Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-10-21
Financial Returns of Street
Railway Companies Could
Be Determined.
CITIZENS, BY ARGUMENT,
MAKE GOOD IMPRESSION
|. Further Hearings May Be Held by
Public Utilities COM
mission.

With the smoke cleared away from the
first clash between citizens and street
! railway company officials before the pub
lie utilities commission yesterday on the
subject of the granting of universal
transfers, advocates of this reform today
| were busy figuring out what course the
commission may decide to adopt.
Among District building officials who
heard representatives of both sides pre-
sent their arguments the impression is
general that the citizens associations de-
egates, by reason of their not insist ,ng
upon the promui cation of transfer
order, should 1t be found that the COM
panies cannot afford financially to make
this concession. made favorable I'M
preston upon the commission.
Without exception, these representa-
ttves urged that every effort be made
to ascertain whether the adoption OF such
an order would financially embarrass the
transportation concerns.
Use Old Argument.
The attorneys for the street railway
companies fell back upon the old argu-
ment that to require the issuance OF uni
versaI transfers would be in violation OF
the fifth amendment to the Constitution
of the United States. which provides that
property shall not be taken without just
compensation and due process of law.
1t is more than likely that the COM
mission will decide to hold additional
hearings and that effort will be made TO
obtain facts and figures concerning the
earnings OF the railway corporations.
The impression appears to be growing
that, il the commission agrees with the
advocates Of universal transfers it will
decide to enforce the law passed by Con-
gress In 1894, which requires the Nero
politan railroad fnow the Washington
Railway and Electric Company to make
reciprocal transfer arrangements with
street railroad companies whose lines
connect with its lines.
In this event, the board would have to
reach the conclusion that reciprocal
transfers, referred to in this act. mean
free transfers. Attorney j. j. Darling
ton, representing the Washington Railway
and Electric Company. told the commits
sion at the railway corporation has car
ried out the intent of this law by pro-
yidlag for 2-cent transfers at certain in
tersections with the lines OF the Capital
Traction Company.
J Transfer Plan May Be Tried.
There is possibility of the board de-
termining to give the universal transfer
scheme trial by ordering the companies
to install 1t for a given length of time.
say a year, during which period watch
would be kept on the financial returns.
That such q course may be considered
was suggested at yesterdays hearing by
Commissioner Siddons.
The railway companies We're given their
inning at tie afternoon session OF the
hearing Mr.. Darlington, with r. Ross
Perry, attorney for the Car ital Traction.
made lengthy arguments before the board
The latter ,,ontended, with other things.
that the hearing announced for Yesterday
was not a formal hearing within the
meaning of the law relating to the public
meetings Of the commission. 1t is under
stood that the board considers that the
hearing was formal.