Evening star., 1937-12-02
Further Correspondence
On Rapid Transit Question

in Baltimore. ReceNership, new certifi-
Gates issued with face value of s., 900,
but present market value Of about
$100-10 cents on the dollar. The Scent
fare was tried out, but no luck. More
riders, but less receipts and, of course,
more work for the motormen. Right
here financial difficulties landed the
w. B. 81 A. in the ditch-400 permanently
out Of Job, and big losses to stock-and
bond holders.
Why not three tokens for a quarter?
Because the customer, after taking three
rides, might invest in a wheelbarrow and
have his half-grown boy trundle him
to his destination. But under the six
token system he must at least patronize
the company half dozen times be-
fore he may resort to such desperate Loco
motion.
Our old friend, human nature Of course
is at the bottom of most OF this. We
hate to fork out. A necessary article
ought to bring reasonable price. And
mass transportation is necessity.
FRED VETTER.
n ~
To the Editor Of The Star:
Judging from the criticism from differ
ent sources there are some who are not,
in constructive way, trying to aid the
District Of Columbia Public Utility Com
mission handle the transit problem to
the best interests of the riders. Most OF
the critics do not seem to take a prac-
tical view of the situation in that they
do not appear to think that an adequate
credit base for the Transit Co. is at all
n O ka tho irop re ,a1
demand. On the other hand they have
no objection at all about increasing the
debit side of the companys accounts,
some demanding that all large cars and
buses be operated by two men.
Unfortunately, the nature OF the
Transit Company's business does not
make friends for it. The peak loads,
which come in the morning and late aft
ernoon, move only in one direction at
time. This inevitably means crowding
for the passengers, who crowd into the
first car or bus that comes along, and
added expense for the company because
much expensive equipment has to be
provided for limited use only.
What is wrong with the local street car
and bus system is apparent to any OBJ
server provided. of course. he is not q
confirmed opposition advocate. The trou-
BILE lies in the fact that the Capital
Transit Co. has lost much of it's profitable
short-haul business due to cruising taxi
cabs and people generally moving fur
ther away from the business section of
the city together with increased cost of
labor and taxes. The taxicab, like the
truck, does not actively compete for the
not so profitable long-haul business, but
1@-r 4. - h1 H.
tation companies. AS a matter of equity
the local Utility Commission may have
to establish zone system, but it will
meet with considerable opposition from
the suburban organizations, who nat
urally wish to maintain their fare equal
ity with the short-haul patrons.
Public ownership of the local trans
portation system which is being agitated
by some people, would be of decided ad-
vantage to the regular patrons because
the approximately half of the District
residents, who depend largely on pri-
vate automobiles and taxicabs for their
transportation, would have to assume
their share OF the purchase price. The
owners of the Capital Transit Co. would
also be fortunate in being able to col
lect on the appraised value of their prop
Il
which is very low.
In the end all this criticism should
make for better understanding of the
problems the District Public Utility Com
| mission is trying to solve and demon
strate to all who are open to conviction
| that the only way the Commission can
help the public is by helping the Transit
| Co. j, F. SMITH.
| To the Editor Of The Star:
| Permit me to join in thanking you
| for the candid portrayal by Mr.. Chinn
| OF the affairs of the Capital Transit Co.
A. friend remarked recently, that
though having lived in many cities, con-
ditions here were different from any place
in which they had previously resided
| Reference was to the use Of the public
highways as free garage space with its
of the local transit system as a butt
or target for every citizens group, O,
labor union with a crouch, regardless OF
facts or reason, or just plain publicity
seekers with no other means of break
ing into public print.
| have often wondered why certain
1
trouble over the years in stirring up and
creating every possible difficulty for the
organization, admitting its inperfections
This is an angle which have never seer
mentioned in the newspapers, and there
follows q few facts which I have beer
able to CLEAN concerning . few Of these
self-appointed champions of the people
as follows:
A few years ago a certain late gentle.
man cleaned up a tidy sum-a quarter o.
a million or more-on w. r. E. Co., com.
mon stock. Only after disposing of his
holdings at this tidy profit did he sud.
denly become extremely agitated con.
cerning the financial welfare Of the par.
ents of Washington school children; be.
coming, perhaps, the foremost agitatol
for the Scent fare, which costs the com
pany loss Of an equal sum on each pas.
senger carried, if am rightly informed
This kindly philanthropist would nj
doubt be dubbed liberal today in Ger.
tain quarters II still among us; hbera
of type only too common these days
liberal with other peoples money. St
much for that.
Another present-day crusader, afte1
arriving here from certain State, has
during the past 10 years, managed sue.
cessfully to keep himself In the publ,
eye by opposing on every possible occa.
sion everything the transit compan,
wishes to do. Good or bad, right o.
wrong, he's "agin It," His consistency
at least Is consistent in that he is Away
In orpnsittny1