Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-10-01

continued from PaEe One
out glaringly from the front of each
car as follows:
''Will you pay five cents for each
ride now?'
Passengers Thanked
Assuming that all riders had read
the sign on the car, conductors did not
give a transfer unless il was requested
On many of the branch or feeder lines
1t was noticed that the conductors did
not indulge in any persuasion. On the
Sixtieth street line some conductors
thanked passengers who passed on in
the car without asking transfers.
During the morning rush hours more
than three -fourths Of west bound pas
sengers on the Market street l. asked
for transfers north or south on Fifty
second street and Sixtieth street.
In Germantown few persons com
piled with the =. X. T.'s request, while
others purchased exchange tickets or
asked the conductors for transfers.
In Manayunk the riders seemed to be
strong for a continuance: the present
arrangement.
Previous to the transportation com
mittee hearings Councilman Walter
talked informally with fellow council
men on the p. II. T. suggestion that
riders forgo the acceptance of trans
fers.
Il came down in a street car this
morning and asked conductor If many
passengers were taking transfers." said
Mr.. Walter. "He said the number was
not as large as before. / noticed, how
ever, that riders boarding the car pre-
scented exchanges, especially at inter
sections
The latest move Of the company to
get more funds was made known by Mr..
Mitten al meeting yesterday of the Co
operative Welfare Association delegates.
The meeting was called hurriedly to end
talk Of strike against the public that
had been urged by firebrands in the
ranks Of the men. Carmen. impatient at
the delay in getting the higher fare that
would enable the company to pay them
the back wages to which they are ent-
tied. thought to bring the fare question
to Showdown" by taking 'vaca-
ton" as protest against continued
delay in the consideration of the higher
fare proposal now before Council.
Mr.. .Nlitten urged the men not to strike
or do anything to Inconvenience the
riding public. He told them of his plans
for the appeal to the public, and put his
proposal up to them for approval.
The men who unanimously approved
the plan were instructed to inform
their associates of the manner in which
the appeal to the public would be
made. Officials pointed to the fact that
$4,000 had been collected f:om persons
who refused to accept transfers when
the company first put the no transfer,
no exchange up to Council. They said
they expected the plea today to result
in the daily receipts being greatly in
creased In addition, other plans to
tide the company over the present diff
Guilty are being considered.
Following the meeting Mr.. Mitten
issued the following statement in which
he predicts the asking of fare much
higher than the one now sought II the
appeal does not meet with the exDected
response;
"P. II. It's problem Of procuring in
creased revenue sufficient to pay the
wages of it's men and meet its other in
creased operating costs daily becomes
more difficult.
Can't Reduce Rent
"It has been urged by some that re-
lief might be obtained by p. Il. L. Of.
IeCtlnR reuuCtlOH III Tue TtHtulo Udiu
to underlying companies. This is i'm
possible Of accomplishment. for the rea-
son that =. Il. T. cannot reduce the
rent it pays to Union Traction under
contract any more than the ordinary
man can himself reduce the rent he
pays, under lease, to his own landlord.
"Valuation of p. II. T,'s property,
now under way before the Public Service
Commission, will finally settle the fare
question by determining the value OF the
property and the proper return to be al
lowed thereon. but as the checking up Of
the company's inventory by the city
will take many, many months there re-
mains the urgency OF temporary in
creased revenue to meet i. Il. T.'s i'm
mediate needs.
''The company placed its plea for in
creased revenue before the Public Serv-
ice Commission June | last and has
since explained to the Mayor and coun-
cilmanic committee its need for imme-
date help.
consent and then files Its sariff, to be-
come effective under the law thirty days
later, =. II. It's accumulatIng deficit
will be too great to be overe,ne by
the proposed FIVE cent fare, without ex-
changes or transfers, so that z. II. T.,
n further delayed, will then, to avoid
be forced TO file its new
=. - - All 4 III. e.