Evening star., 1921-07-10
CITIZENS To BATTLE
TRANSIT INTERESTS
AT FARES HEARING
Lively Fight Expected Before
Public Utilities Commits
sion Thursday.
ZONE RATES PROPOSAL
WILL MEET OPPOSITION
Residents Will Insist on Reduction
by Capital Traction Company.
Electric Current Issue.

A4SSS4AS Ou4CAt xooUCs
What Is expected to be one of the
liveliest proceedings in the history of
the Public Utilities Commission will
begin when the commission opens up
street car rates for consideration In
the board room Of the District build
ing at 1890 o'clock Thursday morn
ing.
The Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company. through it's represen-
tatives. will insist that it could not
operate on a lower rate OF fare under
existing conditions.
The Federation of Citizens Asso-
Citations. through their attorney. Will
liam NICK. Clayton. will be present to
insist upon reduction in fare on the
Capital Traction system. which. the
federation contends. is now higher
than that company needs
Attorneys for the Washington Rail-
way and Electric Company will tell
the commission that their road would
lose money even with the present
rate of fare II a lower rate is granted
the Capital Traction. They base this
claim on the fact that at least ten
per cent OF the W. r. and E. patrons
who live near Capital Traction lines
would take advantage OF the cheaper
fare on that system.
Two Fare Proportions.
Washington Railway and Electric
Company then will lay two PROPOSE
tions before the commission for con-
sideration in the event the commits
sioners decide the Capital Traction
fare should be out.
The first is that the city be divided
into an inner and an outer zone, with a
second fare for persons who ride to
the outer zone.
The other proposition will be the
proposal OF Commissioner Oyster that
the electric light rate be increased
from Sh to 10 cents per kilowatt
hour. and the rate Of street car 1ars
reduced on both the W. r. & E. and
the Capital Traction lines to cents
straight.
1t Is practically certain that citizens
from all parts Of the District will be
present to voice vigorous opposition
to 3 zone system Of fares. When the
zone plan was suggested two years ago
the commission was besieged with
protests from citizens. business men.
suburbani:es and some city dwellers.
A similar demonstration Of disap-
proval is looked for now.
Zone System Denounced.
Mr.. Clayton. who Is chairman Of the
committee on utilities of the Fedora
tion Of Citizens Associations, issued a
statement last night denouncing the
idea Of zone system. The federation
will hold =. special meeting at the
District building Tuesday night to
prepare for the street car hearing.
The Utilities Commission is required
by law to give all companies a rea-
sonable return on their valuations.
If it find: thxt the w. r. and E. could
not earn a fair return on a lower fare
at this time the commission will be
facing three alternatives:
To continue rates as they are on
both systems, to create a zone system,
or to follow Commissioner Oysters
proposal by raising the electric light
rate and reducing the street car fare
Advocates Of the Oyster plan point
out that it would give the Washing
the revenue it needs. since that COM
pany owns the electric light COM
pany and would reap the benefit Of
the higher electric rate.
Electric Rate Issue.
Commissioner Oyster pointed out
again yesterday that although the
power company only gets the benefit
of 81 cents per kilowatt hour for cur
rent, the users Of electricity have
never stopped paying 10 cents, the re-
naming ~ cents going into fund
pending settlement Of the power COM
pany's valuation by the higher courts.
1t may be several years, the Com
missioner said, before the courts have
finally settled the valuation and until
that time the people will continue to
pay the 10-cent rate.
If the commission raised the electric
light rate to 10 cents the people would
not be paying any more than they
now pay, except that no more Of the
would go into the court fund
There is already approximately $2,-
0O0, 900 tied up in the impounded fund.
In summing up his plan. Commits
sioner Oyster points out that the peo-
pie would get Immediately lower
carfare and would actually pay no
more for electricity If the commits
sion made the electric rate 10 cents.
The Washington Railway and Eiec-
trio Company has Stated that it could
accept a lower carfare il it had the
benefit of the full 10 cents now paid
per kilowatt hour for electricity instead
Of setting aside ~ cents.