The Washington times., 1922-09-26
SE ENATO R c AR FARE
WATSON Of GUT ASKED
CA, IS DEAD BYC|T|zENS
Federation Petitions Commits
sion for Reduction on Capt.
tai Traction Lines.

The Federation of Citizens As
ISOLATION, through William Mex.
Clayton, chairman of the Public
Utilities Committee, today peti-
toned the Public Utilities Commits
sion for a reduction of fares on
the lines of the Capital Traction
Company.
The petition also seeks the end
ing of the charge for inter-com.
pany transfers, which is declared
neither justified under the text
WIN Submit Evidence.
No mention is made in the appli.
cation as to the amount of reduc.
tion the federation seeks. Mr.. Clay.
ton said today that this would not
be disclosed until the Public Utili-
ties Commission grants a hearing on
the petition.
1t is pointed out in the petition
that seven months has elapsed since
the fare on the Capital Traction
Company was fixed at eight cents
cash or six tokens for forty cents.
with a charge Of one cent for inter
company transfers.
Heretofore II has been the Com.
missions policy to allow a fare rate
to stand for six months" said Mr..
Clayton. when this rate was es-
tablished last March, the Commits
sion made the fare rate effective in.
definitely. We feel that the fare
question should be opened at this
time"
The petition states that the feder-
alton "is prepared to submit evi-
dence to the Commission establish
ing the fact that said rate of fare
is not justified under the statute"
The petition charges: THAT the
present fare is unreasonable, unjust
and discriminatory:
That the fare allocated as between
the cash rider and the token rider Is
grossly preferential to the token
rider and unjustly discriminatory
against the cash rider:
That the charge for inter-com-
pany transfer is neither Justified
under the text nor by the intent Of
the law"
Mr.. Clayton said the fare question
was considered at length last Satur-
day at a meeting of the Public Utili-
ties committee of the federation.
While the entire membership OF the
committee did not attend the meet
ing, all OF them have since given
their approval to the petition, Mr..
Clayton said. They are Melvin G..
Sharpe, Mt. Pleasant Citizens AS
sociation: Edward S. Hege, kalorama
Citizens Association: Johp S. Reach,
Park View Citizens Association;
William B. Westlake, Connecticut
Avenue Citizens Association: Wash.
Cit .zens' Association. and William q.
Henderson. North Capitol and Eek
ington Citizens Association.
nor by the intent of the law"
Cites High Returns.
"The committee, by unanimous
consent, decided to present this
petition" said Mr.. Clayton today,
We considered the question for sew
eral hours. There were many
things entering into our decision.
"One of them was the fact that
since the present fare has been ef-
fective the Capital Traction Com.
many has been making an average
rate Of return Of more than 10
per cent.
"This action was urged not only
nv committee members but also by
members of Congress.
THE committee feels that the
people who are riding on the cars
TODAY are the residents of the city
who can least afford to pay the
high fares.
"The company is being protected
from competition with the bus COM
nany, for the utilities commission
has refused to allow the busses 10
run in direct competition with the
street cnrs. The financial situa-
tion in the city Is better. money can
he obtained for lower rates of inter.
est. u this company wanted to
borrow, which the committee feels
Il does not, II could get money much
cheaper than heretofore.
THE committee also feels that
the granting Of a reduction in fares
will go a long way toward a merger
In this city.