The Washington times., 1919-10-03

TOG0NDEMN
ZONE SYSTEM
Witnesses at Hearing Say Plan
Would Work Untold Hard
! ships On Suburban DWellers.
~ BILL PRICE

BY BILL PRICE.
The public Of washington today
put up strong and convincing tight
against a zone-fare system on street
railways - method OF increasing
revenues to the washington Railway
and Electric Company.
The overwhelming testimony and
sentiment was that a zone-fare would
be grossly unfair to those people who
have gone into the suburbs and built
homes; would depreciate property
values, lose business 10 the merchants
Of Washington, and, strongest OF all,
halt the Developments Of the District
along those lines which mean most
Tor the upbuilding Of q beautiful
healthy and moral washington.
". Mex. Clayton for the Fedora
tlon Of Citizens Associations. placed
many witnesses on the stand He
stated that these Witnesses are local
people. but that the Federation is
contemplating sending for experts
from other cities. TO DO this VIII in
VolFe costs Of several thousand dol
lar1 which It may be difficult to pay.
Ihe association viii meet tomorrow
night 70 consider plans OF raising
money % bring these experts here.
Ile developments today may make
p unnecessary, although the members
oL the commission Dresent-1feggrB. I
5roenioW ana Gardiner-Eave no in
dication that consideration Of the
zone plan had been releEated 10 the l
pacEsfound. The sentiment exhibited
vas 60 strongly opposed to ID. though.
tnat it Is difdcalt 20 see how a can
receive any official favor.
the witnesses all testified that Il
lnereased revenues are necessary the /
g. A
- e way Of straight fares without 4
aqaitional zone charges.
siroaslg Favor syne Plaa.
spokesmen Of organizations rep
reaenting 1900 washington workers i
not oniE OPPOSED zone fares but 4
boldly went on record as favorinr the I
Syme plan Of consolidating the two
eompanieE into one, with the public 4
repFeEantcd cu the beard OF directors
q l- ue Company; baging fair re- I
turns 70 the one company upon val
ueuona, and meeting deficits that
might arise from g scent fare out
81 the revenues 'of the District OF
Paul F. Mysrs, chief clerk Of the
Treasury Department, was the hrst 4
witness There are $4,000 employees
OF that department. IN washington. /
4lr. Myers unheEitatinEly stated that
they were opposed to tvvo-zone 1
plan Salaries are very low. in the
Government service, he stated, and he
knew from intimate contact with the 4
majority Of the employees that they
were "on the ragged edge" In living 4
conditions
The cost Of living to those who re-
sided IN the proposed second zone 4
W0uld be immensely increased. ana
the hardships would be severe. He
thought that a second zone fare would 4
be 3 breach OF moral contract with 4
these people who had moved into sub 4
urban communities on the understand 4
ing that the rate OF carfare would /
be uniform ana that they would not /
be burdened any more than those Iiv-
ing in the city.
p me poorest 5aid OF Government
employees, as rIle, went 70 the sub
urba in the hope Of keeping expenses 4
down and of raising their families /
away from congestion. The conEes-
ton On washington proper is almost /
intolerable at present, and nothing .
should be done that would tend 70 in
crease this congestion.
Favor FaIr DigtFIbutfon.
1Ir. Myers regarded the syme plan
as at least q beginning Of q solution
OF this problem, even if some portion
Of the street railway expenses should
be borne from taxes This would at
least distribute the burdens Of these
daya The spirit OF the times every
where favored a fair distribution and
not the imposition Of heavier burdens
upon those least able 20 bear them.
Commissioners BroWnIoW inquired
about staggered hours" as g means
of bettering street car service; keep
,ng down, the expenses Of the roads
and bringing about co-operatfon on
me part Of the public with the roads
snd with the Utilities Commission.
Ne strongly believed that staggered
hours for opening OF Government bu-
7eaus and departments would greatly
relieve the street car tension here.
Ar. Myers was not disposed TO agree
20 the fullest extent on this matter.
James + Wilmeth, director OF the
Bureau OF Engraving and Printing
speaking fOF the 1000 employees OF
that eEtahliEhments went on record
strongly against q zone system,
characterizing it az unfair and as
threatening development OF Washing
IOu along proper lines. He favored a
merger OF the lines, and told the com
mission while il did not have power
% force such q merger, "a did have
power 20 make recommendation TO
Congress which might bring about
& merger.
Prefer Straight Increase.
Although not agreeing with the
Syme plan In every feature, he did
agree that IL might produce such a
merger and hold car fares down 20
d minimum The employees OF his Of
dce would prefer an increase in /
straight fares rather than q zone
fContInued On PAGE 90 Column II