The Washington times., 1921-07-30
STREET GAR
AND LIGHT
RATES GUT
Tokens S for 35 Cents; Gas at
$1.1o, and Electricity S
Per Cent Cheaper.

Reduction of street car fares,
electric rates and gas rates were
ordered today by the Public
Utilities Commission.
Street car fares are reduced
to five tokens for thirty-five
cents, with the eight cents cash
fare allowed to remain.
The electric light rates are
reduced 5per cent.
The gas rates are reduced to
St.to per thousand cubic from
St.2S.
Action q Surprise.
The reduction OF all rates was a
surprise to nearly everyone in Wash
inston- The Commission did not
grant any of the requests made by
any party to the controversy. The
plan advocated by Commissioned
Oyster was not adopted. but a much
better plan. as far as the public is
concerned, was adopted by the COM
pany.
In It's order to the street railway
companies the Commissions order
said:
The commission believes that a re-
duction in the rate of fare is justi-
fled from the evidence In this case,
and after considering the effect on
the revenues of the combined COM
panies, reaches the conclusion that
the token fare should he reduced from
seven and one-hah cents to seven
cents, the cash fare to remain un-
changed and the present charge for
inter-company transfers TO continue.
The commission is aware that this
action does not grant the relief Isked
for In the petition Of the Federation
of Citizens Associations; that of the
Capital Traction Company were, to he
considered by itself. further reduc-
ton of fares on it's lines could hc
justified. The commission, however.
repeats what IL has said in previous
street railway rate cases, that to give
this reduction on the lines of the
same time to continue the present
rates on the lines Of its competitor, the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company, would mean that so much
traffic would be DETECTED from the
Washington Railway and Electric
system to the Capital Traction Com
pany that the revenues of the former
would be decreased probably to point
below actual operating expenses, thus
increased rates on Its
lines, and at the same time destroy
ing the service standard Of the Capital
Traction Company by an overwhelm-
ing traffic load which 1t could not
possibly accommodate. In other
words. Il is highly desirable in the
public interest to maintain a uniform
rate Of street railway fare to prevent
q disarrangement of street railway
service disastrous to the companies
and to the public alike.
In it's order No. 373, issued
April is, 1920, the Commission re-
ferred to the legislative measures
pending before Congress which seek
to equalize the disparity In net earn
ing power of the petitioners and that
Of the competing company (the Capt.
tai Traction Company by a revision
Of the method of taxation on the
earnings of these companies. Since
that time several other bills have
been introduced, but no action has
yet been taken by the Congress. The
is Of the opinion that no
appreciable relief from present condi-
tions whereby one system receives
less than a fair return and the other
an excessive return can be obtained
until some change in the taxation
methods is adopted, or until a merger
Of the several companies Is effected.
Record Is Reviewed.
After a careful consideration Of the
evidence in this case, the commission
s OF the opinion that the reduction in
fare as outlined above is just and rea.
and should be applied uni.
'ormly to the several street railways
operating In the District OF Columbia,
and that this reduced rate OF fare
should become effective at the expira.
ion OF the date set In commissions
Continued on Page 10, Col. ID