Evening star., 1948-08-28
4=..:s 5zs3E!s=: :&kkitk &kki(E:~:,.. E::,.. EDITION
Fare Rise RuIinq
ByPUC Due in
Three Weeks
Increase Expected;
Arguments Completed
By Capitol Transit

Whether the Capital Transit CO.
gets a bus and streetcar fare in
crease was In the hands of the
Public Utilities Commission today
following filing of briefs by the COM
pany, the peoples counsel and two
other interested parties.
The decision of the PUG will be
; handed down in about three weeks,
according to James w. Lauderdale,
commission member. 1t Is generally
conceded at the District Building
that some sort of fare increase is
forthcoming, but how much is the
question.
Not only did the transit company
file its final arguments yesterday,
but its financial report for July was
submitted. 1t showed a deficit of
$25,ls7.
Wage Increase Blamed.
A company spokesman blamed
this deficit on the wage increase
that went into effect on July /.
The company based its claim for
increased fares, for the most part,
on higher costs of labor and equip
ment. 1t asked that the 10-cent
fare be raised to Is cents cash, two
tokens be sold for Is cents and the
$3.50 weekly pass be raised to $1.85.
The company brief reiterated its
arguments presented during the
i hearings in July and the first two
weeks of this month to sustain the
position that immediate relief" Is
needed to offset the effect of de-
clining traffic and vastly increased
labor and material costs"
Yesterday was the deadline for
the filing of the briefs with the PUG.
ODea Attacks Figure.
John ODea, Peoples Counsel,
maintained in his brief that the
company is in pretty good" flnan-
cial condition and the facts pre-
sented do not warrant as much of
an increase as it asked. He sug-
gested the maximum relief that
might be granted should be II cents
straight fare, five tokens for SIS
cents and $l65 for the weekly pass.
This is the same rate formula rec
commended at the public hearing by
Leverett A. Meadows, president of
the Manor Park Citizens Associa-
ton.
Benjamin c. Sigal, attorney for
the Wahsington Chapter of Ameri-
cans for Democratic action, filed a
brief urging the PUG to deny any
rate increase because the company
failed to sustain its burden of
proof that it is legally entitled" to
one.
The fourth brief was filed by
Harry r. Booth, attorney for the
Washington Committee for Con-
sumer Protection, also against any
fare increase.
He repeated his arguments, pre-
sented during the hearing, that the
company had not shown the present
rates to be unreasonable and that
the company had not shown in
creased rates were necessary.
Mr.. Booth charged his group was
denied a full and fair hearing by
the PUG.
13-Cent Fare Proposed.
Also before the PUG is rate
schedule proposed during the hear
ing by v. A. McElfresh. executive
accountant and auditor of the PUG.
Mr.. McElfresh labeled the transit
request too high" and proposed In
stead that the 10-cent fare be
jumped to 13 cents. that three tok-
ems be sold for IS cents and the
weekly pass for SITS.
The transit company financial re-
port for July showed that the deflclt
of s25, 1877 compared to net income
of ss2,7l5 for July, 1947. However,
the net income for the seven months
ended July 81 was $751; ,4l6, as COM
pared with s186,906 for the same
period in l947.
Operating revenues for the seven
months ended July 81 totaled Sl5,-
76o,157, as compared with $l5,659 .O37
for the same period in 1e47 operat-
ing expenses were sl2,516,475, as
compared with sl2,57l $50; taxes
were $1,3s9,7Sl, as compared with
sl,354,06s; provision for depreciation
was Sl,32l,980, as compared with
Sl,317,6l9, and interest charges were
sos4 444 as compared with $3l5 ,493.