Evening star., 1921-05-23
|STREET CAR Travel
SHOWING DECREASE
Decline of 100000 Fares on
Capital Traction in April,
Report States.

Travel on the street railway lines
of the District is falling of. accord
ing to reports fled with the Public
Utilities Commission by the compa-
nics.
The reduction in traffic has hit the
Capital Traction Company harder
than it has the lines Of the wash
ington Railway and Electric Com
pany and it's subsidiaries.
The monthly statement Of the Capt.
tai Traction Company for April. just
filed with the commission. shows that
company carried 8.1O5.66S passengers.
The record OF the commission snow
that for April. 1920. the Capital Trac-
ton Company hauled 3.737.734 people.
These figures reveal falling on OF
approximately 100000 passengers.
W. r.. & f. Report for March.
The Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company has not yet submitted
its April statement. but the records
for March show that company also
is hauling fewer people than it did
last year. but the reduction has not
been as marked as on the other
system.
In March Of this year the Wash
ington Railway and Electric hauled
5.56S595 people: the City and Sub
urban. 1.5S6.195: the Georgetown and
Tenleytown. 133,2Ss. and the Wash
ington 1nterurban. 44.426. This made
total of 7,s32.505 on the Washing
ton Railway and Electric system dur
ing March.
. In March, 1920. the Washington
Railway and Electric carried $685.
1873; the City and Suburgan, 1.646. .66s:
the Georgetown and Tenleytown. 1861
293. and the Washington Interurban.
44.142 This made a total for the
system for that month of 1885. .229.
These figures reveal a reduction of
about 10000 on the Washington Rail
way and Electric system this March.
as compared with last March.
In March 1920, the Capital Traction
Company reported a total of S.s45.093
passengers. while in March Of this
year the company's statement shows
S,413.354 passengers.
Although Capital Traction traffic
for March and April Of this year was
considerably lower than for the same
months Of 1920. 1t was heavier than
the trafiic during January and Feb
ruary OF this year.
A steady reduction in the force Of
war workers in Washington is be-
lieved to be the biggest factor in the
reduction of street car traffic, especially
in the Potomac Park, served largely by
the Capital Traction Company.
, Still further cuts in the government
departments may be made during the
next few months.
Will File Plea for Lower Rate.
w. B. Westlake. president Of the
Federation Of Citizens Associations.
said today his organization probably
would file with the Utilities Commits
sion tomorrow its application for a
reduction in the rate Of fare on the
Capital Traction system. The petit
ton will be based on the assertion Of
that company following the merger
conferences last week that It is will
ing to- operate now On q lower fare.
1t was generally conceded at the
District building today that the Utili-
ties Commission has the right to re-
open the fare question at this time.
George e. Hamilton. president Of the
Capital Traction, said today he pre-
ferred not to discuss the fare ques-
ftion until the federation has filed its
petition.
It Is not expected the federation will
ask for any specific reduction in the
Capital Traction rate. leaving 1t to the
commission to determine from its rec
ords just what rate the Capital Trac-
ton should have.