Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-08-19
AGAIN SEE ZONE
/ FARE AS SOLUTION
Mitten Considers Plan Only One
Fair to Short Riders-May
Make Plea to Council
TO ASK PACT MODIFICATION

"A zone fare plan. under which the
short rider will continue to pay five
3 cents and the long rider a fare increns-
\ Ing with the distance he travels, Is
again being considered by the Phiadel
< phia Rapid Transit Co. II is reported.
Thomas r. Mittcn. president Of the
transit company. and prepayment Of the
basic five cent fare. it is said secs in
4 the zone fare plan way Of increasing
h the company's revenue and Mt the salMe
y 4 time throwing the burden OF higher troll.
X ley travel upou the long distance rider
who now Is actually being hauled at a
kngoss. -.-.---.-
- This is according TO Mr.. Mittcn 3
~ own testimony before the Public Scrv-
lee Commission when he said the short
oEidcr in Philadelphia was the rider who
Sas helping to pay the cost of the
.r longer car riders ride
x -s,.se Transit officials admitted today Mr..
,rMitten has the zone-fare plan under
Z Reconsideration and that he. has given it
Sfattention for some time.
"a Mr. Mitten left town this afternoon,
hut no information as to destination or
,Ikhe purpose of his trip could be obtained
at the +. Il. T. Offices.
tdsi To Ask Modification
oIo, Council will be asked TO modify the
~f..s 1Q07 agreement by establishing a zone
|c 81 frre system. with five cents as the basic
! 1<5are, NJ was said unless the Mitten plan
< q ~ for onsolidatng the five big under
"A IA 1Njng companies into. one operating CON
urPany. thereby reducing the fixed charges
By something like $5,000,000 is ap-
of proved
snir- The consolidation plan would
ais snueeze the water out of the transit
.1xystem and require a $40 assessment of
stockholders in the lease holding com
---Baaies. "A majority of the directors of
e--these companies are bitterly opposed to
the plan.
However. meeting is to be held soon
at which directors of the =. II. L. and
directors of the Union Traction. the
Philadelphia Traction. the Electric
x eTraetion and the Peoples Traction will
/ Nttempt to strike a compromise of some
sorf. a..-
- Unless this compromise is effected. it
\ IL said Mr.. AIitten. with Mayor
y Mcore's encouragement. will go on the
( floor of Council and ask permission to
- inaugurate the zone fare plan.
taV This will bring the whole transit
1 question up before the Public Service
Commission again. as municipality
and n public utility company no longer
~ have the right of independent. unre
stricted barter. but all change Of rates
are subject to the commissions ap-
proval.
Potter Shows Power
Colonel Sheldon Potter. a former
city representative on the r, II. T.
directorate, points out this. supreme au e
thority of the commission az n reason
why the line of efforts to keep fares
down should be an attack on the un-
derlyi ng companies, witlr the city lead
ing in the fight, instead of a modifca
ton OF the 1907 agreement.
Eventually. experts agree. n valua
tiou OF the transit system is essential
before the muddlc is cleared and a
ifroper rate of fare fixed and the water
Bqueezei out of transit stock.
The appraisal that has been in
preparation by the traction company
,,---H here for the last two years is now vir.
stlally completed. The city officials ant
the transit company officials are ex.
-pected tN agree on the submissiondf th
valuation figures to the Public Service
Vommission. despite the fact the com
mission will have no fare raise appi
eeation to consider Immediately in con
snection with the audit of the system
ANY fare raise or attack on the rentals
eventually would have to be based OF
the value of the entire system and the
value of the property owned by the
various underlying. companies for which
they receive a rental Thus il is ex
pfcted that the commission will hole
hearings merely for the purpose OF re
eeiving and checking the valuation fig
ures of the trolley system here. Counci
has appropriated so, 900 for experts t
check the appraisal figures.
The commission will have to de
rrmine whether it will receive the val
uation figures, but IL is expected tina
the members of the commission will drv
into the costs of the system, as tn,
total valuation has been one Of the MI
merouS mysteries connected with tht
trolley system here.
The fare increase will meet opposi
7tion in Council from certain members
Especially the independents. but il i
has the sanction of the Mayor an easy
victory is expected. Mr. Milton ap,
parently had that in mind on Tuesday
n is said. when he announced the with
prawal of the no transfer higher IA r,
tcheme Immediately following the an
nouncement by the Mayor that he wouIt
not oppose n needed fare increase /
Council approved il. In the statemen
\ regarding fares III" Mayor said tina
Y fares would have to 20 up or rental
come down and h" would not Oppos,
measures 10 provide revenue for the i'm
.Brovement Of the system here.
y. Future Relief Pointed Out
- Future rcIpt from the cxactions o
5brivatey controlled trolley car service i
pointed out by G. oscar BcaSpy, attor
rpey for the United Business Mems As
Tociation He declares II constitutional
amendment will be- voted on in Novem
Der which gives the Ciry the right l.
condemn and purchase the system Of
public utility, or any part Of that sys
TEN. without impuiriug its borrowu
~ capacity.
eThe measure cxpmpts, in computin
4he municipal borrowing capacity, IA
money spent in the construction or pur
chase Of public utility. or any par
Of it, II would also exempt none
which has already been expended 70
such purposes, the expenditures upo
The Frankford elevated being a notabl
!s-=instance.
- The city in short, would be able. IN
der the amendment, to 60 ahead wit
,fSfhe construction and operation Of
Comprehensive high speed system, q
even a surface system. with the onl
fproviso that the undertakings yield suf
hcient revenue to pay Interest and sink
ing fund charges. In this position III
city could. il it so desired become
powerful competitor of the p, X. Y.
T,,.o 7 oViu1ut,trnc baVe nrtpj favor