Evening star., 1937-06-26
CITIZENS ARE SPLIT
ON TRANSIT FARE;
HEARING RECESSED
Divergence of Views Shown
in Testimony Before
Utilities Commission.
MANOR PARK SPEAKER
URGES HIGHER CHARGES
Says Company Should Be Able
to Pay Dividends and .
Improve Service.

While generally criticizing the serv.
ice given by the Capital Transit Co.
| spokesmen for civic ORGANIZATIONS
ofoKe ranks yesterday while testifviny
before the Public Utilities Commission
on the company petition for an in
creased token fare
Some witnesses did not debate tho
proposed fare boost at all. few
supported the counter proposal Of the
reoeratlon OF Citizens Associations
Tor six-month trial OF scent
1are. and two witnesses voiced argu-
ments in favor of a higher token
fare
Inc hearing was adjourned until
Monday morning, when William Mex.
clayton, veteran utilities leader of the
federation, will call number of addi-
'ional witnesses. including William M.
keeler, representing the Machinists'
Union OF the Navy Yard. CLAYTON i,
the principal champion of the scent
fare plan
The split in the federation's ranks
was emphasized by the testimony bv
george A. Corbin, speaking for the
manor PARK Citizens Association. who
Is a federation delegate. Corbin fav-
ored an increased fare, insisting that
the company should be able to paw
ol'loends. He argued higher fare
would benefit the whole District bv
enabling the company to buv addi-
tlonal equipment which would improve
its service
Taking slap at the Scent fare pro-
poSal. which he had opposed in the
past federation meeting, Corbin said.
III you dangle a scent fare and a
dollar pass before the people, YOU can
always get vote"
Three for Quarter Bargain"
Corbln said it was up to the COM
mission 10 decide between the COM
panYs original request for an increase
IN the token fare to three for Is
cents or its latest request for an in
crease to four for 35 cents. but he
said the idea Of three for quarter"
would sound like a bargain" The
extra 10 cents for four tokens. he said,
might give the suggestion of a '.nui-
sance tax"
Ccrbln spoke highly of the express
ous service provided for Manor Park
and Takoma. and when questioned
oV others who had testified agreed
there should be a differential between
fareS for express bus service and the
regular transportation. He said. how
ever. the express bus fare should not
go above the present 10 cents.
E. D. Merrill. company president.
explained that the company proposal
would make the fare universal at four
for 35 cents, or 10 cents cash or use
OF the Sl25 weekly pass. This would
provide token fare for the express
buses. Corbin voiced fear that a
reduction of the express bus fare to
token fare would overload the ex-
press lines and take passengers from
the local services.
Mrs. H. M. DickerSon. one of several
Spokesmen for the Fedora ton of Wom-
ems Clubs. deplored services given To
the Woodbridge area and declared one
man street car operation to be dam
serouS. When S. r. Bowen. company
counsel. asked if she had ever seen an
accident caused by a one-man car
Mrs. Dckerson said she had not. but
have seen escapes that were close
enough to cause gray hairs" She pro-
| tested also there was no adequate
| croSs-toWn service.
Demands Scent Fare.
Demands for a trial of a Scent
| fare and for a restoration of the 81
street car pass were voiced by Mrs.
E. Morgan Pryse. chairman of the
Legislative Committee OF the FEEDER
alton of Women's Clubs She declared
the service of the company did not
Justify an increase in fare
Mrs. Lloyd w. Biddle. president of
the Women's Club Federation. said
she cid not believe an increased fare
was justified at this time" Under
| questioning by Bowen she said the
federation had taken no action on
the case. but added she felt she could
speak for hundreds of clubwomen.
Louis A. Day Of Hyattsville reported
that the 1nterfederation Conference.
consisting of delegates from civic or
ganizations in the District. as we'll
as in Prince Georges, Montgomery
and Arlington Counties, said the con-
ference was opposed to one-man street
cars and wanted the ST weekly street
car pass restored.
Washington Y. Boyd, speaking as
member of the Petworth Citizens
Association. protested that the stand
ing load of passengers carried in
buses was dangerous He suggested
there should be limit to the seating
capacity. He added that wood mall
lets should be carried in the buses
so the passengers could break their
way ous in case Of an accident which
would overturn the buses and block
exit through the doors.
Horace M. Fulton, a member OF
the Logan-Thomas Circle Citizens
Association, while opposing an in
crease in fare, cited the experiences
Of some street railway companies
which had finally gone bankrupt due
to loss passengers resulting from
a boost in fares.
Earlier yesterday, Milo H. Brink
ley, speaking for the Georgetown Citi-
zens' Association, insisted the COM
pany was entitled to reasonable
compensation and argued he didn't
see how there could be a reduction in
fare since the company was not maxi
ing reasonable return on its present
rates.