Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-09-29
CAMDEN CAR-zONE
HEARING IN UPROAR
Crowds Cheer as Witnesses At
tack New Fare Rates Before
Public Commissioners
EVIDENCE IS CONFLICTING

Demand that the zone fare system. ms
operated in New Jersey, be abandoned
was made today before the Public It'll.
ity Commission at a stormy meeting in
City Hail. Camden.
Counsel for Camden and its suburbs
in South Jersey reached by the trolley
lines of the Public Service Corporation
declared the zone system to be n com
plete failure and called for its elimina
tion $50 that normal business may be
resumed.
But a more spirited demand for the
abolition of the zone fares came from
the crowded gallery of Councils cham
Der. where the hearing was held. De-
spite the attempts made by the Srm-
missioners to keep order. cheers. np-
plausP aud comment interrupted the
hearing many times.
Large Crowds Attend
The commissioners opened the hear
ing at II O'Clock. Nearly an hour be
fore that time guards had been
placed on the doors of the room and
no more we're permitted to enter. There
was not an empty seat in the room when
the first witness was called. and many
men We're standing in the gallery
f.. &. &. BleakIry. counsel for Cam
den. the Chamber of Commerce of Cam
den, ClementOn and Laurel Springs. led
the attack on the zone system. After he
declared the system to be n complete
failure Commissioner John W. SIncum.
chairman, asked him what he considered
Il proper fare.
"A straight five cent fare" Mr..
BIeakley answered.
The first disorder occurred at this
point. The spectators first applauded
and then cheered.
Witness after witness called by the
commissioners declared the zone system
to be failure. II was ON trial. the
commissioners pointed ont. to see if
1t would not increase the revenue of
the trolley company aud satisfy the
public.
The trolley company has not gained
ana service has not been given the
public. Mr.. Bleaklpy declared. "rho
cars are running, but the people are
not riding"
1t was shown at the hearing that
residents OF the suburbs of Camden are
using "trip tickets" on the trains rather
than pay the increased trolley fares
The train tickets include the ferry rides.
and the suburban residents were said
to be shopping in Philadelphia as a
result.
Camden Merchants Lose
This has resulted. it was said I'm
merchants in Camden suffering loss
in business of from % to 90 per cent.
y petition from the Camden Chamber of
Commerce pointed out that some mer-
chants would be forced out of business if
existing conditions continued The pc
tition was signed by 80 business men.
Points brought out by the commits
Sioners indicated that they are in favor
Of the zone system. Chairman Slocum
said that under the old seven cent fare
the trolley company was only able to
meet expenses.
During the last year and half"
he said, the wages of employees of
the company have increased So 900, =
600 "
lie added that under the old sys-
TEN employees of the company stole an
average of SSOO. 900 a year in fares.
In answer Mr.. Bleakley stated that
the company is not gaining with the
zone system. He declared that the troll =
leys that now run to Haddontield carry
an average of twenty five passengers.
Before. under the rld fare system. he
said. the average was 100 passengers.
A statement made by Chairman Slo
cum that 81 per cent of the residents
of Camden were paying fares of five
cents or less under t." zone system was
cOntradictrd by Mr.. BleaklRy. The
commissioner said that in North Jersey
cent rate. Mr.. Bleakley smiled. and
again suggested the straight FIVE cent
, fare. The gallery shouted approval
Charles Letzgus, city solicitor OF
! Gloucester. told of the disorders at the
bull pens at the Pmsey 4 Jones
! shipyard, as the terminals are termed.
and of the delay in unloading passen
gers there. He pointed out that the
! shipwOrkers are using the trains and
! iitneys and not the trolley cars.
! William A. Searle. secretary of the
Camden Chamber of Commerce, esti
mated that the trolley fares paid by the
residents of Camden under the new sys
TEN average nine cents.
Orville +. DE Witt, representing Ma
tional Park. told Of the fare increases
the residents there have experienced