tion of its property, we believe that a considerable net saving might be made through increased traffic and reduced operating costs; but under present conditions the cost of power under the present contract is the only item of operating expense to which, upon the evidence available, exception may justly be taken. In estimating the total cost of service, a charge of at least $50,000, as already stated, should be allowed for maintenance and depreciation and an additional charge of $69,000 in order to provide for the payment of a return of 6 per cent upon a total investment value of $1,150,000. Upon this basis the company would appear to be entitled to a gross revenue of $270,215.38, Owing to the trend of prices for fuel, labor and supplies, this figure should be increased for the year 1918 to at least $275,000. As the total income of the company for the year 1917 amounted to $247,407.50, the company is fairly entitled to an increase of approximately $27,500 in its gross revenue through a readjustment of fares. The only opposition offered at the hearing to the proposed schedule of fares was directed to three subsidiary matters. One was in relation to the proposed fares on the loop line in the town of Gardner. The westerly side of this loop is located on Main street between West Gardner square and Gardner depot, and forms a part of the main line over which the company's through service is operated. The easterly side of the loop runs from West Gardner square by way of Gardner Center and Chestnut street until it joins the main line again at Gardner depot, and is served by a local line which is also operated over the main line as far as South Gardner. The business center of the town is at West Gardner, the town hall, the high school and the most important residential section are at or near Gardner Center and several chair factories are located in South Gardner. At present passengers can ride from any part of South Gardner to Gardner Center, either by way of Chestnut street or by way of Main street, for a single 5-cent fare. Under the proposed schedule the fare will remain five cents by way of Chestnut street, but passengers boarding the cars east of Sawin's bridge and taking the main street line will pay 5 cents to ride to West Gardner square and 2 cents additional to Gardner Center. The complainants asked to have the schedule readjusted so that passengers will have the option of traveling to Gardner Center by either route upon payment of a 5-cent fare. In our judgment, however, there is no good reason why a special adjustment should be made to enable passengers to travel by the more circuitous route, especially as they would be obliged to transfer to the local line at West Gardner square and would thus receive no greater frequency of service than would be available by using the direct route. Certain residents of Westminster also complained of the location of one of the proposed fare limits at Bacon street and asked to have it extended easterly to Worcester road for the benefit of passengers traveling towards Gardner. As the proposed fare limit takes in much the larger part of the village, the Commission, in view of the small number of persons affected, would hardly be warranted in extending this zone to a length of 1.4 miles. It is to be remembered also that the regular fare limit is at Bacon street, at the present time, and, while there is an overlapping fare to Worcester road, there is little justification for overlaps when the increase of fare in successive zones is only 2 cents instead of 5 cents. The other feature of the proposed tariff to which objection was raised is the abolition of the workingmen's tickets, which are now available during certain hours of the day between Orange and Athol. These tickets are sold in books of 40 for $1.25, or at the rate of 3 cents each. As there are two fare zones between Orange and Athol, the ticket fare between these points is 61 cents, as compared with a cash fare of 10 cents. In the form in which these tickets are now issued they can also be used by passengers riding in one fare zone only, thus reducing the minimum fare from 5 cents to 3 cents. This particular objection could be easily obviated by having the books made up of 20 tickets with two coupons each, but the company in its schedule has withdrawn the tickets entirely. These tickets were put in operation many years ago by the Athol and Orange company when it was operated as a separate company, but have been retained up to the present time by the present management. No similar tickets are available between other points of the Northern Massachusetts system. The Commission is of the opinion that this ticket rate under present conditions is too low to afford a reasonable compensation to the company and that it might also be regarded as constituting a discrimination against other communities served by the company. As the proposed fare schedule is on a radically different basis from the one now employed, it is difficult to make an accurate estimate in advance of the increased revenue which would be likely to result from its adoption. Certain fares under the new schedule will be upon a lower basis than at present and some decrease in riding is to be anticipated between certain points where the fares have been increased. In view of these facts and in the light of the revenue results from the recent adoption of a similar system of fares by other companies, the Commission is satisfied that the actual increase in revenue under the schedule filed will be well within the limit of the amount to which the company appears to be entitled. ORDER. Notice of the Northern Massachusetts Street Railway Company of proposed change in rates of fare upon its railway. It appearing that on October 26, 1917, an order was entered suspending until December 1, 1917, the rates and charges stated in the schedule described in said order and designated as Northern Massachusetts Street Railway Company M. P. S. C. No. 2, and that by subsequent orders said rates and charges were further suspended, unless otherwise ordered by the Commission, until May 1, 1918; and it further appearing that a full investigation of the matters and things involved has been had, and that the Commission, on the date hereof, has made and filed a report containing its findings of fact and conclusions thereon, which said report is herein referred to and made a part hereof, It is Ordered, That the orders heretofore entered in this proceeding, suspending the operation of said schedule be and they are hereby vacated and set aside as of April 30, 1918, and that this proceeding be discontinued. It is Further ordered, That a copy of this order be filed with said. schedule at the office of the Commission and a copy hereof be forthwith served upon the Northern Massachusetts Street Railway Company. By the Commission, ANDREW A. HIGHLANDS, APRIL 30, 1918. [P. S. C. 1921] Secretary. THE SPRINGFIELD RATE CASE. Notice of the Springfield Street Railway Company of proposed increase in rates of fare upon its railway. DECIDED MARCH 30, 1918. BENTLEY W. WARREN for Springfield Street Railway ComCLARK V. WOOD pany. CHARLES H. BECKWITH for City of Springfield. JOHN C. ROBINSON for Springfield Board of Trade. THOMAS W. KENEFICK for Towns of Palmer, Monson and Brimfield. E. A. MCCLINTOCK for Town of West Springfield. D. J. COAKLEY M. B. HOULIHAN E. A. MCCLINTOCK for City of Chicopee. LEONARD F. HARDY for Towns of Longmeadow, Russell and Huntington. WILLIAM V. BALDWIN for Town of Wilbraham. C. L. COOLEY for Towns of East Longmeadow and Hampden. GARDNER & GARDNER for Town of Ludlow. ARTHUR S. KNEIL for Town of Westfield. SCOTT ADAMS for Town of East Longmeadow. REPORT. On August 1, 1917, the Springfield Street Railway Company notified the Commission of a proposed increase in passenger fares to take effect September 1, 1917. Pending investigation, the new schedule was suspended until November 1, 1917, and by subsequent orders to April 1, 1918. Several public hearings were held, final arguments being concluded on January 5, 1918. The Springfield Street Railway Company owns and operates 187.5 miles of track. It is not wholly a city system, as its name might imply, for it also operates interurban and rural lines. The Springfield division takes in all of that city and the adjacent area. within the present 5-cent fare limits, including lines in the city. of Chicopee. The Westfield division connects at West Springfield, its main line extending through Westfield and Russell into Huntington. It includes the local lines in Westfield. The Palmer division connects on the east at Indian Orchard and takes in the local lines in Palmer, Monson and Ware, its main line extending through Wilbraham and Palmer into Brimfield. The distance by rail from the western terminus in Huntington to the eastern in Brimfield is about 50 miles. In connection with the Holyoke Street Railway Company, interurban service is furnished between Springfield and Holyoke and between Westfield and Holyoke; in connection with the Hartford and Springfield Street Railway Company, between Springfield and Hartford on both sides of the Connecticut river; and in connection with the Worcester Consolidated Street Railway Company, between Springfield and Worcester. The following table shows the mileage in each division and in the various cities and towns served, also the population at successive periods: |