Evening star., 1914-07-30
STREET RAILWAYS
KILL 6; HURT 786
Utilities Commission Gives
Statistics for Ten Months
Ended December 81.

Six persons were killed and 7S6 injured
in s45 accidents on local street railway
and motof bus lines during the ten
months period from March 4. 1913, to
December 81, 1913. according to the first
| annual report of the public utilities COM
mission of the District OF Columbia,
| which made it's official appearance to-
day.
This showing, particularly with regard
| to fatalities, compares favorably with
records Of other cities, it is stated.
The report of the commission reviews
In detail the activities of that body from
| its organization. March 4. 1913, until the
close of the year. Copies Of the docu-
ment which is in book form were sent to-
day to Congress and the local public
service corporations.
| Fatalities due to operation of utilities
were not confined to the street railway
concerns. the report shows. Electric
and injured eight: gas companies killed
one and injured dfty-two; telephone
and telegraph companies injured thir-
| ty-seven and express companies in
jured seventy-one.
Bureau Supervises Service.
| Important among the services Of the
that Of the bureau Of transit and
equipment inspection. under direction
of H. C. Eddy. engineer. This depart
ment maintains supervision of the
schedules of and service furnished by
the various companies, and, among
other things, investigates proposed eN-
! tensions of lines. complaints concern
| ing service and accident. Great i'm
lprovement in equipment and operation
| of the street railway lines since this
department came into existence is re-
ported.
The commission announces that 1t has
under consideration several improve
ments in service and equipment, such
as a uniform system OF route signs on
cars. elimination 'of. certain stopping
places for cars. especially on suburban
lines. and extension Of existing lines
into territory which does not appear to
be properly served, including the pos
sible extension of one or more lines
into Rock Creek Park.
Statistics for street railways show
that there are nearly 800 miles of track
in the District, and that the capitaliza-
tion per mile Of line varies from $12.-
050,66 to s669.040.39, the latter figures
being quoted for the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company.
Data on Stocks and Bonds.
The information in regard to out
standing stocks and bonds contained in
the report is as Of March 4, 1913. Ia
bles for the various utilities show total
amounts Of outstanding securities, date
of issue. to whom issued and sold, the
price paid and other information. In
the appendix devoted to statistics from
the annual reports Of utilities for the
year 1913 is given the assets. liabilities.
outstanding securities. capital stock
and funded debt, gross and net income,
operating revenues and expenses and
other statistics.
The report outlines the work done by
the gas and electrical inspection bu-
reaus. the former being under direction
of Elmer G. Runyan. while the latter Is
supervised by Walter c. Allen, head of
the electrical department Of the Dis
While the affairs of the commission
have been directed by the three Dis
trict Commissioners. who compose its
membership. the officials who have
been charged principally with the
working out of details are Conrad H.
Syme, corporation counsel; Capt. Julian
Schley, executive officer of the COM
mission, and J. G. Williams, statis-
tician.
Under direction of the commission a
corps of valuation experts is now en-
gagged in ascertaining the physical
worth of properties owned by local
public utilities. This work will be
finished by next summer, following
which the commission will begin cen
sideration of rate questions.