Evening journal., 1913-11-22
WANT EXPERT
TO APPRAISE
TROLLEY co,
Solicitor VIII Abandon Strip
Ticket Fight Unless Value
Of Plant is Learned
COMMISSION GETS
BUSY ON QUESTION

CITY solicitor Daniel o. Hastings
ieclared emphatically to the mem
Ders of the Public Utility Commits
sion, at their meeting yesterday af-
ternoon. that he would have nothing
to do with the proposed investigation
into the rates Of the Wilmington and
Philadelphia Traction Co. which the
commissioners contemplate making
with a view of restoring the sale OF
the strip tickets, unless the commits
sion obtains an expert engineer TO
sppraise the plant of the trolley COM
pany
When the matter was brought up
before the meeting yesterday and MT
Hastings was requested TO make a
statement upon the subject, he de-
clared: 81 will not fool with the
proposition under any consideration
lnless an expert enehineer is secur-
ed TO appraise the intrinsic value OF
the plant
Mr. Hastings informed the mem
bers OF the commission that Judge
bradiord's adverse decision. at the
time the renewal Of the sale of the
strip tickets was first demanded, had
been based largely upon the fact that
an experts opinion upon the value of
the plan and its earnings had not
been secured by the commission
c. ID. Garretson, the new member
OF the commission, who was sworn
81 at the meeting yesterday. wanted
70 know whether the appraisement
G the traction company's plant by
the corps of assessment experts
.IHf 81.
Board Of Assessment. REVISION and
Appeals. for taxation purposes would
not suffice. but IL was shown that
this appraisement was upon the
plant value only and would not prove
any medium through which the utii-
ity board could get line' on the
value and earnings OF The plant. in
ciudins scale al depreciation
through forced installment Of modern
devices.
The members OF the commission
were unanimous in their opinion that
an expert on railway Systems should
be secured 10 appraiso the company
property. and a motion was adopted
TO the effect that the board COM
municatc with several mon or firms OF
tho type required At the meeting
Ar'N "Nhh tAN 'ailIN NhAiti Mdr INiN~
cussed and j. Jackson pcirco, prcsi-
dent OF the commission. had been re-
Qucsted TO. communicate with W. A.
Dennis. of Chicago whom Mr.. Jack.
son declared to DE one OF the best ex.
ports on railway values In the coun
Try. Alr Hennis has had wide expert
encc in tho line OF utility conpanl
appraisemept, and the board is desir
Qns pl securing his services. Nj
Peirco said Yesterday that he had nc
heard from Dir. Bennis tts
hr. Hastings said il was really no
up 20 the commission 10 make thi
appraiseemnt. but rather that il was
part which might wol be played b.
the citizcns who had urged the in
vestigation Mr. Hastings suggcste,
that the services OF Samuel IT. Hon
who was general manager of the vii
mongton and Philadelphia Traction
Company from 1908 to 1910. and who
is a practical engineer. might be So
cured in this connection. He cN.
planned that Mr.. Hoff has been viii
the concern as IL grew. and knows
from actual figures what the propert,
cQst While he declared that the ad
vice thus secured would not be Of an
expert, yet It would be valuable mas
much as Mr. Hon has connection
With the plant
Tho motion was then adopted that tb
board get into communication with ar
praisemcnt experts or firms of the typ
required for the purpose OF ascertainn