The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1916-05-09
Increased Fare? Sure.
Improved Service? Perhaps.

So far as the question of increases
trolley fares is concerned the subject is
for the present at least, settled, and Oh
the first of June new schedule will g
into effect and those who use the trolley
will pay an increase Of fifty per cent. il
fare, or Is cents between Mount Holly
and Moorestown, and the same sum be
tween Mount Holly and Burlington
This was agreed upon last week. There
was to have been another hearing on tbs
subject but those who had been oppos
ing the raise in fares decided to with
draw all objections if the trolley people
would make some concessions. The
requests of the people were not I'm.
reasonable. Two half hour cars
in the morning and late in the afternoon
between the towns named was one of
the requests and the other was that the
roadbsd was to be put in shape SO that
there would be some comfort in riding.
Three Of the officers of the road with
their lawyer were at the hearing. One
of them did not seem disposed to grant
what the people asked, but the others
were more favorably disposed and said
those terms it would be good way out
to clear the situation. The Public
Utilities Commission also expressed the
opinion that there was not anything I'M
reasonable in the requests made. Pres
ident Donges intimated that there would
not be favorable consideration of the
increase OF fares while the directors con-
unued to oppose that scheme. The en-
gineer OF the Commission made re-
port in which he said he had found that
the f1anges on the wheels of the cars
were not what they should be for abso-
lutte safety and he had also discovered
that the roadbed needed to be put in
better condition at once. He was pre-
pared to recommend that the approval
OF the application to increase fares be
withheld until the necessary improve
ments be made.
President Donges announced that the
increase in fares would be allowed, to
go into effect as soon as the company
showed its willingness and ability to
live up to the conditions agreed upon
He further stated that this was what is
often heard in court-''a Suspension of
sentence, and that the case might be
re-opened at any time on application of
the directors that the company was not
fulfilling its part of the agreement.
After the hearing the president and
secretary Of the trolley company went
to Newark to ascertain what arrange
ments could be made with the Public
Service Company toward running cars
OF the latter over the Burlington county
line. 1t is desired to get cars of the
Public Service to run through, without
change, between Camden and Mount
no ho rf kI,<,l
latter place for Burlington. If this is
not consented to then the Burlington
county company will hurry it's new
cars. The promise is that there will be
new running stock, but it cannot be
secured for some time and the arrange
ments with the Public Service Com pany
are intended to be utilized until the
other plan can be put into operation.
And that is the way the matter now
stands. If the Burlington county COM
pany does not live up to its. part of the
agreement there will be a re-opening of
the complaint with the probability of /
drastic action. The people of this neigh
borhood have been very patient and
have done all that can be asked of them.
All that is requested is good service and
the increase of fares will not be objected
to. We want good, clean cars, not those
that the company is now renting of the
Public Service Company. They are of
the poorest that the latter has in its
possession. One of the operators on the
Public Service road is said to have re-
marked that he hoped the cars that are
now running would never get back to
the barn from which they went as they
were absolutely worn OUT. The running
time between Burlington and Moores-
town has been heightened and during
some portions Of the trips the cars creep
along in order not to reach points ahead
Of time. II there is no other way to do
this the cars will stop at switches while
the crew exchange jokes, smoke cigar
cites or get dollar bill changed, while |
the passengers sit in the car and enjoy
the pastime as best they can without
feeling out of humor because their trip
has been delayed. The giving of half |
hour service at certain times and the |
liking of the roadbed are of Importance,
but there are many ways in which the |
service may be improved and the people |
having given their consent to the most
Important item from the company's |
standpoint-the increase in revenue
It is up to the corporation to now pay
some attention to the comfort of its
patrons.