Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-01-07
RAIL WAY HEADS
ARGUE AGAINST
TRANSFER PLAN
Interested Citizens Crowd
Room When Utilities Board
Opens Hearing.
COMPANIES CLAIM COST
WILL EXCEED RECEIPTS
Capital Traction Official Asserts
Operating Expenses Under Five.
Cent Fare Exceeded Revenues.


Cent Fare Exceeded Revenues.
Representatives Of practically every
citizens association in the District of
Columbia, as well as trade bodies and
other organizations, packed the board
room of the District building when
the hearing on intercompany transfers
between the lines of the Capital Trac-
ton Company and the Washington
Railway and Electric Company began
before the Public Utilities Commission
today.
Opening statements of representa-
tives Of the street railway companies
at the beginning of the hearing bore
out intimations already published in
The star-that the companies purposed
to show at the hearing that even
on a basis Of straight f1ve-cent fares
the income of the companies is not
sufficient to meet increased expenses,
even without considering the question
of intercompany transfers.
Capital Traction Statement.
George E. Hamilton. president OF
the Capital Traction Company. at the
opening of the hearing read state
ment of that company's attitude on
the intercompany transfer question.
in which he declared that the Capital
Traction Company has not at any time
contested, and will not contest, inter-
company transfer points ordered by
the Public Utilities Commission after
a full and fair hearing.
John II. Hanna, vice president of
the Capital Traction Company, in
charge of operations. was the first
witness, his testimony being to the
effect that operating revenues of the
company for December, under the
straight five-cent cash fare, had been
any month during the period from
March. 1917. to August. 1918. inclusive.
In his testimony Mt. Hanna stated
that operating revenues Of the CON-
pany for November and December OF
last. aas. year we're Z .s less than sos a4y
uary and February and September
and October. Decreased operating
revenues In the latter two months,
he said. were due TO the influenza
epidemic. Tho December decrease he
attributed to the decreasing popula-
no possible way to Offset loss due
to this factor.
Expects Further Loss.
Mr. Hanna asserted In the course
Of his testimony that the decrease
Of operating revenue. due to decreas-
ing population, would. in his opinion,
be considerably larger than the es-
timated loss of revenue from estab-
lishmert Of system OF intercompany
transfers. as recommended in the re-
port Of JUi1n A. Beeler. tramc expert
employed by the Public Utilities Com
Coming to the question Of est-
mated loss to the Capital Traction
Company through esta tablshment OF
such as was recommended by Mr..
BeeIer, Mr.. Hanna said that, although
Mr., Beeler estimated that this loss
might approximate $50. 900 a year,
the company estimated it would prob
ably reach $500 year. and Ger, o
tainly would be as much as $50. 600
per annurn.
Will Abide by Decision.
Mr.. Hanna assured the board that
any decision 1t may make in the
future regarding intercompany trans
fers would be readily complied with
bv his company, but wished to impress
upon the board that there were cer-
tain points where conditions would
become deplorable II intercompany
named 18th and G. streets, 18th and
New York avenue and 17th and Penn
sylvania avenue.
"It is not necessary for me to say"
Mr.. Hanna stated, that traffic con-
ditions at these points are now bad.
despite all eur efforts to make I'M
will predict that In the
event that intercompany transfers
are adopted for these points conditions
will then be worse than they were q
wear ago before the changes recon-
mended by Mr.. Beeler and additional
remedies were put into effect" =
Another Difficult Point Cited.
The traffic at 14th street and Penn
sylyania avenue also would be sore1y
affected. Mr.. Hanna contended. al
though not quite SO bad as at the
three other points Intercompany
at this point would mean
that the Capital Traction Company
would be required to carry many bu-
reau Of engraving and Agriculture De-
partment employees who do not now
use the line.
In summing up his discussion Of
intercompany transfers at these
points Mr.. Hanna declared that the
travelling public would naturally be
made to suffer. 1t would be- to its
detriment, he claimed. because Of the
overcrowding of cars and the general
delay of cars throughout the entire
He then discussed that part Of the
Beeler report relating to the possible
loss of revenues II the universal
transfer proposition were adopted.
Shows Deprecated Traffic.
Concluding his > direct testimony.
Mr.. Hanna stated that the December
trafic on the lines Of the Capital
Traction Company was per cent less
than the September traffic, although
in December the company was oper-
ating a considerably greater car mile
age.
of applause by asking Mr.. Hanna
whether, in his opinion, the decrease
was due to an actual falling or In the
number of passengers carried or to
failure of the company to receive the
cash fares collected. Mr.. Hanna de-
clined to discuss this point, when
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