The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1919-07-10
v. RE. TO
Do BETTER #
FARE GOESUP
Company Promises to Improve
Service In Return for Seven
Cent Charge.

Unless the Public Utilities Com
mission gives adequate relief to the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company by an increase In fare ana
permission to continue to charge 8
cents for transfers, the railway COM
pany will discontinue carrying sub
urban lines as q part OF their organ
ization. On the other hand, II the
commission does give relief, the COM
pany will see that service Is greatly
improved on its lines by the purchase
OF new street cars and the ordering
OF necessary repairs on its tracks and
cars.
This Is the statement made yester-
day in the petition Of the railway
company fled with the Public IT'LL
tiles Commission.
II these lines are cast adrift, il will
cause great Inconvenience to the
public and may mean that no sub
urban lines will be operated
To Set Date for Hearings.
With sthe petition Of the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company,
asking q straight 7-eent fare and the
continuance Of the privilege Of charg-
ing 2 cents for transfers. in their
hands, the Public Utilities Commission
Is expected to set a date for public
hearings within the next few days
In the meantime, IL - understood.
the Federation OF Citizens Assoeia-
tions Is to prepare q brief. This argu-
ment, which probably will be present.
ed at the hearing by William Mex.
Clayton, will be in objection to a 3
cent transfer.
The petition OF the company was
presented at the Office OF the Com
mission late yesterday afternoon. For
each subsidiary division Of the rail-
way organIzatioR q separate petition
was filed The three subsidiaries are
Georgetown and Tenleyton, City and
Suburban and the Washington Inter
urban.
In the. petitions better service Il
promised as indicated by this I.ara-
graph:
WOald Re-estabhsh Credit.
'If adequate relief were granted,
the eompany's credit would be re-
established. and il could then pur-
chase additional cars and provide ad-
ditional facilities which will certain
ly be needed at an early date"
The separate petitions state that
in the case OF the Georgetown and
Tenleytown division OF the company,
there was deficit, for five months
ending last May 81, OF S27, 612.7O. In
other words the division by this
amount failed to meet operating ex-
penses.
The City and Suburban line showed
q deficit OF $5l ,923-39 for the same
period. The Washington Intsrurban
showed q deficit OF ST,636.7O.
The company states that the 2-cent
transfers, granted sometime ago,
were not sufficient to them to make
operating expenses. It was pointed
out that the revenue derived from
the transfer money fell $196,279 short
OF what was estimated by the Public
Utilities Commission
It is also asked in the petition for
permission to discontinue through
cars on the three subsidiary divisions.
Persons living on these lines then
would be forced to pay for a 2-cent
transfer, thus making the fare down
town or return 8 cents.
Here's An illustration.
This is a good illustration Of the
inherent fare. A person living in
wishes to journey down
town. He boards a car on Wisconsin
avenue. and when the car reaches
Georgetown. it makes its return trip.
The passenger then. in order to con-
tinue his journey downtown, is
forced to pay 2 cents on the Wiscon-
sin avenue car for a transfer.
This part OF the petitions will
probably meet with numerous pro-
tests from suburban citizens.
1t IS threatened in the petitions by
The company to cast adrift suburban
ines in the event the commission does
hot OFFER 1t adequate relief. This
means the suburban lines win have
70 shift for themselves.
Only one remedy 70 the situation
10 that a Scent fare would be ade-
Iuate was pointed out by the COM
ways operating in the District were
permitted to charge an initial cash
are of S cents and the electric power
'ates as permitted by Congress were
'estored. the company would be bene-
tied to such an extent as to enable
[ to continue to carry the burden i'm
posed by the subsidiary lines.
Disputes Valuation.
In the petitions, it is stated, the
Public Utilities Commission was in
error when it placed tho tentative
,aluation OF the company 1T $15.OCo,-
100. The company states several rea-
ions. one being that the valuation ex-
.ludes the Washington Interurban
the company's property in
Maryland. With the per cent al
owed, the company should receive .
'eturn of $9OO,OOO as allowed by this
'aluation. The company states il is
lot receiving this return.
-, .,.,,,A - =, -. $1,000