Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-09-15
SOON TO PASS ON
NICKEL CARFARE
Utilities Commission to Give
W. r.. E. Request Prompt
Consideration. K

Immediate consideration will be given
by the public utilities commission to the
application OF the Washington Railway
and Electric Company for permission TO
charge a straight scent fare on all Its
lines. 1t is probable the request will be
considered at a meeting OF the COM
mission Wednesday.
Members of the utilities board would
make no comment last night as to their
probable action. They indicated, how
ever, q purpose to dispose of the a2p1i-
cation with the least delay possible.
company expressed the hope that the
would inform itself Of the exact condi
ton Of the company IN order snat na
ing Of the necessity of increasing Its
revenues to meet Increased costs OF
operation imposed by war conditions.
Mr.. Ham Tells Plans.
Mr.. Ham. who was elected to the
presidency OF the company by the
board Of directors last week, talked
over with Commissioner Brownlow
yesterday some Of the policies OF his
administration. To newspapermen
later he made this statement:
The policy of the company will be
to cooperate fully and frankly with
the public utilities commission in con-
sidering the. many serious problems
which necessarily will have to be met
from time to time. We realize the
difficulties that are attendant upon
operation of public utilities under
present war conditions and the need
for special effort to overcome these
difficulties so far as possible in order
not to cause the public unnecessary
annoyance and Inconvenience through
Interruptions of service. The COM
pany is sparing and will continue to
spare neither expense nor effort to
render as good service as Is possible
under existing conditions. The main
difficulty up to the present time has
been q shortage of trainmen. We
hope this will be overcome by the
greatly increased wage scale the COM
pany has recently put into effect.
Further improvement In service will
soon be shown If there Is no further
delay in the delivery of fifty new cars
ordered last spring"
With Company Since 1890.
President Ham has been with the
washington Railway and Electric
Company since 1893. He has filled the
positions Of controller. treasurer and
vice president, and for the past six
months has been acting. president of
the company. no uAS WASSAeV lSS uc.
veionment from q concern having
gross earnings Of q little more than
eearninEs Of $500, 900 . year. This has
been brought about largely through
extension of the company's lines
through the suburbs and outlying Sec
tions Of the District In no small way
the company has t contributed s to the
sons Of limited means to acquire
homes in the suburban sections.
Born and reared in Maine. Mr..
Ham has had more than twenty-five
years Of railroad experience and for
merly was associated with the man
agement Of the Cleevland street rail-
Wavs under the regime Of the late
Tom johnson. He is q director OF
the Federal National Bank. member
of the University, Commercial and
chevy Chase clubs and is we'll known
throughout the street railway indus
try Of the country. having taken
prominent part in the activities OF
the American Electric Railway Asso-
citation.