The Washington herald., 1918-09-16


of the opportunities afforded unscupuous by the
forced sale of tickets avoid the payment of the legal with
benefit the public The dsconnuance of the sale of tickets
will prevent this of loss addition saving the companies the
cost of printing and handling tickets.
Prior the year 1900 Washinstons requirements
by large number of separate and independent lines Three
of these prosperous The largest Of hem the Capital Traction
Company and lines embraced the present lines Of pe
TONER to~-Ihe Columbia Railway Company and the Metropolitan
Railroad Companywee we'll developed and well operated
and each had tracks principal horoushae of the city
Then. each of these lines had but little ackase extending
the parse settled sections of the District The density of the traffic
of the territory aversed made each and profitable
In addition there lines which did extend the sparse
settled sections which, though performing essential public service
the continued growth and prosperity of the District
generally unable at uniform with the other and
companies to operating to
nothing of fair the They unable under
the conditions then with the other
induce development along their es finance necessary
tements and improvements. and condition of
bankruptcy all aush with great the future
of the District of Columbia With remedng this condition.
the stock control of all of these lines except the Capital Traction
had been secured by of persons willing undertake
finance all the companies demonstrated however, that
they could proceed without Congressional sanction and authority
and the abandonment of the entire project
Congress- effort to avoid such result passed legislation
1900 intended authorize and induce the permanent consolidation
instances through stock ownership and in others through
OF all the street above referred the
Capital Traction Company including power companies essen
a to the successful operation of the railways. under
The knowledge the of Congress of the conditions
the expressed from the report
the Senate Committee recommending the legislation follows:
As is wf known all the corporations operating street rail-
who have
ACQUIRED large majority Of the stock in each Of the corpora
and have connected their various lines within the
better the service greatly and reduce the
further the service. by the Of thee subj
urban roads to the heart Of the city thus avoiding
o
Perhaps other thing that
] @ % Guoa f n @ whh recent @ wears promises so much con-
unieation Of street railroad control Certainly solves
been called deal with questions of charters
shall away
@ two knoH m m Mronsn Of and Ts wessy
dividends but the suburban lines
OF he suburban service
While hill the contemplated consolidation will reduce the
changes will Tssul. in increased the
PAYING POINT is ONE TO- ACCOMPLISH
c Bs . or THE m MOST
m while retaining all the restrictions burdens
Thus the new company is left work out the problem, that
adjustments
The purpo Of the bill is to permit the street railroads
the purehas. the several n.. the
nsGn ] GrSa. FAILS S Co. m GnSw the Washington Railway and
tons OF these
relieved
they privileges is made
this bill
OF consolidation
and today there o !
On the contrary the favored
The House committee in its report recommended the legislation
in substantially the same terms
This legislation resulted in the organization of what is now
known the Washington Railway and Electric System including
the street companies mentioned in said
toner proceeded ehbae the lines thus taken under
ownership and CONTROL made many and costly Improvements
the overhead and spent large modern
equipment The suburban lines brought the heart of the
city, liberal transfers voluntarily inauguaed and other un-
remuneav into other pare settled have since
been made under governmental all because public
convenience and necessity and the development of the District
The operation Of all must be continued notwithstanding the fact that
these suburban lines have been and remain unproitable
For number of following said legislation dividends were
paid insufficient earnings and the of improve
ment and essential make the consolidated service
proach the standard required for the Capital of the Nation the gains
the originally lines being entirely applied the ex-
OF the and large Indebtedness being
ated addition make their and operation possible