Evening journal., 1918-06-15

J. ailng expenses and we did fnvesti-
ID gate the question Of the economy of
r their operation, and we made such in
e. vestlgalions as we could, in the alb
ic sence OF an appraisal Of the replace
T. mcnt value Of their property, as 10 the
e rcasonableness of their fixed charges.
Z Upon this data. being all that we had
p or were able to get, II was necessary
/ for us TO base our action.
n II we had refused TO act at all until
Is we had made an appraisal OF the re-
placement value Of the Traction Com
e psny's property, so far as now ap-
d pears, we never could have acted. be-
5 cause the city has heretofore refused
r to furnish us the means with which 30
n make sucn an appraisal and we have
r no reason 10 believe that 10 would fur
e nish it hereafter. Even II the city
e would furnish the means, such an ap-
S praisal would have delayed our ac-
tlOn for at least six months, and by
= that time, under conditions existing at
the time the application TO us was
e made, the Traction Company would I
have been i'm the hands Of a receiver /
( with the inefficient operation that
? usually goes with a receivership. | /
had no question in my own mind but
II tluI llit UOdIu MlldL MdS dUSUlultlg
, the right thing in granting 10 the Trac
ton Company an increase OF fare which
amounts to practically t-ic per ride,
with transfer rights. A refusal TO
grant such an increase would, in my
Judgment, have been not only inimical
10 The interests Of the City of VIII
/ mngton at the present time, but would
have been unpatriotic and disloyal to
/ gba nafiapa1 arotarppaop4 fc nf tho
| highest Importance that the Traction, !
Company operate its lines with the d,
| highest degree of efficiency and the least
interruption from labor difficulties or
! otherwise. Such public utilities are !
recognized by the national administra- {
tiCn as Of supreme Importance in the {
existing emergency. Fares have been {
Increased i'm almost all communities ,
throughout the country. The cOmmuni- y
ties in which the fares have not been S
Increased are now the exception rather
than the rule In some places fares c
have been increased TO six cents; in
others TO seven cents: and in some
have been increased TO eight cents.
Only on Tuesday Of this week the fares
on the electric railway from Newark, D
New Jersey, 10 New York City, oper-
ating through the Tunnel, were in Il
creased from II cents TO q cents.
The charge involved in the cry OF
''watered stock" may be true. but our q
board has had absolutely no proof Of q
IT, We have been denied by City is
Council the funds with which TO get te
for ourselves the evidence to prove il
and no other interested party has pre-
sented any evidence OF it TO us. II is al
absurd TO suppose that the Traction D;
Company would come forward and n
prove to us that its securities are wa L
tered, nor have we. or any one else, OF
the power to make the Traction Com nj
pany do so. Unless we are able 20 make
the investigation and get the evidence h,
to prove IL ourselves, il is necessary for n
some one having an interest adverse y,
to the Traction Company to do it. sr
While the decision Of our board may =,
not meet with popular approval and oo1
while the public may believe that there n,
is water in the securities of the Trac- =,
tion Company and may desire to have - -
1t removed, they must realize the fact PT'
that it can only be done in a legal way 1
and that its removal could not, after .,
all, be finally determinative OF the ques- VI
lion as to whether the Traction Com !,
pany should be permitted TO increase ~
Is fares. DC DC
shall not at present refer TO certain su
lnwarranted charges made in a sup su
posed bill in equity. ! may decide TO IA
lct with respect TO such charges in
more effective way hereafter. Any
uggestion that the Board OF Public GA
Utility Commissioners connived with de
he Traction Company in producing a 81;
trlhe IS. II II has been actually made, Ro
c1uVro~ hrN 1.
n the manner appropriate thereto. tIo
The entire proceeding by City Coun-
II seems to me TO be an attempt TO
oerce and intlmidate the Board of tai
ublic Utility Commissioners. This
oard sits as a court, and after hearing
violence, renders its decision This ne,
ecision is subject TO review by the sul
uperior Court of this State, the only sol
over that can review it. and speaking yo
Or myself, | shall not allow nv actions vo
member of this board to be af- sui
ected by public clamOr or the action OF
ity Council. but shall continue 10 he en-
uided by the evidence presented and {
~ conception of my duty as It appears tn;
the particular matters with, which col
am called upon TO deal. !
g. d. GARRETSON, Ly
lemDer OF Board Of Public Utility wa
commissioners. 4
Following the reading of the state nc
lent by Mr.. GarretsOn, p. ]. Isaac. ono n
Il the Utilities Commissioners. was
allied and sworn, the oath being adj tio
mustered by Councilman Mearns. Mr.. 1
'aac was allowed to answer the oues- Ba,
ons asked while seated. At the re- G
uest OF Mr.. Robertson, Commissioner abe
'aac read an extract Of the meeting of sio
he Utilities Commissioners passed tic,
)metime ago asking that the Traction n
ompany furnish them with monthly Rol
atement showing expenses and reye- so
les as had previously been submitted he
the company and
Mr.. Robertson then asked "What was tim
cant by that statement?" per
Mr.. Isaac said ne could not answer son
lat without referring II 10 the board que
Being questioned further he ad
'essed Mr.. Robertson saving "NTr nc nc
please give me time" This M ~
used Mr.. Robertson to exclaim: Don't ~, ~
~ call me that, l can Stand for most 1'iS q
lything, but don't call be that" ,,os ~
MIR. Isaac then said that as far as SI
knew the report referred TO was the inc
port Of the accountants of tie com n
ny. W
President McAfullen Of the Utilities as 7
ard tried TO assist Mr.. Isaacs, where yyhe
'o1 Robertson informed him TO lei was
q witness alono that bfc g,,,, ......f4l :.