The Washington times., 1922-04-19

WOULD BAR
BUSINESS
OF RIVALS
Ham Says Competition Has At
fected Traction Lines-Asks
Motor Permit Be Revoked. 1

ssIf motor bus lines are to be
operated in Washington. let us
operate them"
This was, in effect, the surpris-
ing offer rendered the Public Util-
tiles Commission today by Viii
liam f. Ham. president of the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company.
Mr.. Ham indicated that the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company has become alarmed over
the success of the Washington
Rapid Transit Company. and in
self-defense the street railway
Company. will go into the motor
bus business.
Admits Competition.
The Petworth motor bus. line. now
in operation, he said. has 'irrepar-
ably damaged his company and the
proposed bus line for Rhode Island
avenue viii greatly damage" his
company.
The traction heads discussion was
before the Public Utilities Commits
sion. which was hearing the COM
pany's protest against the proposal
of the Washington Rapid Transit
Company to extend it's service TO
Rhode Island avenue.
The Utilities Commission was told
that the Washington Railway and
Electric Company has reached the
conclusion that the question Of mo-
tor bus lines in the District of Co
lumbia as auxiliaries or supplement
tary services to the traction lines
should be gone into at length and
that his company stands ready to
operate those needed.
I'VE think II is in the interest OF
all that we know where we are at, 4
Mr.. Ham said. mo effort is made
I'm New York to conceal the fact that
the motor bus Is used In an effort to
run the electric car line out of busi-
ness" - p
Col. Charles Keller, chairman OF
the Utilities Commission, interrupted
Mr.. Ham TO say that mo such object
exists In this commission"
MIR. Ham said he had seen no
move that would indicate such dis
position on the part OF the commits
sion.
If motor bus lines are to operate
here, Mr.. Ham said, they should be
operated on a plan that would make
them interlocking.
Should numerous motor bus lines
be allowed TO operate by the Utilities
Commission. none of them making
the proper connections one with the
ether. there viii be situation that
win be intolerabie, he said.
Outlines Proposal.
Mr.. Ham told the Commission he
was authorized to say for his com
pany that they would operate mo
tor bus line from North Capitol
strea down Rhode Island avenue to
Iowa circle and thence to Dupont
circle should IL be shown such a line
is needed and should the Cornmis'
sion go further and revoke the per.
mst already grained the washington
Rapid Transit Company
THE motor bus line proposed for
Rhode Island avenue would make
= charge OF 8 cents. Mr.. Ham said
his cropositSon was a motor bus with
q fare Of six tokens for 40 cents and
transfers at Fourth. Ninth and Elev-
enth streets. t .
Protesting against the operation
Of bus lines by corporations other
than the Washington Railway ana
Electric Company, Mr.. Ham said
that the Washington Rapid Transit
Compsny's entire capital Is given as
only yf04;Ss0, while the Washington
Railway and Electric Company last
year paid gross receipt tax of $780,
900 and spent several hundred thou
sand dollars for improvements.
The traction company viii spend
s14s, 900 this year on the Georgia
avenue line, Mr.. Ham said. He
stated that one of the citizens asso-
citation publications referred to that
T. iine as the .sToonerville Trolley and
added there may be something In
what they say.
Business Decreases.
Between February 10 and April
1a of thie year. Ham told the com
mission, the, Washington Railway
and Electric Company had a de
crease in business of f-3 per cent,
or stss.57s for the year at the same
rate.
The Capital Traction Company
has also suffered from decrease
in business, Nam declared.
The loss by the Washington Rail.
way and Electric Company, Ham
!. contended, was due in part TO the
= ~.~~.~< ,x,y, NJ the rnofor brIQ-ffue.