Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-02-20
ME-. Kings Address.

toe methods that might be employed for
relieving congestion on the traction
lines. Adjustment of compulsory fire
stops, establishment of skip stops dur
ing the rush hours, readjustment Of ex-
press service and other features were
touched upon. -
Most significant of his statements,
however, was the declaration that the
ington's street railway lines must he
the consolidation of all the traction
lines operating in. the District and the
electric power company. Consolida-- :
tton: he declared. offers the oh1y means
Of financing extensions and rearrang-
ing trackage SO as to meet the trafhc
problems Of the future.
His Views in this respect already have
received the Endorsement of the fedora
ton, which, at a recent meeting, adopt
ed a resolution favoring consolidation
Of the street railways. and also sug-
gested universal transfers. In his ad-
dress last night Mr.. King stated that
the consolidation project had been
board commissioners. and that it
offers the only feasible solution Of the
vital problems Of the local traction
situation.
in urging the federation and the pub
lie to consider this situation from the
standpoint of the companies and "be
fair about it," Mr.. King went into the
details of the development of the
Washington Railway and Electric Com
pany. He stated that during the thir-
company has spent $17.000.o00 in the
betterment of it's property, exclusive of
operating expenses.
Called Cheapest Necessity"
The speaker produced figures to show
that utility service is about the cheap
est necessity in Washington. Since
1896. 1t was shown, the cost of coal has
SO per cent; food. 80 per cent, and
clothing, 80 per cent, while the cost Of
electric service has decreased so per
cent. Only about 2k per cent of the
average annual income Of $1,000 is
spent for electricity. and yet this and
other utilities are the most strictly
regulated, whereas there is no regula-
tion of the commodities for which the
bulk of the income is spent, he pointed
out.
The railway head said that street
car service here is cheap in COMPARE
son with other eastern cities, the ma.
jority of which have straight scent
fares, and this in addition to the fact
that in most municipalities the wires
are overhead instead of underground.
Defending the practice of maintain
ing a 81 minimum charge for electric
service. Mr.. King said this cost barely
meets the monthly expense of looking
toners didn't use any electricity and
merely paid the minimum charge Of 81
a month the company would be forced
into bankruptcy, he asserted.
Burdens Borne by Companies.
The heavy burden borne by the rail-
way companies in paying the salaries of
crossing policemen system that does
not obtain in any other city. and which,
he declared. should be government ex-
pense-was discussed at length. 1t was
stated that since this law went into
effect the railway companies have paid
to the crossing policemen a total Of
$685., 7,s41.16 In 1910 the payment
amounted to $4,000 in round numbers;
in 1911. $4,000: 1912. $4,000. 1918.
$780, 1914. 900; 1915. $4,000.
Justice Siddons, at the time he was a
member of the board of Commissioners.
endeavored to have this expense taken
over by the city.
Discussing some of the methods by
which better service can be obtained,
Mr.. King urged adjustment of the fire
stops, stating that the cars of the
Washington Railway and Electric Com
pany make $4,000 compulsory stops at
these designated points each day, los
ing total OF 200 hours Of travelling
time. The utilization of this time in
speeding up schedules is a possibility
worthy of serious consider ton, he
stated.
BY establishing a system of skip
stops during the rush hours. so that
cars would StOp at every other block
or certain designated blocks, consid-
erable improvement might be made in
the way of shortening schedules. the
speaker suggested.
Under Government Regulation.
Mr.. King referred to the fact that
local public service corporations have
been under regulation by the govern
u,ant nj .tha xatinar of 4hAia