Evening star., 1921-07-26
FREE TRANSFERS
OYSTER PROPOSAL
Universal Change Added to
Commissioners Troll
ley Solution.

Universal free transfers may be
made part of the oyster plan to re-
lieve Washington's traction situation.
electric rate to 10 cents and reducing
car fare to cents the Commissioner
would add, it was learned today, the
proviso that transfers be issued with
out charge between the lines Of the
several street car companies operat-
ing in the District.
The present intercompanyy transfer
charge Is 4 cent 1t Is understood the
Capital Traction and Washington
Railway and Electric companies
from this source. This represents
about 100000 transfers.
New Signfacaiee.
The Oyster traction plan took on
new significance today. following the
Endorsement given it yesterday by the
joint committee of commercial and
civic organizations on street railways.
The committees position. set forth in
a petition adopted at a meeting last
night in the assembly room of the
Merchants and Manufacturers Asso-
citation. will be communicated formal
ly to the Utilities Commission today.
Commissioner Oyster again today
stressed the point that his proposal is
advanced as temporary measure of re-
lief pending action by the courts in the
out, are now paying 10 cents a kilowatt
hour for electricity and will continue to
pay this amount until the courts have
acted finally, although a cent and a half
Of the charge Is impounded. The Com
missioner would stop this impounding
process and make the money available
for railway needs, which would make
possible Immediately a 7-ccnt car rate.
The joint committees petition does
not mention the plan by name. but sub
scribes to the general proposition of a
uniform 7-cent car fare and 10-cent
electric rate. The petition says:
There is general desire that the
lumbia shall render the fullest possi-
BILE measure Of public service and an
equal desire for a lower rate of car
fare and a minimum electxic light
rate consistent with such service.
"The members of the joint COM
ganizations on street railways of the
District of Columbia, comprising the
Board Of Trade, Chamber of Com
merce, Merchants and Manufacturers
Association and the City Club, are
committed to a uniform rate Of fare
petition the Public Utilities Commits
sion Of the District of Columbia to
seek a solution of the present situa-
tion by establishing a seven-cent car
fare rate, and a rate for electric light
and power based on a ten-cent-per-
sumers.
'"This recommendation is offered as
a temporary expedient until perma-
nent relief can be afforded"
James T. Lloyd, chairman OF the ex-
ecutive committee Of the joint com
committee is made DIP Of three repre-
sentatiyes Of the organizations. which
represent q membership OF about 5000
firms and individuals.
In addition to the adoption OF the
petition to the Public Utilities Com
mission the joint committee decided
on a course of procedure for the fu.
ture and directed Chairman Samuel
]. Prescott, who is out of the city at
the present time, to name three COM
mittees-one to consider the financial
aspects Of the railroad situation:
another the commercial and the third
the historic.
It was the sense of the joint COM
mittee that today's situation demand
ed the passage Of the petition to
the Public Utilities Commission, SO
that the commission might have the
benefit of the judgment OF the duly
accredited committee acting as the
mouthpiece Of the trade and civic or
ganizations. Both the general COM
mittee and the executive committee
Of this joint committee have held
four meetings and have set in motion
a program which they expect will get
to the trobt Of the entire railroad
problem.
The joint committee will not only
give the Public Utilities Commission
the benefit Of this and further opin-
ions, but will go to Congress on the
question. At the direction of the COM
r1ittee Secretary, Columbus has ad-
dressed letter to both the Public
Utilities Commission and the District
committees Of Congress, requesting
that the committee be notified Of any
and all hearings in railroad matters,
and that Mr.. Columbus and others, to
be designated later would attend all
hearings. -
The personnel Of the joint commit
tee follows:
Board Of Trade-William Clabaugh,
e. G, Graham and Samuel ]. Prescott.
Chamber of Commerce James T.
Lloyd. Albert Schulteis and Arthur
Merchants and Manufacturers As
sociation-R. p. Andrews. Charles r.
Crane, Charles J. Columbus. q
O1ty Club. n. Ellis and Frank r.