Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-12-10
RAILROADS PLEAD
FIRST IN HEARING
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to the stand when the hearing began
this morning.
Mr. Fell for more than two hours in
response to question produced figures
statistics and yoluminous reports to show
that the earning OF the Pennsylvania
lines during the year were so low that
an Increase was warranted.
In opening the session Mr.. PennypackeI
asked that the witnesses be as brief as
possible in order that certain factors OF
the case could be cleared away before
December 10. when the proposed increase
Is scheduled TO become operative pro-
vided no restraining order is made by
the commission.
Other members OF the commission sit
ting were s. LaRue Tone. OF Pittsburgh;
Milton j. Brecht, OF Lancaster; Charles
f. Wright, OF Susquehanna, and Emory
r. Johnson. OF this city. Among the
officers OF the commission present were
Archibald B. Millar. secretary; William
N Trinkle, chief counsel; George p. Will
son. chief OF the Bureau OF Rates and
Tariffs, and John p. Dohoney. investlga-
tor OF accidents.
NOTED RAILROAD MEN THERE.
More than score OF railroad ofiiclals,
representing not only the railroads con-
cerned in the hearing. but almost all the
railroads in the East were present.
Prominent among these were George
w. Boyd, traffic passenger manager OF
the Pennsylvania; W. @. Hope, general
passenger agent OF the Central Railroad
OF New Jersey John @, Whltmore. attor-
ney for the Buffalo, Rochester and Pitts
burghi A. C. Heard. general passenger
agent OF the Delaware and Hudson; j. b.
Stewart. general freight and passenger
agent OF the Ontario and Western; VIII
liam l.. Kinter, attorney for the Reading;
ID, N. Bell. general passenger agent OF the
Pennsylvania Joseph Richardson. assist
ant TO the president OF the Pennsylvania;
b. N. Bunting, comptroller for the Penn
sylvania, and H. w, Buckley, assistant
general counsel for the Pennsylvania.
F. j. Fell. Jr., statistieian OF the Penn
sylyania. was the first witness called.
He was crOss-ezamined by Mr. Buckley
For nearly an hour. IN response 70 ques-
tions. figures, statistics and yoluminous
reports were produced by Mr. Fell to
show that the earnings OF the Pennsyl-
yania lines during the year were so low
that a substantial increase was war
ranted.
Commissioner Emory r. johnson in
terrupted the now OF figures AZ ons point
10 ask II the railroads, ike other bust
nesaes. do not have their lean years and
their years OF plenty. Mr.. Fsll admitted
that such vas ths case
The attorneys for the commuters made
no effOft 10 conceal their pleasure az
Alr. Iohnson's inquiry II Is understood
that they viii bass Considerable argu-
meat upon this point. sho8ing that the
railroads ike an other Corporations,
should expect 10 feel the sdscts of The
general business depression. ana that the
temporary decrease Ia profits should %
borne ~ the aiockholtsrs ana not hy the
general public
During 1914. MF. Fell showed that the
property investment of tha Pennsylyania
vas increased by tzs5 o0o.oQ9 and the e.
ira crew Law and other laEIslalion addad
an additional s. ls0ooo
During 1919. approximately 5 per cent
of the total pA4zensers carried east 81
Pittsburgh ga the Fonn1yiVania lines
used eonamutAton tickets, according -
tnq neural presented Thig uauha4 rods
q peF cert 81 ths total passenger nliiaasa
"a tAe raaa. but oa'g pala 54 ~ etat
q fHe F=seHae
ir concluding hil ttsiimoav hr Fzll
declares toal the fenravIta va eafn-
~ ~ zrsa So Ceat - W nasaea
st 4 tae zoad 80 aa al
q i ..