The Meridian times. (Meridian, Idaho) 1909-1938, 1915-04-02

The Idaho Traction Company Sat
urday filed with the public utilities
commission a new schedule OF pas
senger rates TO become applicable
Il approved by the commission, TO the
interurban lines in Boise and yicin-
ity
The new schedule asks for an in
crease In the one-way rates from 2 IL
cents to cents per mile. and from
to 2 Y cents per mile on the
round trip rates. The increase on
commutation rates is from IL TO
lak cents per mile, and on school
rates from ] cent TO ] Il cents per
mile.
This rate would cause an increase
on a one-way ticket between Boise
and Caldwell from 75c to s5c, and
on a round trip ticket from s1.25 to
s1.45-stfll being 35c lower than the
Short Lines round trip rate Of $1.80
between Boise and Caldwell
Between Meridian and Boise or be-
tween Meridian and Nampa the one
way rate would be soc, instead of
25c and the round trip soc instead
OF 45c. The rate between Meridian
and Caldwell would be 55c instead
OF 50c, round trip 95c instead of
soc.
Why Increase Is Necessary.
The reason assigned for the re-
quested increase is the claim that
the road has been losing money each
year not being able TO earn even suffi-
cient TO pay interest on the cost Of
constructing the road.
IL is claimed by the railroad man
agement that the increase requested
viii still not produce revenue suffi-
cient TO pay reasonable return upon
the actual investment under present
conditions, but IL is believed that
when business conditions revive the
increased rates will net sufficient to
approximate an even break.
Lines Not Paying.
In an interview, Mr.. Dicke the gem
eral manager OF the Traction com
pany stated that the company's finan-
cial condition was not due TO the
present financial stringency, but that
the operation Of the local railway
lines had not even paid the bond In
terest on the actual investment for
any one year during the entire his
tory OF the old companies.
Mr. Dicke further said: What
ever may be the history OF financing
the construction OF the local railway
lines, and their subsequent purchase
by other interests has no bearing up
on our application before the utilities
commission at this time. These bonds
are now being wiped out by foreclos-
ure proceedings in the federal court,
All that We ask IN that an appraisal
Of the railway property be made as u
stands today, and that We be allowed
10 earn fair and reasonable return
upon that appraised value, We must
be able 70 do this IN order 20 finance
our future additions and betterments
70 the property, and possible exten-
siOns Of our lines, Unless we can
sh0g that we are earning fair re-
turn upon the present actual value
OF the property we cannot hope 20 in
tefsst or even borrow dollar Of ad-
ditlOnaj eaDital"
Asked II the light and power prop
critics were Involved ia cBy manner
IA this request for increased rates
MF. Dicke SAID. NO, our application
for Increased rates applies 10 the
traction lines only, and ~ consider
ing the feas0ne Dleneeh OF our kppli'
cation the commission viii take into
consideration only the value Of the
actual railway property"
Commission geFpisSed,
The commission n considerably per
pleEed as ~ ife ability 20 reach aH
equitable decision % the application
g'be governor disapDrOyed ~ appfo'
prlatiOp f0r engineering assistance ~
faF ~ the commission can learn, ,theFs
fOEs1t has 40 eitefnatlye but % ae
asDt the traction eompapg's state
neDt Regarding its physical yalha'
tiop,
W. must hsyf abe physical yslp'
atlon n We aFe ~ properly compute
the equitable fafes," SAD eomWls'
sl0neT FFeetefeT, A. u "a nov ~
must apparently either accept tbi
eonpany'e appgaiseUent ~ reject d
BithOVf Rekipg . check"