Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1921-03-29
n. J. CARFARE FIGHT
BEGINS IN TRENTON
Cities and Towns Oppose In.
crease Before Utilities
Commissioner
COMPANY ASKS 10 CENTS
Bp a Std6 Corsspor6,,,,

Trenton. March 29.--when tb, p,,,
lie Service Railway Co. appeared foJsr
before the New Jersey Public JTt;I,,y
Commission to defend It's plee for a t.y tn.
cent fare Whist promises to be IN. .Vs =,
the most bitterly contested fgbts \. W
tween a public utility and the peonls
started. r'"pN
The hearing IL expected to last tina,
days and most of the cities and town,
OF the state are represented by attorN
n1eys end by delegations. The public 4,
determined not to pay more. The ror.
f"ratinn insists a ten cent fare IA vital.
~ necessary, and horns are locked,
Commissioner John J. Tracey. ~ To-.
soy City; Harry V. Osborn. OF Newo,t
and Harry Racharaci1, former maror y:
Atlantic City. are sitting. VI
When the hearing opened. Tbomas "
McCarter, president OF the Public Saw:
ice Corporation. took the stand N nis.1
for the ten cent fare. with free trans.
fer. '""''
The last normal years Of the com.
pany was in 1910" he said. II, ,hs,
operated with a fvc. cent fire Att.a
paying operating expenses and settins
aside for depreciation and paying fsI
charges. fhe company earned 81 500 0tm
over and above those charges,
I'm 1917 the war came on. and IN.
troubl lcs Of the railway company began
BY the fall Of 1917 costs began N
mount sei iously. The company struS.
sled .throuss, 1917. BY 1918 Il was
clearly seen something would have 10
| be done to keep the company from IN
solvency.. Higher revenue was needed
to meet rising cost.
Wages of Employees Raised
"1n March 1918, application wss f,,sd
TO charge seven cents and two cents IA,
initial transfer, and one cent for a
second transfer. That application was
based on costs at that time. On mi,
10 the board made an order allowing
! the company to charge the one cent
for transfer.
Meanwhile at Washington the m.
tional war labor board made an order
raising the wages Of the -trsinmen Of IN,
company.
The company at once again filed an.
plication for a seven cent fare or
enough to Offset the wage increase. In
September, 1913, the application wss
granted, to last until April [, follow.
ing. Then the. board directed the fare
be reduced to six cents"
Subsequent changes were reviewed
.h''hENtT lHPH UPFIdTcu the
zone fare controversy that followed with
its failure and abrogation. and the res.
toration Of the faro to seven cents. He
admitted the failure Of the zone sys.
tenn, which, he said, slowed down the
operation Of the cars.
Patrons Say Rise Is Too Much
The Public Service CORPORATION.
which operates electric lines In nearly
all sections of New Jersey. filed its ten.
cent tariff last January. The old IT'LL.
ties Commission suspended the rate for
three months, the time limit expiring
Friday.
II Is declared by the south Jerseymen
that in view Of falling costs even 4
} seven cent fare ls too high. The pro.
posed ten cent fare Is branded as ex.
tortionate. The presence ~ numerous
motorbusses. however. Is a feature 10
the case that 10 working to the ad.
vantage Of the car riders. for they are
given never increasing service he,
tween Camden and suburban towns that
makes the riders In many cases inds.
pendent Of the trolley company.
The trolley company has been given
the "go-by" several times before In its
contests with the public. II Is freely
declared by the people they will ride
in the motorbusses instead Of patron.
izing the cars IL the new fare goes into
effect.