Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1912-03-15
of the four zones, if desired but as the rate

book of family tickets would cost $500
instead Of $1.O0. now required to be in
vested to accomplish identically the same
purpose. The one aim and object Of the
family tickets being to preserve the present
cash rate to those who bring themselves
within the new classification.
INEQUALITY In LENGTH Or ZONES.
But says a questioner, why make the
zones of unequal lengthH Why not readjust
the four zones so as to make them all of
equal length and make the family ticket
proportionately lower than the cash fare
on each of such reconstructed zonesH p
The answer is that to do this would re-
quire the first zone to end over mile
nearer to the line of the District of Column
bia and throw most of the rapidly-develop-
ing section north of Woodmont in the Sec
ond zone and double the rates Of many
people who have added many thousands
of dollars to our taxable basis on the faith
of the continuance Of one-fare charge,
and who have already had their commute
ton rates raised from $40 to SITS under
the operation of the Henderson law.
Such equalization of zones would also
require the Rockville zone to begin about
one mile north Of Montrose. that is little
more than one mile from the town limits
of Rockville. We have had an experience
with such an arrangement before and know
the hardships that were placed upon people
living only short distance from the town,
they being required to pay two fares each
way to get to their places of business on
week days as well as to church on Sundays.
The county school is now located at Mont
rose and the children and teachers from
both directions can now reach 1t for one
fare. The station at Montrose is also reached
by roads from five directions, and no other
available point possesses the same advan-
tage to the public. 1t is simply follyto try
to change this turminus of the Rockville
zone without raising a storm of protests.
ZONES Two AND THREE.
But says our questioner, why not divide
the new fare zones No. 2 and No. 8 equally
instead of as you have II in the bill-the
third is very much shorter than the second p
The answer is that the line from Alta
Vista to Montrose is through the fields and
woods and off the roads, and with only two
county roads crossing or touching it, one
at the transformer, which is only little
over a mile from Alta Vista, and the other
the road at switch No. 4. which is less
than mile from Montrose. Nine-tenths Of
the travel on the electric road from both of
these county road crossings is towards
Washington. Placing the division line of
these two zones at the transformer would be
of very little benefit to the public while
placing it at switch number Is of the
greatest benefit to a thickly settled COM
munity, where the travel is mostly towards
Washington. In any event these two zones,
arrange them as we may, will necessarily
be out of all proportion in length to zones
number and 4. So what matters il in
this respect how they are arrangedY
But says our questiOner. is it not fact
Mr.. Lamar, that you are interested in a
tract of land on the county road leading to
switch No 4. and therefore personally bene-
flied by having two zones end thereH
The answer is. yes. and am also per-
sonally interested as a commuter in the
reduction of rates, and have yet to find g
single person who has taken an interest in
this question who is not consulting his per.
sonal interest or convenience, 1t is pecu
liarly a matter where all personal interests
have to be consulted. but the fact remains
that no other point will 50 well serve tn,
public interests or benefit so many patrons
of the road, either at or away from county
road crossing of the electric road as the
point named in the bill, switch No. a. II
II can be shown that am in error as to
this. will most cheerfully consent to {
change Of the bill to make these two zones
terminate at some other point. am much
more interested in the general question in.
volved in this matter than the particular
place where fare zones begin or end
STANDPATTERS.
There appear also to be people who no
only do not use Communication tickets, but
have little regard for the interests of those
who do. and while they travel over the
road often and would buy family tickets II
the bill should become a law. are firm In
the position that the present arrangement
suits them as it Is, see no sense in having
four zones and want to know why they
should have to 90 to the trouble and ex-
pense. little though it be. Of buying family
tickets when they can now at the same
cost travel without them. Inquiries Of this
kind have developed how little attention
has been paid by our people to the power
full contest the railroad has conducted from
the date of the passage Of the Henderson
law to the present moment TO have the Act
declared unconstitutional and void, In or.
der that it might return to the old four
zone system without any Of the restrictions
as to family or Communication tickets pro-
vided for in the present bill. which latte
/
as an adjustment of all controversies be.
tween the railroad and its patrons until
replaced or modified by the Legislature.
hope to have an article next week II
which an endeavor will be made to shov
what has been done in defense Of the Hen
derson law in the Federal courts and before
the Public Utilities Commission. where the
matter is now pending upon one Of thu
many intricate phases Of this lone-fough
legal battle in which we have been opposed
at every point by such eminent railr oa'
counsel as J. J. Darlington. George HoOve
and Charles Douglass. Of Washington. d
C., and George R. Gather, Leon Greenbaum
VIM L. Marbury and George W. Williams
Of Baltimore, who have been met in these
tribunals by George H. Lamar. specia
counsel on behalf Of the State, in co-opera