Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-24
rise IN R. R. WAGES
HITS COMMUTERS
Predictions Are That Passenger
Fares Will Advance 20
Per Cent
WHAT IT MAY MEAN HERE

Philadelphians may have to pay
heavily for the recent. decision OF the
Railroad Labor Board awarding rail
way workers an increase annually OF
S628, 900, 900 in wages.
The burden will come not only in
directly II the increased freight rate
is granted by the Interstate Commerce
Commission, railroad officials say, but
also in way that will most affect
the citizens pocket--by a decided in
crease in passenger fares.
About 20 per cent is the rise pre-
cision o Of p"fSe"S the interstate Commerce
Commission is handed down some time
before September /. When one considers
that, to that will be added in many
cases the government war tax OF per
cent. 1t will be seen that there is very
likely to be another rise, and that
will be In the temper of Mr.. Philadel'
phian.
To use some concrete examples:
At this heated time of the year the
lure Of the seashore is great: The tray.
eler to Atlantic City. buying single
trip ticket, is now taxed Si.S9 II ne
uses the electric. II the predicted ~
per cent rise in passenger rates Is an
ticipated by the Interstate Commerce
Commission, the rates. by september;
probably will be respectively S2Z' ana
$2.O2.
The commuter. living within fifteen
miles or so of the city. is likely to feel
the burden even more directly.
Travellers. for instance, to Wayne
Junction face a probable increase from
sixteen to nineteen cents per singie
fare, or a jump. from S5.O6 to So'o'
Chestnut Hill and Jenkintown resi-
dents, under the predicted new condi-
tions, will find themselves paying forty
cents instead of thirty three cents for
a single ride al d SS.26 instead OF
S6SS for a sixty trip ticket.
Other Points to Suffer
Similarly Main Line riders would
suffer, Riders to Narberth would have
TO nav twenty FIVE cents instead OF
twenty .one, while their monthly rate
would iump from $3.50 to $6.67. Ger.
mantown commuters would be affected
The Bryn Mawr or Ridley Park rider
would find himself paying thirty seven
or thirty eight cents, respectively. in
stead Of thirty one and thirty cents,
while his monthly rate would assume
the proportions of SI.S6 and $500. re
spectively, instead of the present $500
and S6.11.
nav forty seven cents instead OF thirty
six every time he rode singly or. his
sixty trip rate would probably be about
| GO 90 instead 'of Sc SS.
Chester and Wilmington riders would
find even greater discrepancies between
the two rates. A single ride to the for
mer place. which now costs forty one
cents, would rise to new height OF
! fifty three cents, while his monthly
saplsa. ssSpsase NON'a '"
The Wilmington rider would pay
81 .04 for single ride instead OF eighty .
six cents, while 9 sixty-trip lpa ticke; e,
would cost him $lS'54 instead o'
S11.2S
Big Increase to New York
The New York rider whose business
compels him to ride frequently between
the two cities. would find a big jump
in his expense account: -
The fare is now $2a2 one way. i
the predicted rates go through 1t woulc
cost him Sc. 80. If he used a Pullman
he would find, in addition to his Pull
man rate, a surcharge OF fifteen o'
twenty cents extra facing him for thu
privilege.
The Jumps predicted in passenger ant
freight rates make the highest since thu
closing days Of the Civil War, wher
the biggest rates in railroading histor!
were demanded.
Public Must Pay Bill
As railroad officials have said, th'
public will have to pay the bill, to al
extent that they have before perhaps no
realized.
In addition to the 80 per cent in
crease in freight rates, which is tn
approximate average amount asked b!
the railroads of the country, and whicl
burden will have to be assumed b!
shippers and eventually by the dear oil
public, this extra load will also fall ol
its luckless shoulders.
Members Of the Association of Rail
way Executives went to Washington
yesterday and laid before the Interstat
Commerce Commission evidence of tn
burden which the wage rise will Civ
the railroads of the country.
; According to the transportation &C
Of 1920, under which the railroads re
turned to private ownership, the com
mission is required to take into con
sideration in fixing increased rates an,
additional cost of maintenance whic
the railroads may be forced to incur
AS they had already applied for the 3
per cent increase in freight rates /
meet n growing deficit, which T. d
Witt Cuyler, chairman of the associa
ton, says is rapidly approachin
81 900, ,000,0 900, the wage increase mus
be added to that.
Railroad officials say that the Inter
| state Commerce Commission has a
along insisted that passengers shoul
| assume any such burdens equally wit
? shippers, a position which railway me
D say that they have opposed on ground
of policy. The commission has take
the ground that every branch Of th
service should show the 5b per cen
profit on inveSmrnt required by the ne,
law.
Another Boost to II. c. OIL.
The result of the wage rise, railroa
officials say, is that the advance mn,
/ be borne equally by the shipper an
= the passenger, which means that freipl
will rise to about 33 per cent and mas
: senger rates will advance 20 per cen
I This means roughly, it is said. tb,
!, passenger rates will advance from