The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-07-31
OPPOSES
PLEA FOR
10-C CENT
IA TE :
Tells Utilities Commission
Company Is Earning 20
Per Cent Profit.


On the heels Of an anonymous
communication charging him with
being a paid attorney for the
Washington Rapid Transit Conn
pany and the, Capital Traction
Company, William Mex. Clayton,
chairman of the public utilities
committee of the Federation of
Citizens Association, today filed
a petition with the Public Utili-
ties Commission for a reduction
in fare on the lines of the bus
company.
To Ignore Letter.
Maj. J. Franklin Bell, chairman of
the commission, has announced that
no attention win be paid to the
charges against Clayton because Of
the failure of the writer to supply
his name and address to the CON-
munication.
The missive, signed TX. z. r..
was written on July "a and sent TO
each member of the utilities commits
sion. 1t charged that Clayton is
drawing 500 a month salary from
the Transit Company, and further
asserted that because he was receiv-
ing this salary, Clayton had made
no move to oppose the bus company's
petition for q 10-cent rate.
Today's petition, friends Of Clay
ton point out, fully exonerates the
public's representative from the
yelled charges.
Makes Four Charges.
The petition for lower fares.
among other things, charges:
1. That the present Scent fare Is
unfair. unjust and discriminatory.
2. That the transit company Is
earning a return annually of 1873
per cent on its investment, an ex-
horbitant profit.
3.~That the bus company's books
include items for depreciation and
insurance. which items have never
been authorized by the commission
and are excessive, unjust and un-
fair charges against the bus rider.
4. That inasmuch as the COM
pany's own reports show % per
cent increase in passengers for the
first six months this year, the COM
pany can hardly support it's con-
tention that 1t is falling to earn q
fair return and needs a 10 cent fare.
fare.
''This heavy travel increase now
twinned with an increase of fare
asked by the company leaves us
a riddle that must be passed on
to. the Sphinx for solution" says
Clayton's petition.
1.-THE major traction companies Of
the District insist to the Commits
sion that they must maintain their
present high rate because their pas
senger lists are steadily decreasing.
Asks Reduction.
'"The Washington Rapid Transit
Company asks the Commission to
award it a 25 per cent increase In
fare with its traffic growing by
leaps and bounds.
1.-THE present fare Of cents 10
not the fair, just and non-discrimi-
natory rate of-fare contemplated
and allowed under the statute made
and provided.
Your petitioner respectfully
prays the Commission for such q
substantial reduction, in the present
rate Of fare that will bring it within
the purview of the Public Utilities
act and in accord with the rulings,
orders and decisions of the Commits
sion heretofore made
Clayton points out that the com
pany has earned $16,216 during the
first six months of this year. He
further declares that during the
same period the company set up for
depreciation and insurance from
earnings about $4,000. He asserts
that the commission has never au-
thorized or approved the setting aside
of this excessive sum from earnings.
Claims Earnings Big.
Continuing, Clayton says the
company's book value is S160,104,
pointing out that the property has
never been valued or appraised by
the commission. He says that u
comparison of the company's net
corporate income and It's value shows
1t to be earning return for the first
half Of 1922 of 10.1 per cent or an
estimated annual return of 20.2 per
cent.
Clayton says that when 26,049 in
the depreciation fund is deducted
from the 100000 it leaves the com
pany with a working base of about
$134, 900.