Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial. (Wilmington, Del.) 1878-1928, 1918-06-04
SEVEN-CENT FARE
Continued from page |

Commissioner Garretson told the ofhc-
ials of the Traction Company to plan for
taking ~ much car traffic as possible
| from Market street and said he and his
colleagues would confer with the Street
! and Sewer Department concerning the
use of other streets for such traffic. With
! fewer cars on Market street more trips
could be made, and the income per car
would be increased
Mr. Manson said the cars make too
many stops. He thought seven or eight
! stops between the Hotel du Pont and
the ends of the trolley lines would be
sufficient and stated reduction of stops
! would increase speed and income
Commissioner Garretson thought the
installation of fare boxes would prevent
fare lodging
Mr.. HeindIe said fare boxes would
cost Sll0 each and the car platforms
are too crampcd for such boxes.
MIR. Wilson announced the discontin-
uance of fare boxes in Philadelphia and
other cities He said the loss from the
non-collection of fares would be neg
ligiblc
MIR Heindlc said the Traction Com
pany does not haul much freight or ex-
press matter. II cannot compete with
the Wilson Line in freight and express
hauling between Wilmington and Phlla
dclphia \ freight car weighing - or 20
tons comes to Wilmington fro IN kennett
Square under an agreement with the
defunct Peoples Line, but il is not profit
able. because IT tears up tracks and
yields little income
Mr. Manson stated there ~ great de-
mand for the handling OF freight by
electric lines and asked what the Traction
Company would do in that respect.
MIR Wilson said he c luld not get men
for freight service He wanted to I'M
prove passenger service.
MIR Manson estimated the cost of a
new rotary at $4,000.
MIR Wilson said the elimination Of
boosters is contemplated.
Mr. Manson thought the revenue
from the outside lines IL but one-half of
what It should be
Mr.. Heindlc said the Edge Moor,
the Front street, the Harrison street and
the Rrandywinc Springs Lines pay the
least of the town lines and the lower end
Of the Delaware City Line IS the most
Improbable of the outside lines The
first fare zone extends 10 Bellcfonte,
Rising Sun. Elsmerc, Richardson Park
and Rose Hill, which have become almost
parts Of Wilmington, and extension OF
the zone to Oak Grove is probable Think
Ing one fare would continue, home build
crs had selected those suburbs, and IT
would be wrong 10 double their fare.
They come to Wilmington to shop, and
il would not be right 20 penalize them
because they live outside the city limits
Mr.. Wilson announced that the new
turbine AT the Brandywine plant will
cost $500 ep0 and because il will benefit
war industries will be paid for by the
Penn Seaboard Steel Corporation and
the War Finance Board the former
taking S3oO,oo0 worth of the Traction
Company = stock and the latter appro
priating 100000
Commissioner Garretson criticised the
Traction Company for increasing the
bonded Indebtedness and not attempting
10 reduce IL
Mr. Wilson said the American Rail
way Co owns the Wilmington & Phila-
delphia Traction Cos common stock.
The net earnings of the Traction Company
must be S15O,OO0 per annum before it
is on stable footing, and seven-cent
fare would put it on a sound basis. II
the commission wanted strip tickets he
would suggest - tickets for 81. but he
preferred fNP tickets fOf - Genus. WHICH
are popular elsewhere.
Commissioner GarretsOn suggested four
tickets for % cents. but Mr. Wilson
thought they would tempt conductors to
knock down" fares
Commissioner McMullen wanted a
guarantee that the Traction Company
would not sell or transfer the trolley lines
during the continuance of the seven-cent
fare without the commission consent.
Mr. Wilson did not think a sale or
transfer possible and said purchasing
trolley lines now would be foolish.
Commissioner McMullen suggested
that Commissioners Garretson and Isaac
obtain from the Traction Com pany
assurance that the wages OF the car men
would be further increased two cents