Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-25
MERGER INVITATION
REJECTEDBY W.R. {.
Reply Is Made to Suggestion
of Plan by Public UtiI-
tiles Group.

The Washington Railway ~ Electric
Co. In letter to the Public Utilities
Commission today joined the Capital
Traction Co. in declining to submit any
new street railway merger plans at this
time.
Although the Washington Railway
& Electric did not go as far as the
traction company. which said fatty
that any revival Of merger negotiations
would be futile" the railway wrote I'VE
reviving those efforts ito accomplish a
merger unless there is some tribunal or
body which is In a position to act
promptly and with final authority on
any uniiication agreement that may be
arrived at"
The letter also stated that the merger
plan drawn up by the companies at the
instance of Harley p. Wilson, which
failed of enactment in Congress last
March, would have resulted in financial
sacrifice to the company in its original
form. and that in It's form as revised by
the commission and by Congress the
merger would have resulted in still
greater financial sacrifices. The letter
revealed that a quorum was not present
at meeting of the board Of directors
held Yesterday and that, therefore, no
formal action could be taken.
Answer TO Request.
The letter, like that of the Capital
Traction Co. was in answer to one sent
out by the commission on the 29th of
June asking the companies to submit
new merger plans looking toward the
possible accomplishment of street car
merger in the near future.
The text of the company's letter,
which was signed by william H. Ham,
president, follows:
Referring to your letter Of the 29th
ultimo, in regard to the possible merger
of the separate street railway com
panies. Owing to the absence from
the city of several members Of our
board of directors a quorum was not
present at the regular meeting of the
board held on the oath instant and
for that reason no formal action has
been taken in relation to the matter.
I'm your letter above referred to you
expressed the opinion that a merger
of the separate street railway COM
panies Is desirable for the best interests
of the people and that it should be
welcomed by the companies themselves,
and you asked to be informed 'whethtr
or not our company is willing to be a
party to such merger agreement and
to present 1t to the commission for its
action at an early date
Refers to Record.
1--WE would assume that our course
of conduct throughout the past few
years would constitute much more
striking testimony than anything We
can new say as to our belief that there
should be a unification of the trans
portation facilities, street railway and
bus,' within the District of Columbia
Reference to the desirability of merger
was made as far back as in the annual
report to stockholders fer the year
1919. The company has repeatedly at
tempted to point out the advantages to
the public Of such a merger and par
ticularly since the plans of the Govern
ment for an extensive building program
have taken definite shape has stressed
the need of a unification of transporta-
ton facilities, both street railway and
bus, in order that Washington might
have a transportation system adequate
and suitable for its needs.
However. 1t was not until the act
of Congress approved March 4, 1925,
that merger was authorized.
"On November 3, 1925. during the
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