Omaha daily bee., 1912-01-24
MAY CUT OMAHA CAR FARES
Sttte Railway Commission lllces
Refusal of Company to Report.
TWO WAYS TO TEST AUTHORITY
Mandamns Suit fl One and Order Re-
dueinx Fares Is Another-w. G.
Tire estffies In North
western Case.
oFrom a staff correspondent.l


company 10 make a report to the board
or TO give 1t any aid or assistance In
making a physical valuation OF its prop
erty. Some time ago John l. Webster,
as attorney for the company. made an
argument before the board in which he
contended the term railway" used in
the law giving the board the right 10
demand q report aud also the authority
to make a physical valuation, did not
mean street railways. The board asked
the advice of the attorney general and
that official informed them that while
there was doubt about their power under
the law. and that the contention Of the
street railway probably was correct, the
question at issue was important enough
to warrant the commission putting it to
a test.
Several plans have been suggested OF
bringing the matter TO an issue. one Of
them plainly being an action in court
to compel the company to make reports
All submit data for aid in a physical
valuation. This would plainly put the
burden on the state and in addition
would mean long litigation. ....
Might order Fares Cut.
Another plan which might be adopted
brings into play recognized authority
Of the board and in addition would throw
the burden upon the street railway COM
pany. That would be an order reducing
fares, the right to regulate which
within the reasonable return on the In
vestment Interpretation of the statute
is unauestioned. This method would
compel the company in its showing to
disclose practically all of the inforrna-
ton desired by the board, unless the I'M
expected should happen and the street
railway put the Scent fare into force,
which is a contingency to be classed as
improbable. This method is weak In the
fact that It would not settle the real
point at issue. but It would obtain the
Information desired for the time and the
legislature could correct the weak point
in the law for future use.
IRE ON witness stand.
w. G. IRE Of Omaha was on the stand
today before the railway commission in
the hearing on the physical valuation OF
the Northwestern railway. He testified
In behalf OF the state. He was ques-
toned particularly regarding the value OF
The company's terminals in Omaha. He
took for his basis the assessment made
by Assessor IL. D. Reed in Omaha In
1901. which he considered TO be on the
whole equitable. He arrived at the con-
clusion that the assessed value Of the
realty was s1.i. Its actual value. the lat
ter being arrived at by comparing trans
fers the prices at which owners held
and his own knowledge Of
Omaha values. He placed the severance
value at one and one-half times the ac-
tual value Of the property. whereas the
company insists upon a multiple OF three.
The state intends TO follow this up with
along the same line by Other
witnesses. not only on terminal, but on
right-of-way OF the company.
Bell Dominstcs state.
The merger OF the telephone lines was
yesterday afternoon when
Frank Woods. president. and c. J. Bills
81 the Lincoln company, independent, paid
10 the Bell company s.. 2os.o0o for its prop
srty in the South Platte country. The
Bell company also took title for the in
dependent property in the North Platte
country. The money paid the Bell com
pany was Immediately turned back into
The Independent company in payment OF
stock which is TO be held by the Bell
people. Not only is the field divided I'M
Ter the agreement between the two com
panies, but through stock ownership the
Bell becomes the dominating factor in
fact an over the state. though In name
retiring from the South Platte country.
The merger Will be effected February /.
Edna Car Injured.
Edna Carr, 16 years old, was knocked
Town and painfully injured by a street
car at sixteenth and o streets at $50
his morning. Mis- Carr was en- route TO
The high school from her home. She has
4 severe cut on the scalp and was badly
bruised, but no serious consequences are
At the Adventist conference today re-
ports were received from the different
states and all show substantial progress.
II is announced that the Nebraska Bot
Hers association. which meets in Lin
colin tomorrow. will take a decided stand
against the tariff on sugar.
Or. B. W. Van Ripper, professor OF
at Wesleyan university. has
resigned and viii accept similar posi-
lion IN the University Of Boston. The
resignation win be effective att he nd OF
the present semester. He will go TO Ger
many 10 pursue his stu1ies before taking
ID his new duties. Eext fall. IL. Bright
man, a professor OF philosophy at Mar
burg university, Germany. win take the
place made vacant by DR.. Van Riper's
resignation. ..-..
The Nebraska Retail Monument Deal
RS association meets tomorrow at the
LAndell hotel. One OF the topics TO be
discussed is to be the elimination OF
destructive competition.
The January term Of the district court
vas called this morning, but business
vas delayed for a short time owing to
grand turymen being delayed BY late
rains.