Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-04-16
Fare Raise by Public
7, Utilities Brings
Resolution.
HAM AND HAMILTON
CALLED TO CONFERENCE
Meet Representative Woods, Who
Would Merge the Two Lines
Under a Bill.

Would Merge the Two Lines
Under a Bill.
A resolution proposing that the
street railways Of the District OF Co
lumbia and the power plants operated
in connection with them be taken
over owned and operated by the Dis
trict or by the federal government was
introduced in the Senate today ny
Senator Jones of Washington, a mem
Der of the District committee. AT the
request of Senator Jones II was read
and allowed to lie over until tomor-
row
The resolution directs the District
committee to formulate and present TO
the Senate as early As possible leglsia-
tion to bring this about.
Senator Jones was prompted to In
troduce the resolution by the decision
of the Public Utilities Commission to
allow a further increase OF fares on
the street railways. He called atten-
tion particularly to the fact that one
road appears to make money while the
other does not. and that the In
creases permitted apparently were
made to keep the weaker road going.
Text Of Resolution.
Inc resolution reaQS.
Repeated demands for higher wages
are made by the employees of the street
railways of the District OF Columbia.
Such dmands are followed by requests
from the railway companies to the Pub
lie Utilities Commission for permission
to raise their fares.
"These requests seem to be uniformly
granted on the alleged ground that the
companies must make dividends on their
of m
method the whole burden of maintain
ing stock dividends and the expenses of
operating the railroads Is placed upon
the patrons Of the roads.
"The patrons Of these roads are large
ly government employees with fixed sal
aries and people of limited means. One
road appears to make money and the
other does not.
"A limit will be reached at which
the patrons will cease using the rail-
roads whenever it is possible for
them to co so. and bankruptcy to
the roads Will result.
with all the increases in fares the
ebominable and can hardly be worse.
Both roads ought to be under one
ownership and management, and GER
tain power plants that are necessary
in connection with their operation
should be taken over.
that the street railways Of the District
OF Columbia and the necessary power
plants operated in connection there
with should be taken over. owned and
operated by the District of Columbia
or the government Of the United
States, and the Senate committee on
the District of Columbia is hereby d.
rected to formulate and present to the
Senate at as early date as may be
practicable. for it's consideration. leg
islation to bring this about"
Presidents Called to Confer.
Presidents William F. Ham of the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company and George f. Hamilton of
the Capital Traction Company were
called into conference today with
Representative James D. Woods. demo-
crat. of Virginia. tnember of the
House District committee. who. fol-
lowing hearings on the street railway
situation in Washington, drafted a
bill designed to relieve the situation
and to induce a merger.
Another conference has been ar
ranged for Monday evening. to be
attended by the District Commission
ers, who constitute the Public Utili-
ties Commission. which has granted
tb q increase in fares. and the officials
o; the two street railway systems.
This conference Is called with view
to ultimate merger of the two lines
according to Representative Woods.
Representative Woods says he hopes
to get the District officials and street
railway officials together. SO that they
Of his bill. He says he has no dispo-
sition to rush street railway legisla-
ton as result of the increase In fares
which has just been allowed.
Chairman "NOt Responsible"
ATnr of hA
trict committee, who conducted the
traction hearings. refused to discuss
the increase in fares. except to say
that he refuses to accept responsible
ity for the increase.
Representative Ben Johnson Of Ken
lucky. who was for eight years chair
, man of the District committee. went
on record as being strongly in favor
Of a merger Of the local street car
, lines He said it will be impossible TO
stop increases In fares az long IS one
company is in difficult financial
straits. Something must be done, he
insisted. to make the finances of the
street railway company or companies
stable. He pointed out that the chief
trouble with the Washington Railway
and Electric Company is that 1t has to
provide service on Improbable subur-
ban lines.
Representative johnson Is strongly
in favor Of that portion OF Repre-
sentative Woods bill which would al
| low the Washington Railway and
Electric Company to use tho earnin ~
OF the Potomac Electric Power Com
! pany as n branch OF the one system.
! He said that this. in HIS opinion
, would pave the way for merger.
! He knows he saId, that the street
! railways in Washington can be run
I proftably az 4 unit under one head.
, Representative Johnson In opposed
| . any proposition for guaranteeing
! fixed returns tn the street railways
/, on the ground that no one would then
| stand between the public and re-
! current demands for increases ir
wages Iio pointed out that II the
! company knows ~ Ia going to get
| per cent. rs proposed In the Woods
! bill II will not have any incentive &c
I hold down on increases in wages and
| other operating eTpenHsa
| srnntov ThomHs scores Increase.
| The increase in fares on tho street
railways NJ the District Just author lzcf
Ibv ,ba Public Utilities torumIssion wa,
,I.pt,,pced on tho noor ~ tho Srnai
nv Senator Thomas Of Colorado. who de.
Iclared that the capitalization OF tn.
Washington Hallway and Electric Com
many was nrgelv fictitious. and that thu
| Public Utilities Commission had no righ
liz 6x rsses to return II tho compa na
| q or 7 per cent income on this capital
| ia ton
! sso.tor Jones pointed out that II
ys. the neopIs. ~ moderate meanl
ana tba poor p8opis who must beal
tbs bnrdAn OF this increased rata
| ~ .tnh he said. ride In automo