Evening star., 1922-02-01
ASKSzONE SYSTEM
OR SAME CARFARE.
President Ham Says One or
Other Essential to Operation
of w. R. & E.

The Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company today asked the Pui'lic
Utilities Commission to continue the
present rate of carfare indefinitely
on all street railway lines in the Dis
trict.
The present rate of five tokens for
35 cents or 8 cents cash expires
March 1. The w. r. & E. summed
up it's appeal for continuation of
present rates in this paragraph:
That aside from the constitutional
right of your petitioner to be author
lied to charge rates of fare which
y;xisld them q reasonable return upon
the fair value OF their properties. the
best interest of the public which they
serve demands that your petitioner be
permitted to charge rates which will
enable them to keep their respective
properties at all times is condition
Of repair and maintenance adequate
to the requirements of the public and
secure upon reasonable terms the
necessary new capital for refinancing
and for making, provision for such
necessary improvements and extern
sions as may be in the interest of the
public.
Plea Against Reduction.
Your petitioner, therefore. states
that any reduction in the present
rates of fare would affect disastrously
the ability of the petitioner to render
adequate and proper service to the
public. and if the present rates are
interfered with. either in amount or
uniformity, the result will be to so
reduce the revenues applicable by the
petitioner and it's affiliated companies
to return on investment as to con-
stitute further confiscation of it's
and their properties, the only remedy
which would lie in the institution
within the District of Columbia of
the zone system, or some other form
| Of measured service"
The foregoing language mems that
the w. r. & f. asks for a continual
ton of present rates on the Capital
Traction lines also, and intimates
that if the commission finds it ad-
visable to change the rates of the
latter company, the zone system
should be adopted.
Mr.. Ham of the w. r. E. T.. testi-
! fed that if service on his lines is
completely restored by. Friday. the
company will have lost $4,000 in re-
| ceipts, or 81 per cent, due to the
storm. .
Even if service is fully restored by
Friday. Mr.. Ham said. the company
| would suffer an additional loss of 10
per cent in pay passengers up to
February Is, due to delays in service
caused by traffic using the car tracks.
Capital Traction Men Present. ,
Officials of the Capital Traction
Company were present at the open
ing of the hearing, but up to noon had
not testified as to what rate of fare
they desire.
At the opening of the hearing VIII
liam NICK. Clayton asked Chairman
Keller if it would be permissible tc
ask the companies in this rate case
| what steps, if any. have been taken
since the last hearing toward 9
merger.
auiry would be permitted at the close
Of the hearing.
Mr.. Clayton also asked that the
commission inquire into the salaries
Of officials of the two companies
J when 1t takes up the question OF
| wages paid trainmen.
i Col. Keller also agreed to that Sug-
| gestion from Mr.. Clayton.
Upon opening his testimony, Will
liam F. Ham, president of the w. r
! and E., introduced an exhibit showing
the operating income of the company
! for 1921 as s1,077,s65.o7, showing q
| return upon the fair value, as fixed
by the commission, OF 6.17 per cent
using what the company regards as
it's fair value, the rate of return woule
have been 3.42 per cent.
! If the present rate of five tokens
| for IS cents had been in effect
! throughout 1927 Mr.. Ham said, the
rate Of return based on the commits.
! sion's valuation would have been 4.9t
| per cent, and on the company's valua'
| tion, Ell per cent.
Mr.. Ham presented another exhibit
| to show that If the present rate Of
fare is continued throughout tht
calendar year 1922 the company'i
income would be $764,313.5l, or &
return on the commissions valuation
OF 4.3S per cent.
Mr., Hams financial statement 70,
| the calendar year 1921 showed thai
| the following roads fell short oi
earning operating expenses by thess
amounts: Georgetown and Tenley.
| town. $12,3O7.59: Washington an,
] (Cont;nJed on Page 2, Column 6.)