Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-17
COMMUTERS AT MERCY
OF RAILROADS BECAUSE
SOL0NS WITHHELD FUND
New Jersey Commission Unable
TO Employ Expert to Probe
P. r. r. Rate Evidence, AS
sociation Is Told
POINT TO BIG PROFITS

| Failure of the New Jersey Legislature
! to appropriate funds to tho New Jersey
! Public Utility Commission for the employ
| m"nt of Il rate expert, may handicap the
South Jersey Commuters Association in
( It's effort 10 prevent fare increases by the
pennsylvania and other railroads
This was brought out today at hear
| ing before the commission i'm the Camden
! Court House on the application of the
} Pennsylvania Railroad for an order from
the commission to increase fares,
Il. G.. e. Blakely, City Solicitor of Cam
den and counsel for the South Jersey
Commuters Association. asked the com
mission to procure an expert to examine
evidence to be submitted by the railroad
He said that the association was at the
end of its financial resources and was un-
able to engage competent rate expert.
Ralph w. w. Donges, chairman of the
commission, replied that the commission
would be glad to engage such an expert
but would be unable to do so because OF
the failure of the Legislature to make an
appropriation to cover such expense.
THE commission" said Mr.. Donges
mot only feels the need of an expert, but
we need increases to our general staff. If
you can impress our needs upon rhe Leg
islature so that we will get the necessary
appropriations. we will feel grateful"
BlalIely asserted that the interests of
the commuters would be endangered unless
an expert was engaged.
''lt is we'll known fact" he said. that
railroad statistIcians are able To juggle
figures in n manner to back up any case
which the railroad may care to present
Only a competent rate expert can see
through the subterfuge and keen things
straight. The Pennsylvania commissions
and commissions OF other States have ap-
pointed experts on their own volition. and
/ believe that the act which created the
Iar1pN- Nnt11g fggip 0rsNrn 81,
mission the power to appoint an expert.
This has been done by the Pennsylvania
commission in the case now pending Of
the City of Philadelphia vs., the Philadel.
phia Electric Company"
Chairman Donges replied that the COM
mission would analyze carefully all fig
ure5 presented by the railroad, but would
be unable TO engage the services of a rate
expert,
AS the matter now stands" he said,
THE commission cannot aid the COM
muters in the matter of an expert We
may be able, however, to give YOU some
little assistance within the limits of our
appropriation if public interest demands
it, but this will be extremely difficult"
Blakely then pointed out that financial
reports of the Pennsylvania and other
railroads for 1915 showed that it had been
th" best year in the history of these rail-,
roads. "
The profits We're larger" he said,
"than ever before, and these railroads
have been able TO pay higher dividends
than ever before. The application for
an order TO increase fares was made when
the railroads claimed that receipts We're
dropping Now 1t is shown that receipts
are going up. Therefore the railroads no
longer have any reasonable plea for
fare increase"
Some time ago the commission closed
the case, but made the stipulation that
the railroads could reopen the case by
presenting an inventory showing the
amount of money invested in property
used In intrastate traffic. IL was provided
that this inventory must show that a
proper revenue was not derived on this
money invested.
Early this year the inventory was pre-
sented 10 the commission by the Pennsyl-
vania Railroad.
Witnesses TO be heard today are EN-
ploye5 of the Pennsylvania Railroad, who
aided in compiling the inventory. The
hrst witness TO take the stand was J. b.
Reynolds, who assisted s. j. Fell. chief
statistcian of the Pennsylvania Railroad.
In making valuation of the company's |
property.