Evening star., 1932-02-26
Commissioners Refuse to
Modify Stand on Paving
Assessments.
UTILITIES BOARD STANDS
FIRM ON AMENDMENT
Members Decline Companies Pro-
posal for Possible Inclusion
of Taxicabs.

The Capital Traction Co. and the
Washington Railway g. Electric Co. met
with two rebuffS yesterday in connec-
ton with the pending street car merger
bill
The first came from the District
Commissioners, who refused to modify
their stand with regard to paving as
SeSsmentS provided in the bill, the COM
panleS having previously proposed an
additional paving cost in exchange for
their acceptance of the measure. The
other was administered by the Public
Utilities Commission in refusing to
change its proposed amendment, sub
mitted Wednesday to the Senate Dis
trict Committee, in which the merged
company would be held strictly to street
car and bus operation.
The companies had wanted to take
in all forms Of transportation, which
would include taxicabS. The whole
thing hinged on the inclusion Of the
word mass" when referring to the
modes of transportation.
Counter Offer Made.
After a conference with the heads of
the two traction companies late yes
terday, Maj. Gen. Mason M. Patrick,
Public Utilities chairman, said the
companies countered with a proposal
TO substitute a clause requiring ap-
proVal by the commission of any other
form of transportation.
In the face of growing taxicab COM
petition, the street Car companies had
strongly contended that the bill give
them authority to operate cabs in the
future If they so desired and the first
draft of the merger bill contained that
stipulation.
The question Of paving assessments
arose again when the District Commis-
sioners, in letter to the two companies
any assumption of paying costs in
addition to those embraced in the re-
cent report to the District committees
of Congress.
These were that the District Gov
eminent would assume the cost of all
bridge paving and three -fourths of the
cost of track paving on new streets,
together with the payment of approx
mately $115,000 in salaries to the
street crossing policemen.
In exchange for accepting the merger
bill, the companies said they would
agree to do all the paving patchwork
and repairs incidental to track re-
Mobilization, provided the District Gov
ernment would pay three-fourths the
cost of all complete paving jobs.
Small Saving Seen.
The Commissioners, in their letter,
pointed out that less than 100000 a
year would be saved under this plan,
according to the companies own
statistics. They added:
If your companies have full conf
dence in the accuracy Of these figures,
it Is difficult to see how such an amount
could stand in the way of acceptance
of the admittedly large benefits which
would result to you from merged con-
ditions"
The Commissioners take the position
that the concessions already made by
them and approved by the Bureau of
the Budget as being in accord with the
financial policy of the President are
very substantial-over $150,000 year
and are the maximum that can be ex-
pected of the District of Columbia"
The letter stated in conclusion that
the additional contribution" requested
is considerably less than that hereto
fore approved by u.s. and that, there
fore, the Commissioners have gone
more than half way. Furthermore, no
source of revenue is in sight from which
the District could hope to recoup any
such additional contribution"