Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-05-27
M|D-C|TY CITIZENS
GET v. R. E..P[EA
President Ham Asserts City
Must Pay More to Have
Adequate System.

Washington will never have an ade-
quate street railway system until
such financial relief is granted the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company as will permit it to sell its
transportation at little more than
cost, William F. Ham, president of
the company, told members of the
Mid-City Citizens Association at a
meeting at 1909 7th street last night.
Mr.. Ham. invited to speak before the
representative downtown organiza-
ton, gave substantially the same talk
as that he gave before the Pubic
Utilities Commission in April. when
the corporation petitioned for an in
crease in fare to cents.
| Before the war about 35 cents out
of every dollar taken in by the COM
pany was profit" said Mr.. Ham. Now
only about Z cents out of every dol
lar taken in on the city lines goes to
| of the road. Our suburban lines, since
| the consolidation of number of lines
| under the Washington Railway and
Electric Company in 1899, have not
paid more than l per cent per annum
on the investment.
Increases in Items of Cost.
Explaining the reason why. not
! wlthstanding the enormous increase
| in passenger traffic, the company
must have an increase in fare, Mr..
Ham said that the ruling Of the
| National War Labor Board about
year ago increasing wages of en-
ployes almost 100 per cent; increases
in the price of accessories and rolling
stock and other augmented running
expenses had made it. impossible for
! the road to be run on a satisfactory
basis without further financial relief.
"In our petition to the Public Utili-
ties Commission in April" Mr.. Ham
said. I'VE pointed out that. as most
\ of our city lines are competitors of
the Capital Traction Company. if we
increased our fare to cents a good
| deal OF our traffic would go to the
competing line. This would burden
ready heavily burdened lines. but
would result in increased revenue to
them. In order to offset the decrease
in the revenue of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company, ex-
pected then through the fact that
people will ride on the opposing
line. we must have a seven-cent fare
This. we believe, will afford US such
additional relief as will enable the
road to be run on a mutually salts
factory basis.'
Mr.. Ham put the question to the
members of the Association as to
why it appeared that the public is
willing that any business firm
should make money. but is unwilling
to afford the roads such financial re-
lief as will enable them to live.
rs the item of car fare such a
burden on the household budget that
an increase of cents per ride justi-~
fies the opposition that has developed
to the petition Of the Washington
Railway and Electric Company" he
asked.
Cites Other Expenses.
These same persons will go out
| and spend rs or so cents for ice
cream or candy, and think nothing
OF 1t; but many are steadily oppos-
ing such relief in raising street car
fares as will enable the roads to be
| run with credit to Washington"
Mr.. Ham explained that criticism
often centered on the Washington
Railway and Electric Company be-
| cause it claims it cannot get along
on a five-cent fare. while the Capital
Traction Company makes no petit
| ton for rate increase.
There can be no comparison be-
tween the two railroads" he said
TN the first place. we operate IT'S
! miles Of city and suburban road as
by the Capital Traction Company
and yet last year. with a trackage
almost three times as long, we took
in about the same amount of money
| as the Capital Traction Company"
1.-THE situation is easily explained
by the fact that the Capital Traction
Company lines run through heavi-
| 1y populated part Of the city. Ours
do also. but on the other hand our
expenses are very much heavier than
theirs. Our suburban lines have never
paid more than 1 per cent per annum
| on the money invested. On the other
hand assessed valuation of real estate
on the suburban lines of the WASH
ington Railway and Electric Com
pany has increased many times, in
cent"
Appeals to Civic Pride.
| an appeal TO the members to support
the petition of the company by ap-
pealing to their civic pride. "The
best investment the residents of
| Washington can make" he said, els
| to support a good street railway.
! During the twenty years the COM
pany has been operating it has been
one of the largest single factors in
as much money into Washington as
any single industry
! A debate on the proposed zone sys-
| tenn followed Mr.. Hams talk, but
was suspended on account of the late
hour. 1t will be taken up at the next
meeting. The association indorsed a
bill introduced in the House by Rep
resentative Tinkham for the estab-
lishment of a home for the feeble
minded in the District. President A.
| loan committee, announced that $11S.-
900 was raised through the assocja.