Evening star., 1915-01-30
COMMUTERS GIVE
THEIR SIDE IN CASE
Witnesses Testify Before Ex-
aminer Woodward in
Rate Hearing.
SAYS B. & o. ATTRACTED
TRAFFIC TO THE SUBURBS
Offered Many Forms of Free Service.
Tentative Data for Arguments
Is Set for February 10.

Extension uf the electric nncs into
th,, conimutcr district, the wider Use or
automobiles, and in some localities a
=" per cent depreciation in real estate
would be IL natural effect of the pro-
posed increases in commutatlon rates
on the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
should be allowed to go into effect, ac-
cordine- to the statements of commut-
crs when they went on the witness
stand yesterday afternoon To tell th'ir
sid. of their case against the railroad
To prevent the new rates from becoih-
ing effective before Examiner ood-
ward of the interstate commerce COM
mission at he New Willard IL
developcd also that the railroads had
encourag ged the traffic to the SUBURBS
by giving Il 50 per cent rebate on
building materials and to workmeh'
and in many cases where commuters
went TO the country districts for the
summer would transport the furniture
free, They also offered other forms
of free service, which. the commuters
declared. attracted them to the supur-
ban territory.
The commuters side of the case was
reached yesterday afternoon within a
few minutes after the convenins, follow
in. the luncheon recess, when the coIi-
muters' attorneys quickly dropped the
,,ross-,xaInination of o. p McCarty.
passenger traffic manager of the Balti-
more and Ohio, when they saw theS
could get no information out OF hlm
There was 10 testimony; it was Just a
hsiutering of wits. IN which the raliroao
official won out.
Railroad Evidence Contradicted.
NJ w. Phillips of Buck Lodge was
the first commuter placed on the stand
Taxing Il time table. he pointed out what
u,. declared from his own knowledge TO
20 strictly commuter trains. He con-
traC,icted some of the testimony ad-
,i!ced by the railroad as to what We're
and were not strictly commuter trains,
:.x,i asserted that certain trains carried
.,lrss cars thus contradictlng teSt-
i.louy to the contrary given by railroad
" IacSSeS.
Mir. Phillips. asked TO define a com
muter" declared all who used other
than one-way or round-trlp tichels
were commuters.
Asked if he had been promised any
thing more for the money involved IN
the increase the witness replied IN the
negative. Mr.. Phillips declared that the
continuity of rates should be preserved,
and he said that the proposed rate IS
out of all proportion to the present
rate.
~
W. II. Parker, railroad counsel, tended
to disaualify witness statement as to
what were and what We're not COM
1nuter trains. Mr.. Phillips declared he
had travelled The trains and knew the
people on them pretty well. But pressed
as to whether official records of the
Baltimore and Ohio would warrant him
in changing his statement, he said he
might.
Edgar W. Moore of Kensington. who
said he had lived in that suburb for
twenty-five years, declared that the
electric railway communication rates
We're 81 less a month than the steam
service. He declared the proposed in
crease in the Baltimore and Ohio COM
mutation rates as very unreasonable.
and would have decided effect on real
estate.
II the rates arc permitted to become
effective. he declared, 1t would be
necessary for owners or property TO
reduce their rent to an amount which
would offset the increase in railroad
Communication rates.
To Urge Electric Extension.
lie also declared that the citizens were
Jioposing to band together TO urge the
electric car companies to extend their
lines. Where two or more persons in the
same family commute. he said, he knew
that it was proposed to use automobiles.
lie asserted that he personally was un-
able 70 stand the increase. The earnings
Of lifetime are threatened, he said.
In the crosse Examination. counsel for
the railroad started delvinG into the half
stud-IlStlf scheme between the District of
Columbia and the United States.
Examiner Woodward interrupted. say
ing that he did not see that this was
l'-y.Ilt.
Mr Parker explained. however, that
lt. knew that in Baltimore the people
moved to the couInutcr districts to Sc;
sway from high tdHes, and he wanted 10
md out u this were not The cause in
Washington, and NOT the low railroad
rate and privileges offered lie was AL
lowed to put in the question this ex-
pituatlon.
DO you know that any such condition
prevails III Washington he asked
Il ,lu not - WIS the emphatic answer
OF the witness.
]. +. poncndoIf Of Garrett Park de-
clared that lic would walk the distance
OF thrcc-,uaricrs of q nIilc from Car
rett Plrb to keHsInfS; on. in order to take
the electric road, if the new rates went
b. into effect.