The Washington times., 1919-02-19
CARCOMPANY
MAY RENEW
PLEA FOR SIX
CENT FARE
By BILL PRICE.


The return to Washington OF Will
lam L. Ham. president of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Com
pany, who was compelled to take a
short rest. is the forerunner Of an
early petition to the Utilities Com
mission for increased revenues for
that company. Just what form the
petition will take is problematicaL
Among officials Of the Utilities
Commission there are rumors that the
company will ask for a straight six
cent fare. At any rate it will I'M
questionably ask for relief I'm some
form, thereby putting up to the Com
mission the most intricate street rail-
way problem it has ever had to face
in Washington.
The situation is complicated by the
fact that the CspitaI Traction Com
pany may not join in the request for
increased fares at this time. Officials
Of that company told the Commits
sion, in the free transfer hearings,
that it would not ask for additional
revenues until compelled to do so. Its
revenues at this time do not indicate
that it will be compelled to do so
now, although it is admitted that the
company would feel more comfort
Here's the Problem.
How will it be possible to increase
the revenues of one company, which
will claim that it must have more
money or be placed in a dangerously
bad financial condition, without in
creasing that of the other? How
could there be Scent fares on the
lines of one company and scent
fares on the lines of the other? And
il this is not workable, what will the
commission do'to meet what will be
represented as a real emergency in
the affairs of one company?
Extraordinarily large expenditures
confront both street car companies
this year il the properties are to be
brought up to good physical condi-
ton. Track and street repairs are
far behind. The Capital Traction
Company has already mapped out a
program for the expenditure of at
least 100000 on roadbed repairs and
will begin work so soon as weather
and labor conditions will justify.
This program includes practically
the rebuilding Of two miles Of track
on Fourteenth street and on u street.
On Pennsylvania avenue, between
Seventh and Ninth streets, where the
tracks are considerably below the
street level at many points, extensive
repair work will be necessary. The
same is true Of other portions Of the
city.
This work is expensive. Under Dis
trict laws the railways are required 70
keep streets in repair between tracks
and for two feet on the outside OF
outer rails. This means heavy ex-
penditures with prices as they are.
The main trouble with sunken tracks
is that the Jokes holding them have
given way. New ones must be put in
and fixed in solid foundation.
Miles of This on w. r. and Z.
There are many miles Of repair and
street work necessary on the lines OF
the w. r. and f. It's track mileage,
because of its long suburban lines, is
double that of the Capital Traction.
The suburban lines are in better fix
than the city lines. The W. r. and L.
has not, so far as known, made up a
program of what it may do this year
in repairs. The physical conditions
OF both track and rolling stock is not
up to that OF the Capital Traction. It
will take years and several million
dollars to put the lines Of this COM
pany on the basis that they should be.
The company will have fifty new