The Washington herald., 1922-04-20
W. E.'SMAIN
POINT AGAINST
BUSES FAILS
Competition" Plea Not
To Be Considered,
Says Col. Keller.
HAM WOULD TAKE
OVER MOTOR LINES
Citizen Associations A 8
Fight Car Companies
At Hearing.

toHipetition as an argument 40
vanced by street car companies 10
support their proposal for taking
over the bus lines OF the city re-
ceived a severe setback yesterday
Convenience and necessity arc
the grounds on wai:h a bus com
pany must stand 20 get 4 pArr:i,
70! bus limo from the Public
Utilities Commission" said Col.
Charles Keller. chairman of the
Commission. after yesterdays hear
ing Of the complaints Of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Com
pany against the Washington Rapi,
Transit Company running lines in
competition with their own.
He stated that a decision as to
whether the permit granted the
Washington Rapid Transit Com
pany last year to run a bus line
from Rhode Island avenue and
North Capiaol street to Potomac
Park and to Eighth street and
Pennsylvania avenue should be re-
voked would rest on grounds other
than those OF competition. Most
lines are in a sense comeptitive, !"
he said.
Ham Would Run Bus Line.
During the hearing william r.
Ham. president of the Washington
halfway and Electric Company
pleaded with tha Commission 20 let
his company run bus lines, IL bus
lines were to be run. His testi-
mony indicated that the compan,
was alarmed at the success Of tn
bus lines.
The insinuation carried in tn
words of Mr.. Ham-that NO efror,
is made in New York to conceal
the fact that the motor bus is used
In an effort to run the electric car
line out Of business''-brought quick
response from Col Keller. who said
that mo such object exists in thi,
Commission" Mr.. Ham then said
that he had seen no move to in.
dicate such a disposition.
Calls Plea "Pathetfc.-
w. q. Henderson, president o.
the North Capitol and Eckinctor
citizens Association, termed Ham,
plea pathetic. He declared the pro.
posed line would be convenient to
the residents of his section OF tho
city. The service given by tn,
street car company wa. declared
wholly inadequate.
Mr.. Hams protest was extende,
to almost every bus line in tn,
city and received the support o
John H. Hanna, president Of tn,
Capital Traction Company.
The position taken by the Wash.
tngton Railway and Electric Com
pany was that the bus companie.
were small and not regulated by Law
while the street railway companie.
had a large investment and pal,
a large part of the city's taxes. I
was held further that II the bu,
lines were run by the street rail
way companies that an interlockins
OF lines would result.
Defends Bus COMPANY.
Conrad Syme. former District Cor
pcration Counsel. representing tn,
bus interests, held that action or
the part OF the commission favorins
the street railway companies woulc
Kill the bus lines and result in dis.
comfort and inconvenience to thou.
sands of riders. besides destroyins
the 100000 holdings of the Wash.
ington Rapid Transit Company.
owners.
That in announcing a policy ,oI
issuing bus permits on a basis Of
non-competition. the Public Utilitie
Commission had ceased to represent
the public. was the stand taken b,
william Nick. Clayton. chairman OF
the Public Utilities Committee O,
the Federation OF Citizens Asso.
Citations. He opposed the efforts O,
the street railways. to ruin the bu.
companies.
Car Companies Blamed.
A request was made by s. r
Bowen, vice president of the Wash
ington Railway and Electric Com
pany, that the bus company submit
to the commission a copy of tn,
order for buses for the new lin,
together with specifications ant
prices. 1t was hinted that the stree,
railway company might buy thes,
IL the permit were revoked. TIL,
bus company agreed to submit tn.
order.
Horace NJ. Fulton. representins
the Iowa Circle Citizens Associa.
ton. and E. B. Henderson. repre-.
senting the Piney Branch Citizens
Association, endorsed the proposed
route as necessary to serve the pub
lie properly. Fulton stated cross city
bus routes were decreasing the traf
fic carried through the congested
portions of the city.
At the close of the hearing Clay
ton declared that the street rail.
way companies were themselves re.
.sponsible for the situation in that
they had failed to arrange a merger
He further stated. that he knew OF
no law that would allow the com.
mission to refuse permits on grounds