The Washington times., 1929-08-23
RERDIJ TING.
BENEFIT.
CITED

With a merger Of street car
companies looming in the back
ground, the Public Utilities
Commission today turned its
attention to the benefits to be
derived from routing cars Of
Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company over tracks of
the Capital Traction Company.
William F. Ham, president of the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company was forced to-. set aside
for the moment his companys plea
for a 10-cent fare with four tokens
for 80 cents, to combat the move.
ment of joint use Of tracks.
Ham Opposes Move
He declared that rerouting cars
over any one line would be liable
TO disrupt service on all lines of
each company and that he did not
think any economies would result
from rerouting.
Commissioner Harleigh Fl. Hart.
man continued to harass Ham with
. series of questions as to rerouting
and finally drew from the traction
company head that it probably
would be beneficial to the public to
route Wisconsin Avenue cars from
points in Maryland into the city
! over the Pennsylvania Avenue
tracks of the Capital Traction Com
pany.
Voicing his opposition to the
entire plan as outlined by Hart
!, mans questions Ham said:
Any radical changes such as
those suggested by Mr.. Hartman
would require considerable study as
to the character of service on ali
lines of the two companies. Anv
changes in routing is apt to disturb
/ the whole situation -
He pointed to change in the
schedule of cars on Wisconsin
! Avenue and said the companies
experts have been working for
months studying the proposed
simple change In time schedules.
Gen. Mason M. Patrick, chairman
Of the commission, asked Ham If
1t would not be possible to make
beneficial changes in street car
routes il there was only one street
railway company in Washington.
Ham replied that 1t is very much
matter ot public approval as to
. whether the changes would benefit
service.
"As soon as You disturb habits of
the public, You come In for criticism
{ from that part of the public whose
habits have been disturbed" Ham
asserted.
AE41
/ utilities chairman of the Federation
: Of Citizens Associations and cham
pion~ of the people in scores of con.
flicts with the traction companies,
called Ham to the witness stand as
I his own witness in an effort to tract
down phantom" profits derived
Hams company.
Admits q Profit
The car company has a contract
+ with the Potomac Electric Power
Company whereby it can manu-
fscture only electricity it needs at
the Benning Power Plant.
Clayton drew from Ham the ad-
mission that some OF this power Ia
sold at q profit to companies out.
side of the District.
4 As Clayton pressed Ham for an
/ explanation of where the profits
went. attorneys for the car COM
pany leaped to their feet with a
storm of objection.
After wrangling for almost three
quarters of an hour the traction
attorneys won their point and the
Commission held that Clayton could
not question Ham about any opera
I tinns outside of the District,
Clayton also forced Ham to ad-
I nit that even IL 1t is granted the
fare increase asked for it will still
consider the rate Of its return on
its investment confiscatory and that
] there win be less chance of the
public getting desired improvements
I in service than ii the company was
/ making what 1t considers a fair
profit.