Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1915-01-29
Another Step Taken In Passenger
Rate War.
Washington Star of Saturday.

washington Star of Saturday.
Commuters using the Metropolitan Branch
OF the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad TODAY
took steps in their fight to force the rail
road to restore the two-day round trim
ticket between Washington and Rockville
and points west Of that station to Wash.
ington Junction. The complaint in this
proceeding was filed with the Interstate
Commerce Commission by John b. Daish
and j. Raymond Hoover. attorneys for the
commuters, and furnishes new angle TO
the fight OF the commuters against the in
creased rates. The hearing on the general
communication rates is to be held Wednes-
day. and although the petition for the res
toration of the two-day round-trip tickets
filed to-day specifically requests prompt
hearing 1t is not probable that il will come
up at Wednesdays hearing. In the mean
time the residents using this line now have
to use thirty-day round-trip ticket when
they come to the city for day. and this
at an increase amounting approximately
TO 33 Is per cent.
The thirty-day round-trip ticket is at
tackled in the petition as unreasonable and
unjust and alleges discrimination against
passengers and localities above Rockville
IN favor OF those this side of that station.
After attacking specifically the thirty
day rOund-trip tickets between Washing
ton and Rockville and Rockville and Wash |
lngton Junction, the terminus of the Metro |
politan Branch, the petition CHARGES that |
the action OF the respondent in withdraw |
ing the said twO-day rOund-trip fares, ap- |
plying to and from points located west of |
Rockville and Washington Junction, inclu- |
sive, and the city of Washington, while |
maintaining two-day round-trip fares to |
and from all points between Washington |
and Rockville, inclusive, makes and creates |
an undue and unreasonable prejudice and |
disadvantage against passengers travelling
to and from Washington from and to points
west of Rockville. in favor of passengers
travelling from and to points between
washington and Rockville, inclusive, in
violation of the act to regulate commerce"
The petition then cites that the burden
OF proof to show that the present fares are
reasonable and just is upon the railroad,
and prays that the respondents be re-
CURED. after hearing and investigation,
TO cease and desist from the aforesaid
violations OF the act to regulate commerce,
and Tor an order requiring respondent to
establish and put in force such rates and
charges for the transportation of passen-
gers, having occasion to avail themselves
|
to and from points west of Rockville TO
Washington Junction. inclusive, from and
to the city of Washington as the commits
sion may deem reasonable and proper, and
for an order requiring the respondent to
establish and put in force just and reason
able thirty-day round-trip fares between
the city of Washington and all points on
the Metropolitan Branch of the respondent
and that such further order or orders be
made as the commission may consider
proper in the premises and the petitioners
cause may appear to require"
II appears that this supplemental petit
ion would not have been necessary and
hat the two-day rOund-trip rates would
nave been suspended by the commission
along with the regular Communication rate
Increase had the original complaint been
more specific. While the commuters men
Toned the tw0-day ticket in their original
complaint it is declared they failed to give
he number of the tariff. This oversight,
I is declared. is now being paid for by the
in the way of the increased
ates pending the commissions action on
he supplemental complaint.