Evening star., 1925-11-23
TRACTION MERGER
ACTION IS SOUGHT
BY UTILITIES BODY
Commission Asks Street
Railways for Data on Steps
Already TaKer-
FURTHER LEGISLATION
MAY BE RECOMMENDED
City Officials Hint That AID of
Congress Will Be Requested
If Found Necessary.

The Public Utilities Commission
today addressed a query 10 the tuo
street railway companies, asking
them what progress has been made
toward q merger and what the pros
poets are for an agreement in the
near future
The commission told the companies
il wants this information in order
a. recommend further legislation g.
Congress on the question If the com
panies Jointly do not or cannot do
50.
Maj. " E T. Covell, assistant
Engineer Commissioner, assigned 70
utility problems, made public the text
Of the letter, which was sent 10 the
Washington Railway and Electro
90. and 10 the Capital Traction Co
Text of Letter.
The letter Is as follows.
"Gentlemen Al the time Of the pa
sage of the voluntary merger hlii
the last session Of Congress II wa
understood that representatives Of the
COMPANIES We're OF the OPINION tha
best results could he obtained bS a
lowing the companies InertSetNeS 1"
WORK out Il pIs+i 4ol AA4'itNi
ton and have the result corslderea
and approved by the PunAc IAI1ies
Commission.
I'm view of the short time before
Congress conveneS, the commission
desires 10 know what progress. u any
has been made by the companies. q M
if there IS any probability that the
companies viii come to an agreement
on this matter in the near lutul
without further action by the coilllnls-
sion. This information is asked AZ
this time because the commission &c.
sires 10 make recommendations Io
Congress for legislation concerning
merger. if The companies Jointly q"
not or cannot do so.
VERY truly yours,
f. Y. FISHER,
Executive Secrsts3-E-
There have been numerous reports
of activity on the part Of the com,
| panies looking to a unified system
7 since the North American Co OF New
York several months ago made
( thorough survey of local transporta-
tion conditions, but nothing formal
or definite has come 10 light thus far
Acted as Stakeholder.
The commission was prompted 70
make inquiry at this time TO obtain
dGinlje KNOWLEDGE Oh tue >4tAdI-1Lt
before Congress convenes.
1t was pointed out al the Distrlct
Building today that the action Of the
North American Co. in having com
prehensive study made of the Wash
| ington transportation systems rep. &
scented only the activity of III indi-
vidual Stockholder.
The letter made public today is the
first formal move the commission has
de to bring the companies toActhea
since the completion of the transpor-
tation survey in September. Tn"
/ commission apparently desired to
! wait ana observe what headWay the
! companies themselves would be able
! 20 make before suggesting anything
! itself.
| Legislation Removed Barrier.
! The voluntary merger act passed hy
=! the last Congress merely removed the
I legal barrier to a consolidation which
] rad existed heretofore. and provides
! that the terms of such voluntary
f, merger should be ratified by Congress
| after they had been worked out.
| 4 few months after the passage Of
! that act the North American Com
| pany, which has investments in the
/ local transportation field, sought the
! cooperation of the commission in max
! ing the survey of the city's trans
1 portation facilities. 1t was stated
when the survey began that the in
! formation thus collected could be used
to determine the feasibility Of con
/ Solidation.
! 1t is expected the letter sent by the
commission today will clarity the sit
uation and guide the commission in
deciding what additional legislation.
| if any, it should recommend TO tie
] new Congress.