Evening star., 1923-08-02
HIGHER BUS FARE
REQUEST ASSA|lED
Clayton, Trying to Stop Hear.
ing, Calls Petition of Com
pany Audacious.

cOnsider the application of the
Washington Rapid Transit Company
for a 10 cent fare on its bus lines
until its property had been appraised
and a valuation set. William NICK.
Clayton. representing the Federation
of Citizens Associations. made an
unsuccessful attempt today to pre-
won't the commission from holding
the scheduled hearing on the bus
company's petition.
Ciayton's argument was spiked by
Engineer Commissioner Bell, chair
man of the commission. who main
tanned that no legal complications
could result from the holding of the
hearing under such circumstances.
Tho commission is familiar with the
points brought out by Mr.. clayton"
said Chairman Bell. There Is no
harm in giving such information and
listening to what is presented. There
can be no legal complications in
that"
AsxaiIs Company.
Later Clayton numerically assailed
the bus company, declaring that it's
application for ten-cent fare was
the most audacious petition ever pre-
sented to the commission"
THE men who drew up that petit
ton must think that the commission
ers are either fools or apes" he de-
clared. Nero himself. whose motto
was .Audacity. audacity. audacity.'
would never have had the nerve TO
bring such request before the COM
mission"
The ten-cent fare. Clayton added.
would give the bus company a return
of 40 per cent on it's investment. and
the figures of the commission will
bear out the statement.
Clayton called the attention of the
commission to ruling made soon
after its creation to the effect that
no changes in rates could be made
until the valuation of the utility
company had been established.
May Set Value.
Belief was expressed by some that.
as a result of Clayton's contentious,
before it rules on the bus company's
rate application to set valuation on
the company's property.
Conrad II. Syme, counsel for the bus
company. pointed out that the appli-
cation for an increase is based on the
fact that it is not earning an per
cent return on it's investment: that in
the two and one-half years of opera
tion of the bus service only $4,000
had been paid out in executive sala-
to $4,000 a year, and that additional
funds are needed to replace worn-out
and obsolete busses.
Would Sell Tickets.
MT Syme suggested that if the COM
mission could not see its way clear to
grant the 1O-cent fare the company
should be permitted to sell either Ave
tickets for 40 cents or six tickets for
so cents.
a. ~ -al
emphasized, would obviate the neces-
sity of the bus operators making
change and that the efficiency of the
service would be increased at least
10 per cent.
Patrons, Mr.. Syme said. have not
protested against the proposed To-
cent rate.
He advised the commission that it
would have a novel and difficult prob
lem in setting a rate of depreciation
on the company's busses. The bus
service as a public utility, he empha-
sized, Is in it's infancy and that there
had been a rapid development in the
bus chassis, and body since bus lines
were first established. Busses made
two or three years ago, he said. are
obsolete now.
Value of Dusscs.
The value of a motor bus cannot be
kept at par by return OF capital ap-
piled to one particular bus, said Mr..
Syme. A car that cost $4,000 and
has been in the service five years, he
said, has had spent at least that
amount on it for repairs. and conse-
quently does not have market
value of $1,000.
"The market value of a motor bus
is not one-fourth the original cost"
said Mr.. Syme. Provision has got to
nies are going to continue to live"
The ordinary life of a commercial
car, such as used in Washington, Mr..
Syme stressed, is about four years.
with an average run Of thirty-five
miles day. The rapid transit COM
pany's busses, he said, average about
one-hundred and sixty miles a day.
Between twelve and fifteen new and
strictly up-to-date busses are now
needed by the company to replace the
obsolete equipment, Mr.. Syme de-
clared.
Not single city in the United
States where busses are operated
have a rate of fare under 10 cents,
Syme said.
IF it be in the interest of the
public to give the company additional
returns on it's investment and have
the service properly conducted" Mr..
Syme concluded. Il hope the commits
sion will not hesitate to grant the
increase"
Robert II. Phillips, one of the wit
nesses, voiced himself In favor of the
proposed increase in bus rates and
also spoke favorably of higher fares
on the electric lines
The commission concluded it's hear
ing shortly before 1 o'clock. Among
those in attendance were officials of
/ the bus company, representatives of
trade bodies and civic associations
and officials of the Capital Traction
and w. r. G. Z. companies.
WIFE CHARGES DRINKING.