The Washington times., 1925-11-07
Subways for Washington and
the Merger of Car Lines
By BILL PRICE

Looking years ahead the utilities expert OF the Pubic
Utilities Commission that the District will have to install
subway elevated railways to care Tor the 1OOOO people
we will then boast
Increasing density of population will make subways
elevated lines BOTH necessary Rapid transit lines were
completed in New York. Chicago and Philadelphia after the
populations of those reached 100000 This became
indispensable when surface lines unable to cope with
increasing populations
When we reach million inhabitants the density of District
population will twenty three persons greater
than that Philadelphia Chicago The wide and beaut
full streets Of Washington will be able carry that popu
ation through surface methods of transit So we We got
begin looking the construction of subways Neither
Congress the people Of Washington will ever stand for
ugly looking elevated lines.
The subject of subway construction touchy with
street railway companies Of the District They
way construction costly to be out of question in the
near future The would be prohbitve unless the
people OF Washington agreed to pay fares IN keeping with
the costs.
Though that is true railway companies should be
city Right their chief prospective merger
Of railway and bus lines under company. Financial
manipulation Of the most extraordinary sort is under
What's the use Of merging public utilities shrewd folks
on the inside make barrel" out of it?
Public utilities it must be remembered not much for
service public boosting wealth Of those the
inside when something is about to be pulled off, We
railways decreasing rapidly of bus and
t0n that the railways will have to be increased
fares to keep them going.
When You hear that turn to the financial pages Of wash
ngton newspapers There you'll that the stock
of the Washington Railway Electric Company quoted
around $500 per share That increase Of than so
points since that 90 per melon few months
ago The same stock six went begging at
Despite all the alleged lean returns and great hungriness
for larger fares this stock and with
It all the other stocks and securities of the two street
railway lines and the Potomac Electric Power Company
owned BY the Washington Railway and Electric Company
Experts of the Public Utilities Commission should
The future of Washington but they MUST LOOK into the
things now going
merger Of transportation interests here properly safe
guarded to the best interests of the public and stock
holders Of the local companies Congress and public en
ment though will sanction that merger if virtually its sole
object putting wealth into the pockets OF few manipu
1ators and spectators.
any merger is to take place on the basis sky high prices
for and other stocks thereby placing
value the merged company upon which the public MUST
PAY REASONABLE RETURNS IN THE FUTURE then
somebody representing public had better get busy
There has been merger Of financial interests that
spectators didn't reap all the financial benefits
The Public Utilities Commission and the people Of Washing
concerned but the Utilities Commission MUST NOT sanction
merger that reaps millions dollars profits
people and leaves the riding public hold the and pay
upon high and fictitious valuation after it is all
signs all point what is to be DONE There need
for the Utilities Commission to be caught mapping Congress
will The FACTS when legislation is asked ap
make long and searching investigation.
Consolidation transit interests here should do
for future construction of transportation facilities than under
the present competitive system The benefits from consoda
ton should be immense-benefs to the riding public
Sideways will only take of increasing density of
population but should relieve the surface congestion caused
by the operation of many street cars and automobiles
Congestion Of traffic is becoming more acute each day. with
the growth of population.
It has been that the cost of subway consruc
ton great that public credit must aid private capital
# eventually Congress should District financ
ally aid subway construction would first want to know
the fide amount of VALUE in merged company Con-
gres isn't going to allow public money to be mixed up with
fictitious valuation.
We take cognzance of future transportation needs in
the District We must get ready to meet situation that is
fast developing So it behooves the Public Utilities Commits
be wide awake many angles that do
to be receiving much attention.
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Going to the Ant Again