The Washington times., 1919-09-25
Bv BILL PRICE.

Over 80 per cent Of the population
hf the District OF Columbia Is TO be
compelled 90 furnish the more than
sl.o0O, 600 additional yearly revenues
Necessary to keep the Washington
RailWay and Eletric Company out OF
oankruptsy and enable 4 to function
Cor the public.
A small portion OF that same per-
bentaEe of District residents viii also
contribute something like 100000 to
the Capital Traction Company. The
total 20 be paid by these residents
TilI amount 20 az least 81 200. 00O
This Is because the Public Utilities
Commission seems TO have virtually
reached the stage where IL IS TO in
augurate a tWo-zone system OF car
inres as about the only eXpedient
ieft 10 care FOR the street railway
tanEle Of this town.
As the commission seems to view
q, or at least two OF the three mem
ners Of that body, it is either q ques-
lfoa Of increasing the straight car
rare Ia Warrington from 5 cents to
q or Z cents on both lines, thereby
giving the W. r. and =. what IL ap-
parentiy needs and must have to OBJ
tain q 8 per cent rEturn on It's &l6,-
O0o. 900 valuation. but handing over
20 the Capital Traction a. the same
time q free gift Of more than f1'O00,-
900 which it does not ask for; or q
rWo-Eone system, most OF the money
from which win 50 TO the W r. and
=, because u owns OF operates
majority ef the outlying street car
lines OF the District
E6he Idea LiaEeru.
Despite the Widespread hostility to
a gone system as threeter,lng TO halt
the growth OF washington beyond the
center Of the city and as an injustice
20 8 large part Of the Districts pOpu-
lation, the idea has been lingering
with Public Utility officials since Il
became evident that the 2-ceut trans
fer charge would not furnish the rev
enues to the two railway companies
hat had been expected. The scheme
WAS first brought forward by expert
Witnesses Of the W. r. and =. at the
April hearings. from which resulted
Tie transfer charge. Il was advocat-
I'd then and found strong support
fuom outside gentlemen paid TO exc
press their views on its alleged per-
sectlons
Before yosterday's hearings on the
neUs appllcatiQl Of the W II and y
for relief had closed, President Ham
vas Instructed by the Commission 20 (
submit q zone plan which may fur
nish the requuired revenues. The ,
Commission had officially indicated to I
he Capital Traction that II would
seriously consider this plan IL addi-
Iional, revenues are TO be granted.
So, while Congress stands still and
ails TO pass q mandatory act COM
pellinE a merger Of the two railWay
companies by which a straight fare
nay be charged everywhere, and by
which, If necessary, the public may
have some voice in the operations. the
Utilities Commission is practically :
rorced into a position Of doing some
thing that will satisfy nobody and
s'reate a most hostile sediment
The development Of the zone system
idea viii 80 forward again next Tues
day morning, when the hearings are
resumed.
The Riehey Plan.
Prof Albert S. Richey, professor of
electric engineering in a polytechnic
Institute at Worcester, Mass, was no
doubt well paid 70 come here last
April and advance the zone idea in
testimony he gave at that time. He
put froWard what he called q simple
system OF two zones for the wash
ington riding public. Taking the
". r. and =. system he fixed upon
Eleventh and = streets as the center