El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-11-07
FARE INCREASE
DATAFURNISHED
Commerce Chamber Direc-
tors Hear Arguments of
Street Car Company.

/ General manager Alba H. Warren.
OF the electric railway company, ap-
] peared at a meeting Of the directors
/ Of the chamber Of commerce and sub
{ mitted a series Of facts and figures
showing why he thought the street
: car fares should be raised from TO
cents. and a committee Of six, three
from the board Of directors. c y
Bassett, o. ]. Binford and George
Ryan. and three from among the
membership, Maurice Schwartz, H L
Ponsford and B. L. Farrar. was ap-
pointed TO investigate the matter Of
raising fares and report to the next
meeting Of the board. Traffic man
ager Harry $. Potter was also pres
ent and assisted Mr.. Warren in the
exposition OF his brief for their COM
pany.
Says Raise Necessary.
Mr.. warren sttaed that abnormal
conditions made the request to raise
the fare absolutely necessary, II the
street car company would render
reasonable service to the city and
maintain its credit. he said that
more than 500 cities had granted an
increase in fares since the war had
caused the great advance in the cost
Of labor and materials, that the rates
in force in this country run all the
way from 5 TO 10 cents. Mr.. Warren
said that It was desired by his COM
pany to raise the wage scale OF en-
plOyes TO the standard set by the fed
eral board and that the fare increase
from TO cents in FL Paso would
just about provide what would be re-
quired to pay at the rates suggested, !
IL being estimated that the one cent
additional would provide about $780,
600 a year and the increase Of the
wage scale Of employees about the
same amount.
Need Highway Money
The board discussed at length the
Alamagordo-El Paso highway with
TO the $500 that had been 1
pledged here to the highway authori-
ties of New Mexico for this city and .
the fact that the chamber Of com
MERGE. by some means. had been con-
sidered responsible for raising TINS
fund. Secretary a. J. Reeves read a !
sioner James A French. of New Mex
leo, in which he stated that the
amount pledged for this city was bad
" needed and unless soon provided
he would be place in very embar-
assing position and that the road
building operations would necessar-
lily cease. It was decided to send Mr.
French $1,000 now in hand. and TO
assure him that although the cham
Der Of commerce did not consider it
self bound in the premises. that as
soon as the present war relief society
iemends had been satisfied. an earn
est effort would be made TO provide
the remaining amount. In this con-
nection secretary Reeves gave the
meeting a description Of the Juarez
luncheon
DeminE After shops. t.
The fact that Deming is working
TO secure the proposed Southern Pa
cific railway repair shops and round
house was stated by ]. NJ Wyatt. He
said that If that little city were sue
,essful in its ambition il would re-
move about one third OF the railroad
men from FL Paso as well as make
further inroads on the city The
board decided TO Investigate this mat
.er and to take such steps as would
be necessary to hold our own I
Secretary Reeves announced that !
Herman Keith, a peddler. had donated
IS 10 the chamber, for which vote
II thanks was rendered. Il
The board voted TO join the Inter
rational Dry Farming congress !
The following were present; O. C. s
-oles. president. A ". Reeves. sec
etary; ". H Shelton. G. B. Ryan, J.
4. Wyatt, c y. Bassett. ". S Crom- !
lie. O. J. Binford, Maurice Schwartz, I
: W Norton. H. N. Andreas and 7. Z
L Rogers