The Washington herald., 1921-07-15
SEVEN-CENT FARE
CETS0. K. FROM
CAPITAL TRACTION
Officials Admit Snug
Profit During Last
Year.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.
that the gone fare system be in
stitutsd,
In answer to a question Of Mr..
Clayton. Mr., Ritchis admitted that
he had several traction companies
as clients, He nrst appeared as .
witness In connection with the
Sprtnsfsld Railway Company In
1917 and had been consulted In rail-
way cases in Worcester and other
New Ensland cities
Mr. ciAyton then asked to be In
formed as to whether Mr.. Richie
had ever studied the Eoning system
abroad, He said that he had not
been abroad to study the situation.
but had studied 10 from reports and
other sources Of Information. MI.
Ritchis cited Boston as one Of the
larxsst. cities he had been called
upon to survey,
The European system Of zoning
was not advocated by the professor
He stated that the system OF zon-
ing he had In mind was not. In a
sense. q zoning system at all as the
EonIng plan Is generally understood
Expert on stand
Prof. Richie. Of Worcester
traetIon expert and authority on
,onInr.nxa introduced by the 'Iash-
lnxton, Railway and Electric Com
pany 10 explain how the zoning sys-
Lsm might be applied to Washington
Ritehis had appeared before tho
Ctilftiss Commission upon two
previous occasions when the ques-
aou- Of adopting the zone system
had been considered by other pub
10 utilities commissions.
Thix.- William NICK Clayton ar
gusd. aid not qualify him to testify
AZ this time. The question before
the commlssion does not relate to 9
toning System." Mr.. Clayton argued
1t haS 20 do with a request that the
rato of fare charged by the Capital
Fraction Company be reduced" II
was then requested that the tesu-
noay Of Mr.-Ritchie be struck out
Chairman Kuts decided that the
testimony was not irrelevant and
hr. Rltohls was instructed to speak
-. Los.es Are shown.
First Of all Mr.. Ritchis attempted
70 show the loss that would be
borne by the Washington Railway
Ind Electric Company, In the event
a separate rate Of fare should be i'm
posed upon the Capital Traction
Company. should the Capital Trac-
tion Company operate on an cent
are with tickets for 80 cents. the
wzshington Railway and Electric
Sontpany woufd lose per cent Of
:hsir business. Mr., Ritchie claimed.
on, an S cent fare with fve tickets
'o- % cents 10 per cent, on Z cents
ist Il per cent, and on cents cash
with four tickets for 20 cents they
s7ould be deprived Of % per cent OF
shair business.
How did you arrive at these fig-
Iress- Mr.. Clayton asked. Not
from experience but from similar
:sses. Mr.. Ritchie answered"
Urges Like Fares.
"I think that the two fares should
DO the same" Mr.. Ritch'e continued
in the same territory and bsIisv.
hat the oosI Of service Is the same.
II h aoknowleds ed, / believe. that
me cost per passenger on the
washinSton Railway and Electric
10 Ersstsr than on the Capital Trac-
lion Company, but this Is obviously
tue to the longer and less profitab BILE
Aauls Of the Washington Railway
and Electric.
Tho solution OF the problem Is
merely to make those who ride the
furthsrest pay the most" he pointed
but =.
rhs professor made 1t clear thai
he 1id not think this system was
shs: ideal solution. He offered IT,
ae claimed. merely to save the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company from disaster should the
commission decide. upon a reduction
81 the fares.
Favors Zone Fares.
It was the plan of Professor
Richie TO have a central zone and
an outer second zone. Those pas
psngors whose ride was confined to
The rrst zone should pay one fare
and those whose destination took
them into the second zone should
pay an additional fare. Mr.. Ritchie
argued that although technically the
system was condemned by argu-
rents. that IL congested the city and
worked a grave injustice on the
people, In actual practice il had
oeenfound to function to .he gem
sral satisfaction of the puOlie.
worcester, Lynn, Lowell, and
sroctop were cited as having the
sens- system in operation at the
present time. The professor knew
Of no complaints from any of these
elites that would indicate any de-
probation of land or property had
taksn enect in the outlying dis
trfcts =.
Mr. Clayton again objected-to the
testimony Of Mr.. Ritchie. claiming
taat his introduction at the eleventh
hoor had given those opposed ~
the soning scheme no time to COZ
lect evidence with which tn .combc :
the arguments advanced by-Profes-
sor Ritehie. 1t was therefore re-
7uested that this evidence be strick-
IN from, the records. Cha.rman
kutz refused to do so. as IL was