The Detroit times., 1912-09-24
lHRtE-GfNT LINES COST
ONLY s4a,s72 A MILE
now LISTED At $134, 600
City Lawyer Springs Bomb in
Court Hearing on Hally
Ordinance Case
MORE INITIATION SHOWN
Cement Prices Set Down by d.
u. r. Expert Far in Excess
of What City Pays

The bomb promised, Saturday af
ternoon, for explosion In the Hally
ordinance hearing before Master-in-
Chancery Case, In the federal court,
proved, Monday. to be the report OF
the directors of the Detroit Railway
Co., showing that II cost only 81
9y0,S14 to build the 45.274 miles OF
track and the equipment In operation
on that line In 1895, when the sys-
tenn was practically new. This fig-
ures out an average of $43,072 per
mile, against $4,000 per mile which
was the average arrived at for the
entire Detroit United system in the
city by Engineer Rifenberick, the ID.
u. r. expert.
The introduction Of the statement
by Attorney Alfred Luoking was the
occasion of quite tilt between the
attorneys, Charles ID. Joslyh, who is
appearing for the ID. u. r. suggest
ing several times that Mr.. Lucking' Q
questions showed complete ignorance
OF the point at issue, while Mr.. Luck
ing replied that the attitude OF the
attorneys for the railway showed
that they are worried.
When the session opened, Monday
morning, Attorney Lucking endeav-
that the average price OF Portland ce-
ored to introduce testimony to show
ment paid by the city was $3.50 per
barrel during the fve-year period
from 1904 to 1908. Witness Rifen-
berick stated that his figure of $3.50
was taken from the average for Ave
years beginning with 1903. and the
city figure for the period was shown
to be $1.45. The figures will be in
troduced later In direct examination.
Then Mr.. Lacking led up to the
cost per mile. according TO the figures
of the appraisal, and Mr.. Rifenberick
testified that the cost for all classes
of tracks, including all the real es-
tate and equipment in use was $134,-
1893. He was asked IL the lines were
in the same condition in 1909 as they
were when they were constructed.
The witness explained that additions
had probably been made to take care
OF heavier traffic, though his inquiry
did not go into that subject. Then
the report of the directors Of the De-
troit Railway Co. to the secretary or
state, showing cost OF construction,
was produced, and Mr.. Lucking asked
the witness IL much of the property
included in the original cost was not
entirely valueless In 1909, and how II
happened that he valued the road at
a higher figure then, than the cost
shown in 1895.
"A railroad which has not in
creased I'm value for Ia years cannot
be conceived of in this day and age"
said the expert.
Attorney Lucking then turned to
the side-door cars and tried to get
the witness to admit that there had
been depreciation In the value OF the
cars after IA years use.
There is nothing in the appraisal
to show what the cars are worth to-
day." returned the witness. "A car
can be operated for IA years, and IL
properly kept up be as good for the
purpose for which 1t was intended as
it was when It was bought"
The next line OF cross-examination
referred to the practice of making
depreciation charges, and Mr.. Luck.
ing asked II II were not a fact that
the interstate commerce commission
required depreciation charge of four
per cent compounded annually.
THE commission allows a depre-
ciation charge" replied the witness.
but 1t does not fix the rate which
shall be charged. That Is left to the
various companies themselves"