Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-31

600.
The new rate" said President
Musser," will in no way give the
company more profit but instead 1t
will only tend to help carry the enor-
nous advance in operating expenses.
We have been paying no dividends
on either common or preferred stock
and from figures already compiled
six-cent fare will not permit di-
vidend from present indications"
Washington officials pointed out
a few days ago." continued Mr..
Musser, that the purchasing power
of dollar in the past two years has
decreased from approximately fifty
to seventy-five per cent. That ap-
plies to the street car business as
we'll as any other industry. Prac-
tically everything in use to-day has
been increased in price, doubled and
sometimes tripled and it naturally
follows that our increased expenses
must be met in some manner. Our
figures show for the past several
months that barely enough fares.
have been taken in on some lines to
pay the wages of the men employed
on those lines and the power con-
sumed. One line in particular
shows that the expenditures are
above the receipts. With such con-
ditions dividends and interests on
bonds do not enter into the increase.
There is a loss before the stock
shares and bonds are reckoned with.
There was but one of two things
| left for the directors of the company
to do unless we agreed to allow the
company to go to ruin. One was to
| increase the revenue by raising the
fares to cut down on the service.
Eliminating cars would result in in
adequate service, crowded conditions
and general dissatisfaction. The
slight increase in fares will permit
us, we hope, to continue our service
as at present and give us facilities
for improving it.
| Increases in fares rather than
elimination of service are recon-
mended by the War Labor Board of
which former President William
| Howard Taft and Frank p. Walsh
are joint chairmen. In recent re-
port of the board it is stated that in
| justice the public should pay an
adequate war compensation for a
service which cannot be rendered eX-
I cept for war prices. In the face OF
added expenses, the report continues,
bankruptcy, receiverships and de-
moralization with failure of service
will result until there is adequate
compensation"
President C. H. Bishop after max
ing the announcement that the Val
ley Railways Company had filed no.
tice with the Public Service Com
mission relative to the new tariff, re-
fused to discuss the company's move
| Notices of tho increase were posted
in all the company's cars last even
ing.
Since the company has gone be-
fore the Public Service Commission
it is likely formal complaints will be
filed by borough councils of West
Shore towns, and the West Shore
Firemen's Union if these bodies fol-
low out their intentions expressed
some time ago.
1 The Camp Hill council has au-
thorized it's solicitors to look up ole
| ordinances which include several
agreements between the borough and
the railways company. Councilmer
are of the opinion that an ordinance
granting the company right of way
through the borough providing the
company give a five-cent fare, will
have some bearing on the question.
The West Fairview council has also
decided to work against an increase
in rates. At a recent meeting oi
| Illlo COuttCtt u was Stp-
pointed to appear before the Public
Service Commission to protest
against any rate advance.
Working for the benefit of the ell
tire West Shore, the West Shore Fire
mems Union has taken up the work
and will make arrangements at its
next meeting to appear before the
| commission to protest against the in
crease.
At a recent conference between a
committee of the West Shore Union
and officials of the Valley Railways
Company 1t was pointed out that the
increase is absolutely necessary. Un-
ion officers claim that it may be nee
essary to increase the rates to six
| cents, but they did not see why il
was necessary for any additional in
| crease.
If the increase is made, it is un-
| derstood, the union will make ef-
forts to retain the firve-cent fare for
Lemoyne and Wormleysburg and de-
| mand the extension of the transfer
zone to Enola. Giving as their rea-
sons for opposing seven-cent Fare
for Wormleysburg and Lemoyne
union officers claim these towns have
the poorest service of any on the en-
tire system. Officers claim trat dur
ing busy hours in the morning and
evenings and on Saturdays Lemoyne
and Wormleysburg residents are the
straphangers on the cars. Officers
claim that Lemoyne residents getting
on the cars after they are filed by
New Cum berland residents are com
PEELED to stand and similar conditions
exist when Wormleysburg residents
use Enola and Marysville cars.
That the fares would likely be in
creased late this year became known
last month when President BishoI
said it was absolutely necessary II
adjust the fare schedule. Director.
of the company met last month anc
decided to appoint q committee t.
investigate the proposed rate increase
and report at the next meeting o.
the directors. This committees re-
port advised that the increase b,
made and yesterdays action of tn,
company officials was the result o
the company's plans for the last 81!
months. 1t is understood.
| The changes made by the new
Valley Railways tariff include the
following: Increases: Rate of fare
increased from five cents to seven
cents per zone.
Rate for school tickets in books
of fifty is increased from $1.25 to
SITS, but the age limit of IS years
is abolished.
For transporting packages the
rates per zone are increased from
five cents to seven cents
= Omissions: Sale of books of TWEEN.
ty-five tickets for $1.00 good on al
Hines west of Mechanicsburg is dis.
continued.
Picnic rates" to Boiling Springs