Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-07-04

existing prior to the passage of the
enabling act, in 1900, it is maintained
Valuation Cases Resumed.
The utilities commission yesterday
resumed consideration Of the valua-
ton cases of both the Washington
Railway and Electric and Capital
Traction companies Effort will be
made to wind up these cases this
month.
Application for increased fares on
the lines Of the Washington Railway
and Electric Company is to be stub
bornly fought by the Federation of
Citizens Associations. it was stated
today. W. NICK. Clayton, who prob
ably will ask permission of the Pub
lie Utilities Com ission to appear for
the citizens composing the bodies in
Glued in the federation, likely will be
the principal spokesman for residents
of the District.
Says Increase Reduces Travel.
Mr.. Clayton, 1t was learned. plans to
show by quotations from testimony
Of President Ham of the company at
various hearings. that every increase
in fares or revenues granted to the
Company has been followed imme-
diately by marked reduction of pa
tronage of the company's lines.
Quoting from President Hams testi-
mony as reported in the records of
the Public Utilities Commission Mr.
Clayton expects to show that follow
ing the adjustment of six-for-a-quar-
ter tickets and substitution of a
straight fivev-cent fare President
Ham testified that the number of pas
sengers carried was reduced to such
entire increase.
Largely because of this plea of Presi-
dent Ham, Mr.. Clayton expects to show
from the Public Utilities COMMISSIONS
records. the 2-cent transfer system was
ordered In public statements. Mr.. Clay
within few weeks after the Inaugural
ton Of the two-cent transfers. declared
| that the number of pay passengers on
the lines of his company was reduced
! Der of transfers issued suffered a reduc-
] ton of nearly 80 per cent.
Asserts Loss Offsets Gain.
"As is shown in the records Of the
| Public Utilities Commission" Mr.. Clay
! ton said, president Ham testified last
| fall that his company lost money while
operating cars crowded far beyond their
! capacity. Later he testified, as the COM
I missions records show, that reduction
! Of the number of passengers transported
| caused a loss to the company.
! when the rate of fare in the Dis
| trict was increased fve-sixths Of a
| cent President Ham testified before
| the commission that the decrease in
| the number of passengers carried off,
set the increase. A few weeks after
| the two-cent transfers were ordered
President Ham stated to the news
apers that the relief was wholly in
| sufficient, for the reason that the num-
Der of transfers issued had dropped 20
per cent, while the number Of pay
passengers had decreased per cent
| From President Hams testimony.
as it appears in the records of the
Public Utilities Commission and in
statements issued by President Ham
| to the newspapers. it will be seen that
| the company failed to make money
when it's cars were crowded to suffo-
cation. and also failed to make money
when the patronage of its lines fell off.
1T will also be seen that each in
crease in the rate of fare. according
to President Ham. has been followed
by a reduction of patronage sufficient
| to wipe out the increase"