Evening star., 1922-04-20
BROAD BUS OFFER
MADE BY ". RE.

WHUL III ". III.
The Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company stands ready go into
the motor bus business wherever the
Public Utilities Commission believes
such service is needed 70 supplement
street car facilities.
William F. Ham, president OF the
company. made this statement when
he appeared before the commission
at the District building yesterday 70
protest against what he termed Unfair
competition in allowing the WASH, n
inSton Rapid Transit Company 70
run buses into sections OF the city
that have been built up through the
operation of his companys steeet
cars.
After devoting more than an hour
to a recitation OF reasons why IL
would be unfair to permit the Wash
ington Rapid, Transit Company 70 es-
tablish busses on Rhode Island ave-
nue. from North Capitol street TO l5tn
street ana thence south to Pennsyi-
vania avenue, Mr.. Ham took the gath
ering by surprise when ne said:
III this commission is OF the opin-
ion that there is need for motor BUS
limo on Rhode Island avenue the
Washington Railway and ELECTRIC
Company is willing to put 1t into serv-
Ice"
For Joint study Of auestion.
He added that the street railway
company stands ready to go with the
commission into comprehensive
! study of the question of what bus
service is needed throughout the city
as supplemental to car service. lie
said he made this statement with
the approval of the board of direc-
tors.
He suggested. however. that II his
company established a bus line on
Rhode Island avenue. II should lot
turn down 18th street. but should con-
tinue west from Iowa Circle to Du-
pont Circle by way OF P street.
The Independent bus line. he said.
charges a straight.S-centf fare, where
as his company would operate busses
| at the street car rate of SIS cents
transfer to all of it's lines which
might interest the bus line.
Mr.. Ham based his plea on the
argument that If there are to be bus
lines the street car company. which
has been serving the communities
allowed to run the busses.
The utilities commission last Au-
gust approved the application Of the
Washington Rapid Transit Company
to run busses downtown from North
Capitol and Rhode Island avenue.
and also from Grant Circle in Pet
| worth to the original Sixteenth street
bus line. The company recently be-
gan operations on the Petworth line.
but has not yet established service on
Rhode Island avenue.
Denies Action Was Legal.
Mr.. Ham contended today that the
commissions approval OF the Rhode
Island avenue bus line was not legal.
in that no hearing was held before
action was taken.
After submitting figures intended
to show that the proposed Rhode Is
land avenue busses would cross seven
car lines and go through territory
now well served by street cars. Mr..
Ham said:
"Our company has been irreparably
damaged by the operation of the Pet
worth bus line. and would be so dam
aged to a lesser extent by the pro-
posed Rhode Island avenue route"
Mr.. Ham estimated that approx
mately 1000 persons a day have been
taken from Washington Railway and
Electrict Company cars to the Pet
worth buses, going in both direc-
tions.
The president Of the street car COM
pany declared competition from in
dependent bus lines is unfair to his
! company for these reasons:
The w r. and E. last year paid
! $240.0 gross receipts tax to the Dis
trict, and bus companies pay no such
tax: the street car company pays
| $55. 900 u year for crossing policemen,
end the buses nothing; the w. r. and
E. must pay for the paving of its
tracks and two feet Of the roadway
on either side, and the-busses have no
such charge.
you will notice" Mr.. Ham con-
tinued, that all of these bus COM
panies pick out short hauls. the cream
Of the business. and kindly leave to
the street railway companies the long,
Improbable business.
Capital Traction Position.
John H. Hanna. vice president Of
the Capital Traction Company. also
told the commission that his COM
pany is prepared to make any addi-
tions to service that the commission
may deem necessary, either in the
form of track extension or the in
stallation of motor bus service.
Conrad H. Syme. attorney for the
Washington Rapid Transit Company.
told the commission he could see no
flaw in the original order tsSued by
ropp mi jss sion last fall aufhorfzInr