Evening star., 1936-06-20
PROMISES PROBE:
IF FIRMS ACTION
IS FOUND TIMED
Views SuspiciousIy Filing OF
Petition Near End
of Congress.
ROBERTS DEMANDS
CUT IN BUS FARES
Representative Hull Moves for
Inquiry-Company Holds
Increase Vital.

Denunciation OF the Capital Transit
Co. request for a boost in street car
fares to produce $431 600 additional
annual revenue came today from
Chairman Norton of the House Dis
trict Committee who questioned mo-
tives of the company in filing the
petition as Congress was about to
adjourn.
Promising a House Committee In
vestigation to determine if the timing
of the fare boost move was "premedi-
tated," Mrs. Norton advised the COM
pany to improve service rather than
seek higher fares.
A similar counter to the company
was made by Representative HUI.
Progressive, of Wisconsin, who
initiated the plan for an investigation
by a subcommittee into mass trans.
portation generally.
Roberts Demands Cut.
Reaction to the move was heard
also at the District Building, where
Peoples Counsel William A. Roberts
demanded reduction of fares on .
number Of bus lines, calling present
charges discriminatory" He also
planned a mass meeting of organized
civic workers for an attack on the
proposed increase in street car fares
from ia to 8b cents coupled with
elimination of the 81 weekly pass,
The Public Utilities Commission
promptly ordered its staff of engineers
and accountants to make thorough
investigation of all pertinent facts for
the record Of a public hearing to be
held early next Fall.
Mrs. Norton, who took a leading
part In forcing the street car merger
legislation through Congress, was
aroused when she heard of the COM
pany's petition.
She said:
II shall regret very much ever
having had anything to do with
merger legislation if the Capital
Transit Co. attempts to take ad-
vantage Of the actions Of Congress to
force higher rates
Promises Investigation.
81 should think the company would
devote its efforts toward improving
service rather than increasing fares.
The District Committee at the
next session of Congress will inveSti-
gate the mass transportation problem
in Washington. 1t certainly will de-
termine whether the presentation Of
the transit company's increased fare
petition in the closing days Of Con-
greSS was premeditated."
Representative Hull said:
The company would be unwise if
it attempts to increase fares before
offering the public better service 1t
seems to me that II the company
would speed up its service and install
better equipment, it would attract so
many additional passengers 1t would
not have to raise rates"
The investigation which Hull initi.
ated has been delayed due to other ac-
tivities of the chairman of the Streets
and Trafic Committe, Representative
Patman, Democrat of Texas. The full
committee authorized Patman's COM
mittee to make the inquiry about
lIlICC NCCho asO 1O1lOh1Alk A4OAA NOA4A-
plant Of inadequate service.
Company Maps Arguments.
Company officials marshaled addi-
tional arguments for adoption Of uni"
form street car and bus fares by rais-
ing the street car token fare from
four for 80 cents to three for IS
cents, with cash fare remaining at 10
cents, and making the token fare
apply to all bus lines.
E. D. Merrill, company vice presi-
dent and general manager, estimated
the requested revisions would boost
operating revenues by s43l 900 an
nually.
Roberts protested against continua-
ton of the 10-cent cash fare, without
tokens, on the Massachusetts, avenue
bus line. on the Connecticut avenue
express busSes, the Takoma rush hour
buses and on the Rhode Island ave-
nue. line and to the fixing of 'un-
reasonable and Discrimination" rates
on the Burleith- Trinidad. the Potomac
Heights and the HyattSville bus lines.
He declared rates on these lines are
entirely without justification" and
are unlawful" under provisions of
the utilities act.
He invited the presidents Of mem-
Der bodies of the Federation of Citi-
zens' Association and th9 chairman
of their utilities committees to con-
slider these questions along with gas,
electric power and telephone regula-
ton issues at the meeting June 20.
Merrill argued the proposed changes
would mean elimination Of transfer
charges between lines now having
different fares, actual reduction in
fares on some lines by the provision
for the token fare, such as on the
Sixteenth street bus lines, where the
charge now is 10 cents cash and use
of q SIPS pass.
Says Fares Were Dropped.
He said the average fare revenue
prior to the street car merger of De-
cember l, 1888, was 7.sS cents and is
now 81 cents. Under the suggested
uniform fare he figured that the
average would be SIS cents.
In support of elimination Of the 81
pass Merrill told the commission an
average of 80 rides per week nov is
made on each of the 81 passes with
the result that the passenger is paying
only about 3h cents per ride.
Additional revenues are necessary,