Evening journal., 1911-08-14
CANNOT FIX
TROLLEY FARE
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tickets would be taken tomorrow, but
If formal complaint should be made
Mr.. Cleaver thought it would be the
Boards duty TO take some action.
One of the questions that may be
taken up with City Solicitor Hastings
tomorrow is whether the Public Utili-
ties Commission could compel the
company to restore strip tickets If the
company's charter or franchise gives
It right to charge a five cent cash
fare within the city.
Oscar T. Crosby, president of the
Traction Company, came from his
country home in Virginia yesterday
morning in response to kilograms and
telephone messages in order to keep
in touch with the public uprising over
the abolition of the strip tickets. Mr..
Crosby spent sometime yesterday in
conference with attorneys for the COM
pany, after which he announced that
the order abolishing the strip tickets
would not be recalled. Thus, the sale
of tickets was discontinued at mid
night last night.
Mr.. Crosby was asked this morning
whether his company did not recog-
nize any right of the Street and Sewer
Directors to regulate the railway rates
and he said he did not care to make
any statement until after his confer
ence with the Street and Sewer di-
rectors.
Mr.. Crosby was asked if the COM
pany would recognize the right of the
Public Utilities Commission to make
recommendations or orders as to the
company's rates. and he declined to
discuss that point, inasmuch as the
Utilities Commission had not acted.
Many Walked Today.
Many persons who usually travel
on the street cars walked this morn
ing to show their resentment at the
withdrawal of the strip tickets. Many
persons are agitating the formation of
Everybody walks" clubs as a protest
against the company's action. There
is no doubt but that feeling is wide
spread and among all classes against
the railway company for disconinu-
ing the tickets.
One man estimates that If the COM
panys travel continues as It has in
tue past tnc dbollil0n VI INC oNiil
tickets will mean $50 900 additional
revenue a year to the trolley COM
pany. while the increase in wages of
one cent an hour will mean about
$4,000 a year, leaving more than $70,-
600 clear profit by the move
There is a possibility, however, of
the company's increased revenue be-
ing much less than the $4,000 be-
cause of the effect Of public opinion
and less people travelling. and it Is
understood that the railway company
has taken this factor into considera-
ton. An official of the company to-
day declined to say how much addi-
tional revenue was looked for be-
cause of Withdrawing the strip tickets.
The railway and electric COM
panies in Wilmington are operated by
the Wilmington and Philadelphia
Traction Company on a rental basis,
which also involves payment of inter
est on the bonds of the various COM
panies outstanding. Counting in the
rental and bond interest on a five
per cent bases, it was said today that
the company has to meet interest
charges on about S9OOO.00O on its
properties in Wilmington, and about
Chester and up to Darby. Just what
share of this must be met by the
Wilmington railways and electric
companies could not be learned at
the company's Office today.