint to come before the Pub
lie Utilities Commission for Whining
ten, which will have an adiournel
meeting on Tuesday afternoon next.
The Commission has authority to Ia
vestigate complaints about the rate
Of any public utility operating in VIII
mington and to make any order o
recommendation regarding rates, witt
a penalty of one hundred dollars a da.
for each day the order or recommenda
ton is not Obeyed.
Richard W. Crook, manager of the
Peoples Railway, at noon today saiC
there was no intention on the part o
his company to abolish strip tickets
It was reported shortly after tn
Wilmington and Philadelphia Traction
Company took hold of the Wilmington
City Railway that in the course Of tim