Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-11-05
CITY TO OPPOSE
FARE
ON STREET CARS
Would Harm Rather Than
Help Company, Ashby
Declares.
FIGHT 1-CENT TRANSFER

The city OF indianapolis will oppose
any increase in fare to the indianapolis
Street Railway Company, following the
withdrawal Of the petition for the estab-
lishmenr Of the service-at-cost plan be-
fore the public service commission, Cor
poration Counsel Samuel Ashby declared
| today.
The company has been doing splendid
ly upon its present finances and any In
crease would harm, rather than help. Its
finances, according to Mr.. Ashby.
Opposition to an increased fare also
includes opposition to 1-cent trans
fer charge which frequently has been
discussed, the corporation counsel said
The transfer, according to Mr. Ashby
theory, is boon to The company, rather
than convenience TO the passenger, be-
cause the company through issuing trans
fers gets lots Of passengers on short
! hauls, who, II they had to pay 1 cent
to go from car 10 car would walk the
entire distance
SAYS FARE BOOSTS
HAVE CUT BUSINESS.
1T has been shown in cities where the
fares have been increased that the oper-
Ating expenses increased and the amount
OF business decreased" said Mr.. Ashby.
instead OF ride. This is particularly true
in Cincinnati. where the fare was raised
to cents. The company there 10 oper-
ating under a 100000 deficit as a re-
suit. -
Il have eontended all along that the
indianapolis Street Railway Company is
entitled TO more money from the inter
urban companies which use its tracks
The interurban companies have to pay
the Street Railway Company only cents
per passenger hauled oven the city
tracks, while 1t collects from the pas
senger at the rate of cents per NIKE.
From passen gers being brought from
the east over the Richmond division Of
the Terre Haute. Indianapolis and East
ern Traction Company, the company col
lects IS ceuts for the ride from Sheridan
avenue 20 the terminal station. The
Street Railway Company gets only fonr
cents for the use Of it's six miles OF
tracks, power and the terminal station
facilities The Public Service Commis-
sion increased the interurban fares to )
cents per mile because power and track
maintenance cost more, and yet these
same companies pay the same rate 20
the city company for these very Items
that they did before the war"
DISAGREEs WITH HEAD
OE NVtht1 DOsAANh-
George Lamaux, president OF the board
Of public works. has stated several times
that he believes the Street Railway Com
pnny Is entitled to a l-cent transfer
charge and that he never has believed the
service at-eost plan was good one.
This was pointed out TO Mr.. Ashby, who
said that he would oppose such a charge
nevertheless and tbat the matter would
be before the public service commission
ana not the beard ~ puflic works.
Decks are cleared in the pablic ssrvses
commission for any action that may be
taken by officials Of the street car COM
pany In an effort 10 OBTAIN higher rates.
With the dismissal OF the suggestions
Of the city for granting OF privilege fot
the company TO Operate on n service-at-
cost plan, all matters relating 70 the
street car company. relative TO Increased
fares were disposed Of
The petition OF tue street car COM
pany. asking permission TO charge 1 cent
each for transfers. was denied some time
ago by the commission.
Members of the commission refuse 20
state what their attitude win be toward
another petition OF the street car COM
pany for increased fares.