Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-11-25
ASK INTERSTATE
SUSPENS|ONOF
RAISE IN FARES
Utility Board Petitions Federal
Commission to Cooperate in
Interest of Commuters.

Special TO the Evening star.
TRENTON, Nov. 25.-The Public
Utility Commission today in a COM
munication sent to the Interstate
Commerce Commission at Washing
ton regarding the proposed increase
In passenger rates by railroads oper-
a,ting in New Jersey suggest that the
federal body consider the question of
issuing an order suspending the IN
creases, so far as the rates between
points In this State and outside are
concerned, just as the Utility Com
mission has suspended the intrastate
rates until March 10 next, pending in
vestigation of the whole matter.
The New Jersey commission makes
this suggestion believing that it would
be desirable for the two bodies to
work in unison in considering the
proposed increases, and for the fur
tfer reason stated in its letter as fol-
lows: THAT during the period of in
vestigation there should be avoided
conflict between new rates for inter
state traffic and old rates applying
to intrastate traffic. Such conflict
would be avoided if the Interstate
Commerce Commission would deem 1t
pre- per and advisable to take action
with respect to the interstate rates
consistent with that taken by this
board with respect to the intrastate
rates.
The Utility Board also states that
4 number of complaints have been
filed regarding the increase in the
rates between points in this State and
those outside, over which 1t has not
Jurisdiction, and that undoubtedly
similar complaints will be filed with
the Interstate Commerce Commits
sion.
The letter continues:
with respect to some of these
rates the following complications eX-
lists. The railroad companies sell
tickets from stations in New Jersey
reading to Camden or Philadelphia.
While Camden is in New Jersey and
Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, the
two cities being separated by the
Delaware river, the railroad com
panies claim that in the making of
a rate these two cities should be re-
garded as one community, and that
the same rate should apply to both.
1.-THE board does not accept this
theory as divesting it of power to
prescribe for journeys wholly within
the state reasonable rates to be
charged to and from Camden. 1t is,
however. obvious that if difference
rates to Philadelphia, this difference
should be no more than measures a
reasonable charge for transportation
across the Delaware river.
"If, therefore, during the period OF
of the proposed increases
and Withdrawals of intrastate rates,
new and much higher rates become
effective for travel to and from Phil
adelphia, attempts would probably be
made by those whose Journeys to and
from Camden are parts of trips to
and from Philadelphia. to take ad-
vantage OF the Camden rates In
trips interstate In character and for
which interstate rates would be in
effect. This might, and probably
would, lead to controversy and com
plications which 1t would be desirable
to avoid.
'~The board would respectfully sug-
gest that your commission give con-
sideration to the question whether
under the circumstances outlined
above. an order may not properly be
issued by you, suspending the in
creases, changes, Withdrawals, etc,
In so far as the same apply to traffic
between stations in New Jersey and
stations outside the State.
1.-THE board has received number
of informal complaints against the
changes proposed and some of those
complaints have been made to the
board by those who seem to be in
terested particularly in the rates TO
and from Philadelphia. They appar-
entity have been made to this board
under the mistaken impression that
the board has power to regulate such
rates. The board Is not advised, at
the present writing, whether any
complaints have been filed with the
Interstate Commerce Commission"