Evening journal., 1914-04-08
AGAIN complain
AGAINST Trolley CO.
Petitioners to Utilities Com
mission Would Have
Body Probe Co.
FIVE CENT FARE
BASIS OF COMPLAINT

ler member of the Board Of Public /
itilities Commission, a delegation OF
fteen or more men representing the |
League, Central Labor I'm
IN and the Socialist party called on the |
'ublic Utility Commissioners at their |
Meeting last night and presented pc
ition calling on the board to order am
of the Wilmington and
Traction Company. The
ommittee also presented a list of 500
ames of residents who favored the reso-
ution. The resolution follows:
To the Board of Public Utility Com
missioners for the City of Will
mington, Del:
We, the undersigned, each of i.
whom is q patron of the street rail
way service of the Wilmington and
Philadelphia Traction Company,
corporation OF the State of Della
ware, engaged as common carrier
in the transportation Of persons by
railway between points in the City
OF Wilmington in the State of Del
aware AID a. such common carrier
is subject Go the provisions of Chap
ter BOG. Vol. 26, Laws of Delaware.
entitled, "An act to create a Board
of Public Utility Commissioners for
the City of Wilmington and pre-
scribe its duties, complain:
That the said Wilmington and
Philadelphia Traction Company is
charging a rate of fare OF five cents
for each passenger riding on its ears
in the City of Wilmington, which
rate OF fare is excessive, mreason-
able and disproportionate TO the
proper cost of maintaining its prop
erty and operating is cars.
We, the undersigned, therefore
pray that Your Honorable Board
forthwith hear and examine this,
our complaint, and make such
recommendations and orders as your
board may deem proper concerning
such rates. Signed,
c. Fred Bacher.
James O'Kane. AIS East Fourth
street; Humphrey r. Campbell,
260s West Seventeenth street;
Frank A. Houck. $50 Spruce street +;
William A. Tolmie, 52l Heald street;
John C.. Saylor, 4O4 North Broome
street; John r. Thomas. COG King
street; W. w. Knowles, sos Adams
street; Artemas Smith, ll03 West
Seventh street; J. W. Latto-
mus, Ford Building; Henry Thomp-
SON.. SO7 West street; Charles T.
White, 300 West Twentieth street;
Richard S. Monck, l2Os West Fourth
street; p. II. Heyerin. 220l West
street; G. d. Boughman, 2l02 Mar
ket street; Howard n. Reed, 6l0
West sixth street; H. ID. Jellison.
1906 Tatnall street; w. X. Knots,
3l4 Townsend streets Robert a.
Parvis, 2jl5 Tatnall street; c.. a.
Beck NJ. d., 1910 West Fourth
street; J. W. Bastian. NJ. d., 5ll
West Fourth street; W. T. Sillitoe,
224 Jefferson street; b. p Fletcher,
1924 Jackson street; Edward A.
Hauser. 3 West Twenty-seventh
street; II. A. w. Behen. POS East
Twenty-fifth street and George +.
Hanson, ole East Fourth street.
Following the presentation of thl
petition. II was agreed by the Com
missioners that the committee shoul'
ascertain what it would cost TO hay'
an attorney present the case of th'
petitioners at a hearing TO be hel'
by the Board of Public Utility Com
missioners in the near future. Thi
information will be forwarded TO tn
Board and the call for such a publ
hearing viii be sent by the secretar,
to the members of the committee.
It was stated by the majority o
those present last night that. tn
signers we're all willing for the cit
/ to spend $4,000 for an investigation
Of the traction company's affairs, bu
they did not think that the investiga
ton at this time should include tn
Peoples Railway Company, which re
Gently abolished the sale of the ST
for a quarter tickets. IL was agree,
however, by the committee that a
public utility companies should hav
a valuation placed on them. In add
ton to presenting the petition
Charles e. White, a member of tn
Referendum League, who was pres
ent, spoke OF the service on the Wasf
ington street line Of the traction con
pany. He said that at certain time
passengers we're compelled to stan
and that the service was poor. AZ
dressing the commissioners, he e.
claimed: 1T is up to this board
see that we get better service there
The petition was presented by NJ
Bacher, who spoke of the decisio
handed down in the United Stat'
. Court three years ago and since the
he claimed the citizens had paid o'
> more than 100000 in extra trollG
fares.
In reply to the question OF Con
missioner Baily II he, Mr.. Bacher, d
not think IL better for the men 20 r
ceive an increase in wages than
have the tickets, Mr.. Bacher quot
decision of the Supreme Court in
recent case in which IL was held tn
six per cent was a fair earning 4
a public service corporation.
c. ID. Garretson. a member OF q
. Board, then asked If Git was n
! thought best 70 include the People
4 Railway Company in the same
4 vestigation, and Mr.. Bacher replie
|. no" saying: "See what can be do
5 in the first case" Mr.. Carrots
q said he did not agree with N
Bacher, whereupon John G. Sayl
T. said the committee had drawn up {
q petition under orders Of City Solicit
q Hastings. Richard c. McMullen,
\ commissioner, asked If the comm
. tee and those who signed the petit
; were willing for the city to spe
: $4,000 for an investigation of I
= traction company's affairs, and \
! Bacher replied, "yes, as it wou
y mean such a saving"
Humphrey b. Campbell explain
u that such an investigation, accordi
to Mr.. Hastings, was necessary unlt
the company restored the stl
tickets.
J. John f. Thomas said the Refere