Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-08-11
ZONE FARE RATE
HERE CONDEMNED
Lieut.. Col. Kutz TestfieS 1t
Would Be Unpopular and
Unsatisfactory.

Columbia or in suburbs Of the Dis
trict Of Columbia for the electric
street railways would be very unpop-
ular, according to evidence now In
the hands Of the Public Utilities Cum
mission
Lieut.. Col Charles W. Kut3. chair
man Of the Public Utilities Commis-
sion, testifying today before the Jed
pointed by President Wilson. said that
inquiries by the commission and 9TH
er official advice led him to believe
that application Of the zone fire sys-
TEN In the District Of Columbia would
be an unpopular and unsatisfactory
solution Of the electric railway prob
lem here.
"I feel sure" Col. Kutz said. ''that
If the question Of a zone fare rate for
the District Of Columbia. was sub
mitted to a referendum it would be
defeated"
Not Competitive In Suburbs.
Col. Kutz reviewed the history Of
efforts, chiefly by the Washington
Railway and Electric Company,
aimed to produce greater operating
income, which, he said. also benefited
the Capital Traction Company. He
said that in the District Of Columbia
there are two allied electric street
railways, both Of them highly COM
petftfve in the settled section OF the
city, but not at all competitive In the
suburbs.
The Capital Traction Company. he
said. has but two lines reaching into
outlying sections Of the city. while
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company has ten. In 1917, he said.
the Public Utilities Commission Of the
District Of Columbia reduced tho
rates for light and power supplied
pany; which company shared its
profits with the Washington Railway
and Electric Company. Decrease In
the, gross income OF the Potomac
Electric Power Company apparently
forced the Washington Railway and
Public Utilities Commission for an
increase in fare rates, which was
by abolition or the six
for-a-quarter tickets and the intro
duction of the straight five-cent fare.
In no case, Col. Kutz said, has the
Capital Traction Company petftioned
the commission for an increase In the
basic fare rate.
Early in 1918" Col. Kutz said. the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company petitioned the Public Utii-
titles Commission for an increase in its
operating income. to be brought about
by the Introduction Of two-eent
transfer. This was granted and has
proved unpopular. Now 1t is under
stood that the relief granted by this
measure has not been great enough.
Information reaching the commission
shows that as the result of the intro
duction Of two-cent transfers the
number of transfer passengers has
been reduced about 70 per cent.
Await Valuation.
I'VE have the surprising anomaly
I'm the District of Columbia" Col.
Ekutz said, that we cannot raise the
rate Of fare on one line without rails
ing it on the other. For example.
persons would much rather pay :
cents and walk three blocks from
their homes to- the street car line
than pay s cents and get aboard their
car at their door When the COM
mission ascertains the proper vah1a-
ton Of the companies, it will estAb-
lish a rate Of fare commensurate with
a. proper return on the valuation of
the property"
Col Kutz introduced a new element
into the question of taxable property
which is receiving consideration before
the federal commission when he sug-
gested municipal ownership Of the road
bed OF street railway companies. These
|roadbeds. he said. should be maintained
and kept up by the municipality and
leased to the companies.
Explanation Of the Cleveland '-serv-
ice-at-cost''. plan Of street railway
operation was made by Secretary Baker
He was the first witness at resumption
Of the hearings after recess of two
weeks.
A dozen or more other witnesses
including one governor, the mayors OF
various large cities and members OF
public service commissions. will tes-
tify during the week.
The Secretary explained that a
transfer charge was made in Cleve-
land In order to defeat the free trans
fer abuse. Transfers were paid for at
the rate Of one cent each on issuance
and the passengers cent was refund
ed upon his presentation of the
transfer for q ride. II this charge had
not been made. the Secretary said. the
transfer abuse would have been wide