Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-13
Token Cost Raise to Four for
90 Cents Also Sought
of Commission.
FREE TRANSFERS WOULD
BE GIVEN CASH PAYERS
Utility Petition Requests That
Rate It Seeks Be Made
Uniform in City.

The Capital Traction Co. today filed
with the Public Utilities Commission
its long expected request for an in
crease in the rates of fare on its lines.
1t asked for a cash fare Of 10 cents per
passenger. with four tokens for 80 cents.
This will be accompanied by free
transfers between street car lines and
feeder" bus lines to passengers paying
the 1o-cent fare.
The company asked that the rate
Of fare granted to it be made uniform
In the District, which would mean that
the Washington Railway g. Electric Co.
fare would be made the same as the
Capital Traction.
Token Investment" Reduced.
The present rates. in effect since 1922,
are cents cash, or six tokens for 40
cents. The increase, therefore, to
those who pay the cash fare will be
cents per ride and to those who use
tokens, five-sixthS of cent. At the
same time, the cash investment re-
quired for tokens will be decreased
10 cents.
The request for the higher fares was
filed a year almost to the day since the
last similar request. On June IA, 1928
the company asked for either the rate
now sought or a straight Scent cash
fare with no tokens.
Merger Plan Stayed Action.
The Public Utilities Commission held
extensive hearings on this request, but
owing to efforts in Congress to effect a
merger Of street railway transportation
here, they informed the petitioners that
the request would not be granted until
Congress adjourned.
When Congress did adjourn March 4,
action had been prevented on the mer-
ger agreement in the Senate, and the
latter expired according to its own
terms on June l.
Valuation Is Cited.
The application of the company for
higher fares is based on failure to make
q reasonable return on Its valuh ton.
The petition sets out that the com
pany'S fare value as of December 81,
1928, was 26,oS0, ,144.72. On this val
uation the company said it earned an
income, available for return, of $9l3,-
SI2.32, or $50 per cent, on its fare
value.
This. the petition sets out, twas
totally inadequate, unreasonable and
conf1scatory of your petitioners prop
erty and rights under the Constitution
of the United States, by reason of which
your petitioner has been deprived and
Is being deprived of its constitutional
rights of the due process of law guar
anteed to it by said Constitution. "
Continuing, the petition states: Since
the fixing of the existing rates Of fare
in March, 1922, conditions affecting
transportation by street railway lines
have markedly changed. Wages have
increased and the number OF paSsen-
gers and revenue therefrom have
greatly diminished for reasons beyond
your petitioners control.
All possible operating economies con-
sistent with the public interest have
been effected, but in spite of them the
cost of transportation per revenue pas
senger has greatly increased"
The petition then goes on to ask that
any fare granted as a result of the petit
ton be made uniform on the lines Of
all street railways in the District.
Autos Cut Profits.
The petition states that should the
increase requested be granted the com
pany's income available for return will
be 81 1853, 900, which will be equivalent
to 1872 per cent on its fair value as OF
December 81, 1928.
Along with the petition to the COM
mission, John H Hanna. president OF
the company, issued statement to the
press, expressing the viewpoint of the
company and blaming the continued
shrinkage of revenue Of this company
on the privately owned automobile.
Had the directors" the statement
said" considered only the rights of the
company they would have filed an ap-
plication for an increase more than
four years ago and the application pre-
santed to the commission today would
have been made for very much
greater fare than they now request.
But they refrained from taking &C
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