New-York tribune., 1918-07-11
B. X. r. IN Demand
For 7-Cent Fares
Serves UIfimatum

Through the publication of the text
of its application to the Public Service
Commission for authority to incresw
fares, the B. r. T. served upon Brook.
lyn yesterday this alternative:
Accept a 7-cent fare, with 2-eent
charge for transfers, or submit to
the old zone system of street car ser.
vice, with multiple fares, under
which Is and 20 cents may be charged
for ride that now costs five.
This demand, which, while couched
IN diplomatic language, amounts prae.
tically to an ultimatum, is limited TO
the period of the war and for at least
a year thereafter, and covers all lines,
surface, subway and elevated, except
those on which the fares are now 10
cents or more. The latter are to re.
main unchanged.
In the meantime, President Shonts.
OF the lnterborough, has resorted to his
familiar car window epigrams to stimu-
late sentiment in fAvor of higher
fares on all lines in Manhattan and
The Bronx. And if the B. r. T wins
the right to charge cents initial fare
and cents for transfers, in lieu of in.
stituting multiple fare system. which
1T asserts it has the right, under its
franchise privileges to do, it is certain
that the lnterborough will be granted
the right to charge z cents also, so
that there will be a uniform traffic
tariff throughout the five boroughs.
Signed by Timothy S. Williams
The application of the B. R. T. and
its subsidiaries TO the Public Service
Commission is signed by Timothy S.
Williams, head of the B. r. T., and by
c. D. Meneely, vice-president of the
New York Consolidated Railways Com
pany.
Colonel Williams sets forth that the
=. X. t. has increased wages five times
IN the last five years, and must increase
them again. With regard to the al
system of service, he adds:
Shall we go back to the zone sys-
TEN, as we are authorized to do by our
franchises, relieving it of such Of its
extreme hardships as might be pos
sible? We prefer not to unless there
is no other way open. We pre-
fer to solicit your approval TO the fol
lowing arrangement, to continue during
the war and thereafter mot less than
one Year, until it is terminated by
your honorable board.
"A unit charge of not exceeding
cents for one continuous ride upon any
line of each petitioner company, EXCEPT
to and from Flushing, North Beach and
Coney Island, where the present fare
will prevail.
Each passenger paying a cash fare
of Z cents to be entitled, for an add
tional cents. to a transfer ticket 70
any intersecting line, such transfer to
be subject to reasonable rules as to
use. No transfers to be required TO be
issued on transfer.
This new rate schedule, Colonel Will
Jams asserss, would be much less than
the amount that could be charged
under franchise provisions, as demon
Strated in the Rochester case, recently
decided by the Court of Appeals.
Meneely Discuss Fares
Mr.. Mcneely, on behalf of the com
pany which operates the munlclpsF
owned subway lines, declares that when
all these lines arc in operation dehc1S
can no longer be charged to the con
struction account, and losses much pe
raised by taxation-a contlngenc!
which would be obviated by the sought
for increase in fares.
"In view of The city's present flnan,,
cial condition." Mr.. Meneely's com .
munication goes on. the question IS
submitted for consideration -wiatheF
temporarily at least it would not os
to the city's interest 10 shift the pui
den from the tax payers to fare pa
ers by increasing the rate OF laie.
An addition Of two cents "
the fare probably would make the rev
cnue sufficient to meet the cltys IN.
terest imm ediately after full operation
begins. A.
1--WE would not urge this Mr..
Meneely adds in conclusion, "excep.
as temporary measury JUSTIFIED ~
Unforeseen delay in comp pletins rap9l;u rap;
transit lines, the effect of war conui'
tions upon net revenue and undesh"
bilty of increasing the burden oil 'SA'
alton at this time"
Mr.. Shonts's car window announce
ments state that higher fare IS e.
/ sential TO increase wages and TO enaDis
| the Interborough company 10 MAKE W
a deficit in its first mortgage pS'
ments. ,n.
In the last twelve months We nav
not only paid no dividends and no -, >"
terest on our second mortgage w. ~.
we fell 100000 short of earning W.
interest on the first mortgage, res~a
one of the announcements IN Inc i''4
increase series.