The Washington times., 1915-01-27
o. P. McCarty, General Passen.
ger Manager, Explains Dlf.
s ferenoes In Rates.
UPHoLDs RECENT INCREASES
Lawyers for the Suburbanites
Show That Fares Are Lower
Elsewhere.

o. p. McCarty. general passenger
agent for the Baltimore and Ohio rail-
road. matched wits with attorneys
fighting the proposed increase In COM
mutation fares on the Metropolitan
branch Of that road at the hearips OF
the case before Commissioner Daniel.
Of the Interstate Commerce Commission
In the Willard today.
In the direct examination. conducted
BY Attorney w. A. Parker. Mr.. Nc
Carly sair that hA had made study
Of commuter rates in Cincinnati, CHI
cago. Philadelphia, New York, and
other large cities and that in none OF
them were 1sO-trip tickets nov sold.
nor were the rates per passenger mile
in any Of them so low as those now OBJ
tainable by ,sing the 1so-trip tickets
here. He added that he believed the
Nn-trip bearer ticket could take care
Of the business after the 1so-trip tickets
were abolished on the metropolitan
branch.
Points OUs Difference.
Attorney j.. Raymond Hoover repre-
sen,ing the Metropolitan Branch Com
mutexs' Association, was the first TO
cross-examine Mr.. McCarty and he
pointed out that the Central Railroad
Of New Jersey carries commuters a
distance Of twenty-five miles INTO New
York for $S.15 month, WherNtS tne
new rate from Germantown 70 vas, "a -
ington: about the same distance Is 10
III we had one-half the commuter
traffic that the Central Railroad OF
New Jersey has, we could MAKE tne
same rate said the. witness IN reply.
but the Central Railroad Of New Jer.
sey carries more suburban passengers
in one dav than We bring into w asn n!
ington in a year. They run nlnety,..re r'
suburban trains into to, NeW w, 1orH Of there
making a total Of 1888 trains daily
"Rut thew have special accommooa'
tions, such as club cars ana the IKE on
those trains" said MI: NJ, HoGver thst ON b tbe
Metropolitan branch?'
:, "We'Ii nut them on II the passengers
win nav Tor them" he responded In the
laugh that followed.
Bars Percentage Talk.
Counsel for the commuters contendeo
that the proposed increase amounted 10
about AZ per cent on an average. but
Mr.. McCarty repeatedly refused to deal
in percentages, though the point was
pressed several times.
Passenger fares are never inquired
on 4 percentage basis" said he. 'bu'
on a mileage basis. Because the 100
trip tickets were unreasonably low We
do not believe the percentage Shoulc
be considered I believe reasonabienes'
Of rates Ia what we have to consider.
Attorney Jackson H. Ralston: repre
scnting the Berwyn Citizens Associa
ton, took up the cross,examinau
after Mr.. Hoover had finished. and on
of his first questions was IF the Bal
ti1nore and Ohio railroad officials hat
considered whether or not the lncreas'
Of rates on the Metropolitan brancl
would affect the volume OF tratnc O
the amount of revenue.
mot neccssar rily So" was the answer
I'VE considered the new rates reason
able, and naturally expected the peopl
would use them
"But here Is one point where yo
propose to charge $5.05 for the sam
number Of rides that the electric lin
will give for 1926. How do You justf
thatT
THE cost Of handling passengers b.
steam railroad Is very much higher un
der some circumstances than by trolley
If We have to carry passengers cheape
than that We had better not hav
them"