Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-10-07
CONSIDERS HIGHER
STREET CAR FARE
Utilities Board Hears Trac-
ton Companies and Suggests
Need of Better Facilities.

| Consideration of Washington's street
car problem was approached through
! two avenues by the Public Utilities
Commission today, when it convened a
public hearing on the application of
the traction companies to charge a
! straight five-cent fare, and put up to
Otto Eidiitz. head of the United States
Housing Corporation, the question Of
financing the proposed Beeler belt
| line. designed to relieve congestion
in the downtown section.
The belt-line proposition will be car
ried out if ways and means can be de-
vised for financing and building it. 1t
has been approved by the War and
Navy departments and the utilities
commission. 1t is up to the govern
iment, apparently. to furnish the money
for its construction.
| The plan involves laying new tracks
on Florida avenue from 18th street to
Connecticut avenue, on 18th street
from Fl street to Pennsylvania ave
nue. and on e street from 18th street
! to 9th street to connect with existing
, tracks.
Citizens Attend Hearing.
Representatives of a large number
of citizens associations attended the
hearing on the increased fare app1i-
! cation, which began in the boardroom
| of the District building at 10 o'clock.
Commissioner Brownlow, chairman Of
the commission, formally convened the
| board, but announced that he would
| not be able to remain through the
proceedings on account of being re-
quired to give his entire time to the
! influenza situation.
Collateral questions involving the
granting OF universal transfers and
giving improved service did not figure
! in the morning session. Commissioner
Gardiner, who presided, announced
that the procedure would be to get in
the case of the companies, after which
the commission would cross-examina
citizens representatives an oppor-
tunity to express their views.
President William +. Ham of the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company was the first to testify. He
was followed by Vice President John
Company. Their statements were
: taken up largely with an explanation
of the figures contained in the appli-
cations filed by the companies.
These show the excessive increases
J in cost of operation produced by war
conditions Anticipated returns from
the increased fare sought already
i, have been more than absorbed by in
creased operating expenses and imme-
diate relief is declared to be neces-
sary. Statistics were pyesented show
ing that six, seven and eight cent
fares have been granted in a large
| number Of cities to enable the street
| car companies to meet the conditions
similar to those faced by the local
companies.
1t apparently will not be the dispo-
sition of the citizens representatives
, to question the reasonal eness of the
! increased fare sought, judging from
! the written statements they have filed
! with the commission. But that thew
| viii insist that universal transfers be
| coupled with any increase allowed ap-
! pears certain.
|. &. Among the association representa-
f, tives at the hearings were William
| Nick Clayton of the Federation of
| Citizens Associations, William G..
Henderson, Edward Foulke and c. A.
Bowman OF North Capitol and Ecking-
ton, Walterr I. Swanton of Columbia
Heights, K. P. Armstrong of Rhode
island Avenue Suburban and W. o.
Nctzcl Of Bradbur. ueiGkts.