Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-07-01
MUST ADJUST RATES
Railway Given One Month in
Which to Comply.
FARES TO MOUNT VERNON
Directions by I. C. c. to Washington
Virginia Company.
BASED ON PATRONS CHARGES
Alleged Discrimination Against
Commuters in Matter Of
Transportation.
FARES TO MOUNT VERNON
BASED ON PATRONS CHARGES

commuters In Matter OF
Transportation.
Eve shall expect the defendent to read
| just its tariff Of fares in accordance with
| the views herein expressed. If this Is
not done on or before August l, 1912, we
| shall enter the necessary order to give
effect to our conclusions"
With the foregoing statement the inter-
state commerce commission closes an
opinion handed down today IN the case OF
J. H. Bitter agt the WashingtonVirg1nia
railway. In which 1t is declared that the
passenger fares between Washington and
Mount Vernon, Va, are unreasonable and
unduly discriminatory. as are certain other
one-way and round-trip passenger fares
on the defendants Falls Church line.
Lower fares are prescribed by the COM
mission for the future.
The commission also points out that
as the defendant company provides
Communication rates for travel between
Washington and certain points on It's
| lines it should. to avoid undue discrimi-
nation. provide communication rates for
travel under similar conditions between
Washington and the other. points on its
lines.
Attorney Frederic r. Whippler ap-
peared for the plaintiff and Attorney
John s. Barbour Of Fairfax, Va, for the
company
Company's Finances.
Speaking of the finances and state
| ments Of the company, the commission
says: TT is Uncomfortable, however,
that the property should have cost the
enormous sum Of $126,124.S1 per mile of
line. Assuming that the amount Of
money actually invested in the property
was 100000 per mile. or $2.749.soo as a
$371.500 more than the present out
standing stock. 1t would be $662.200
less than the present funded debt.
For the period Of two years prior to
were operated free from control by the
Washington. Arlington and Falls Church
Company. the net annual operating rev
enues were $2a6, SS4.55 for the year ended
ended June 80. 1910. a yearly average Of
$3.50. 9T.6O. The average yearly taxes
amounted to 29.325.0c. This sum deduct
ed from the average net operating revenue
would leave $223. 1872 So. the equivalent Of
zoe. or $2.05s. 5e1 less than the outstand-
Ing capital June 80. 1911. Upon the above
showing the capitalization appears to be
grossly excessive
The commission gives conclusions as
follows:
Complaint is made that special COM
mutation fares are not maintained for
the use Of pupils who attend the
schools In Washington city. For q
1902. special rates were published by
the Washington. Alexandria and Mount
Vernon Company for the use Of pupils
not over eighteen years of age, who
were actually attending grammar or
high schools In Washington. but being
advised that these rates as published
were unlawful the company cancelled
them. There can be no question that
said rates as published were unduly
discriminatory. No sunicient reason is
shown. however, why special commuta-
ton rates for young persons between
certain ages should not be established.
provided the rates are not limited to
pupils OF any particular kind or class
tween the same ages who travel under
substantially similar transportation
circumstances and conditions.
Family Trip Tickets.
st is eontended that the life of the
twenty-five-trip family ticket should be
extended beyond thirty days, but the
record discloses nothing to justify a
holding that the existing limit is un-
reasonable. Tickets of this character
are not available for travel between
W. shington and points on the Mount
Vernon division. We are Of the opinion
tina. the same character OF fares should
be available to patrons of either division
for substantially the same character or
service that is, If twenty f1ve-trip
family tickets or fifty-two-trip cornmuta-
ton tickets are sod for travel to and
from one station the same character of
cEo&o with EYlhQfQ nfia1lv similar rates
should be furnished for travel under like
conditions to and from other stations
And this same general principle applies
to fares of other character.
"As to certain stations on the Falls
Church division. the one-way and round
trip fares are considerably higher than
the same character of fares for sub5tan-
TALLY similar distances on the Mount Yer
non division. To Robey. which Is l2.6O
miles from Washington on the Falls
Church division, the one-way fare Is 30
cents and the round-trip fare 30 cents,
whereas to Wellington, which Is 12.69
miles from Washington on the Mount
Vernon division the one-way fare is 20
To Franklin, which is ABS miles from
Washington on the Falls Church division.
the one-way fare is 30 cents and the
round-trip fare So cents, whereas to
Hunters which is Il. 40 miles from WASH
ington on the Mount Vernon division, the
one-way fare is 25 cents and the round
trip fare 35 cents. The same situation
Is true of other points. The record shows
no substantial difference In the transpor-
tation conditions that will justify so wide
a difference In the fares for distances so
nearly the same
Claims of the Company.
The defendant company claims, it was
stated, that the varying fares on the two
divisions are the outgrowth Of the former
arrangements. and that the patrons do
not want them changed.
This petition has been filed. however,
says the commission, and as to some of
the fares we think there is just ground
for complaint"
THE one fare between Washington and
Mount Vernon" the opinion continues,
lis 40 cents and the round trip 70 cents
1t IS averred that these fares are I'M.
reasonable, and also unduly discrimina-
tory as compared with the fares between
Washington and Miller, a station three
fourths OF mile nearer Washington. The
Miller fares are Is cents one way and 30
cents round trip. This wide difference
in fares for the very slight increase In
distance defendant undertakes to justify
on the theory that its fifty-two-trfp COM
mutation tickets which apply between
very low rate Of transportation. But it
not place Mount Vernon on the same
| basis, relatively, with Miller as respects
local travel To get the benefit of such
70 &C a natron is compelled to purchase a