Evening star., 1915-02-16
Capital Traction Company
Head Sees Evil in Unre-
stricted Operation.
CITES CHANCE OF HARM
TO STREET CAR LINES
Essential That Utilities Commission
Protect Rights of Com
mon Carriers.

Protests against the proposed ''jitne.
BUS service, without regulation. for
washington were registered with the
public utilities commission of the Dis
trict today by George Z. Hamilton
president of the Capital Traction Com
pany, in letter to the commission
PRESIDENT Hamilton declared that in all
cities now having a jitney bus serv-
ice efforts are now being made to place
them under the regulation of utility
boards or municipal bodies
After pointing out the obligations
which must be met by the railway
companies and the service which they
are now rendering. he says:
We submit that the utilities COM
mission was created by Congress to
Ins,sulate the common carriers of the
District of Columbia in the interest of
the people of the District of Column
hta- and that il is essential for this
commission, in the true performance
OF ITS duty, to protect common car
ricrS in the enjoyment of their legal
rights and charter privile ges; that the
real benefit TO the District and to the
people of the District and the prog
ress and development of the District
depend. i'll some easure, upon the service
given by the street ear companies. and
the development and betterment OF that
service; that to permit the jitnev bus
10 enter the field as free lance with
out franchise, without regulation and
without responsibility to compete. and
under such unequal terms and condi-
tions. with street railroads. is to per-
my an injustice and an injury that the
utilities commission should prevent:
and more than all. such permission
would be contrary to the interests of
rhe people, because a service that is
now good and dependable would be
crippled and might be destroyed, and
this, we take il. is the last thing the
utilities commission would desire"
Mr.. Hamilton's Statement.
Mr.. Hamilton also says:
Referring to the advertised inausura-
tlontion March l proximo of the jitney
BUS service in Washington, and the pub
Iished statement that this service will
oe considered by the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia as a public
hack business and will not be regarded
or regulated as a common carrier, I de-
sire for. and on behalf of, the Capital
Iracaon Company, to submit the follow
ing:
The jitney bus service. wherever
operated, and as intended to be ope-
fated IN the District of Columbia, ac-
IN charge of the movement, is com
petitive with the service now rendered
oy street cars. 1t is to be run over
certain routes. and those routes may
crowded and business sections of the
city. 1t gives ride for cents to all
persons applying, and holds itself out
70 all the public to give this service
he Asks, "Is It Faire"
is it fair or just TO the existing
companies or to the people of the Dis
trfct OF Columbia that companies
which. by the extension of their lines
through the District in all directions,
have materially added to the growth
and development of the city and to
the enhancement of value of properties
and In which are invested the money
and savings of hundreds and even
thousands of the citizens of the Dis
trlct: which through a long number of
years have been giving service and
making improvements in service and
which recently have been placed
under very strict regulation - is
II fair or just to such COM
panies or to their employees, or to
the people who depend upon them for
comfortable and safe transportation
20 permit an irresponsible and unresu-
lated Jitney bus service to enjoy, with
out any return to the District in the
way OF franchise, assessment or pay
nlent for the special use of the streets,
the privilege of operating at will SO as
10 absorb the narrow margin of profit
no" left TO street car operation, and
companies from maintaining the good
service now rendered by them or to
meet the requirements now imposed
by regulation
Profit in Short Rides.
The profit in street car operation is
In the short rides, but the companies
have. becau>e of the needs of the pub
hc. extended their lines into the re-
hottest parts of the District, and this
Increase in length OF rides brought no
corresponding increase in fares, the
companies being required by law to
give over their longest routes six tickets
'or quarter. 1t needs no argument
70 show that these lines could not be
operated If their profit depended upon
the fares of the long haul
The losses in such long hauls are
made UP by the short rides in the
th!ckly populated parts OF the city. and
from the reports of the street railways
70 the utilities commission il will ap-
pear that under the conditions now
me street railways 10 earn enough 10
pay operating expenses and fixed
cnarges- 10 meet the requirements as
20 depreciation, 10 maintain the service
demanded by the people and 10 nav :.
reasonable dividend to those Whose
money is invested in the securities Of
these companies
What Companies Pay Out.
The street railway companies Law
and maintain their tracks and pave 70
pave and keep IN repair a. their own
cost the portion of street between
their tracks and two feet on the out
side Of said tracks: they pay the salar.
les OF All crossing policemen: they ps v
IN taxes per cent on their gross earn