Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-07-18
|F|VE-CENT FARE
PLAN IS REJECTED
Grundy Ordinances Are Reported
Unfavorably by Council Com
mittee on Finance.
WHEELWRIGH MAKES TALK
Several Councilrnen Favor Steps
to Regulate Running Of
Jitneys.
WHEELWRIGHT MAKES TALK

When Thomas S. wheelwright. presi
dent Of the Virginia Railway and
Power Company. declared that he did
not feel warranted in recommending
TO his board of directors that the
proposition outlined in the Grundy or
dinances. which would abolish six for
a-quarter street car tickets and in
crease taxes on the power company, be
accepted. the Council Committee on
Finance last night promptly voted that
the two measures be rejected
However, Mr.. Wheelwright threw
the near future of a further consid-
Grafton of this question in conjunction
with further regulation of the opera
tion of jitneys upon the streets of
Richmond
Il would respectfully suggest for
your consideration" said MIR. Wheel
wright addressing the committee. the
fairness to both the city and the COM
pany of some reasonable and broad
consideration OF the question, includ-
ing regulation OF the jitney. which has
SO materially irnpaiie ed the earnings of
the company for the past three years"
LARGE CROWD Is PRESENT
TO MAKE PROTEST
Mr.. Wheelwright was the only one
who spoke in connection with the two
measures "A large crowd Of interested
spectators was hand in protest
against any increase 'in the rates of
street car fares. but as the committee
adversely recommended the ordinances
there was no occasion for any others
to voice their objections.
af ha
reviewed the situation at some length
During the year 1916. the company
carried 35.SS6,l7s. or nearly 36,0o0,OoO.
revenue passengers" said Mr.. Wheel
wright This does not include pas
sengers carried on transfers. who are
to all intents and purposes new pas
sengers carried without additional
charge. or the above lumber of pas
sengers carried (nearly $4,000. .ooo).
more than one-tnird of them, or, to be
accurate. 13.5s0.S31. were carried a sec
ond and even a third time on trans
fers, for which tho company received
no revenue. The loss, cost and charge
OF taking on. carrying. putting off and
collecting transfers from such passen-
gers Is the Sane for the original
revenue" Passenger.
''Of the 36.O00.0O0 revenue passengers
carried, 3.S+o.Ts5 were carried on . 1-2
cent Nabor and schooD tickets, and
since the actual cost of carrying a pas
senger was more than cents, there
was over l-2 cent actual loss incurred
on each of these 3,s40,7S5 passengers.
or total loss of f:t,7io for the year
1915.
WHEELwRIGHT GIVES
ISTE>RISSTTNc
IF under the proposed ordinance, the
company is granted straight scent
fare. and the same number of passen-
gers are carried. (S6.000.00O at cents).
the gross revenue derived will amount
TO @l.s0o.o00 instead OF the $500. 600
gross earnings for 1916, thus yielding
an estimated increase in gross earnings
OF 100000. and since the city would
receive under the proposed plan 10 per
cent on the gross earnings, the tax
would amount to Slso.ooo. or 100000
more than at present. which amount
deducted from the 100000 estimated
increase in gross. would leave the COM
pany 100000 increase in gross. against
which we now have increased operating
costs Of over 100000.
In view of these conditions. I do not
In recommending to the board of direc-
tors or my company the acceptance OF
the proposition as at present outlined
in the proposed ordinance, hence
would respectfully suggest for your
consideration. the fairness to both the
city and the company of some reason
able and broad consideration of the
question, including regulation of the
haS
paired the earnings OF the company for
the past three years.
To use homely simile. II appears
that the company is paying the pres
ent $4,000 tax on gross earnings by
way of rental for the use of the streets
for the purpose OF conducting a trans
portation business. When this lease
was made 1t was never anticipated by
either party to the contract that an
other tenant would suddenly appear
and occupy with the company. 1t,
therefore. appears only just and fair
to both parties 10 the contract that the
unexpected tenant be required to oc.
cupy other quarters. In other words,
that the jitney be- permitted to run
only on such streets as are not already
served by the railway company, and
that during the period covered by the
ordinance. the company be relieved OF
any paving obligation except. of course,
the restoration Of disturbances OF such
paving as Is incident to the repairs
of its tracks
FAvoRs RETENTION
OF SCHOOL TICKETS
III such amendments to tho proposed
ordinance should be made, it is quite
possible that good part of the $150,O0O
gross earnings which the company Is
deprived OF would be regained. and
the city would get its 10 per cent Cor
Sl5.000) per annum, thereby accom-
plishing to a much greater extent the
very object of the proposed measure.
II this arrangement should be effect
ed. l would recommend its acceptance
by the board Of directors OF the com
pany.
II may further add that since tho
company has already recognized tho
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