Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-09-09
seek To LEARN ACTUAL
VALUE OF CAR COMPANY
Streets Committee Proposes Probe
>-i In Connection With Higher
Fare Request.
DATE FOR HEARING is FINED
Officials to Present Claims for In
creased Rates on September 23.
!. Some Want Expert Investigation
OF Properties.

g..
~ Questions involving IN, proposed in,
crease in street car fares were takeI
up by the City Councils Committee or
Streets yesterday evening and Scptem-
Der % at O'clock was sen as the date
and time for hca ring on the subject
At that timr street railway officials
will be expected 10 definitely state
whether they Will he willing to pay the
expenses of complete Investigation
OF the affairs OF the Virginia hallway
and Power Company, including = physi-
cal valuation OF the company's prop
critics While IT has not been finally
decided that this valuation vii! no
made, the sentiment for Il was so
strong in the committee thai It was de
cided TO put the question OF poSS 10! e
expense directly up 10 the company.
At yesterdays session the conpanys
petition asking for an increase OF -
cent fares TO cents, with 2-ceut Trans
fers. was read, and r. Randolph WI
liams. general COUNSEL for the company,
that a special date be set for a hear
ing on the petition. He expressed the
hope that the hoaTnS would be an
early one, and said that the proposed
agreed TO BY the cities OF Norfolk and
Portsmouth and TIE Corporation Com :
mission acting in the Norfolk County
case. He declared that it WAS the de-
sire OF the company TO give its R!cA-
mond employees tho same wages as
the increase in fares justified ii other
cities
Wants Company to Pay.
Chairman Fuller at this point asked
that II the City Council saw 1T TO
appoint a commission TO examine into
Ing 10 pay tine cost OF making that
examination He declared that this
was the only way TO get at the merits
Mr Williams replied that tho com
pany's records were just as intelligible
to the city's experts as to any other
as available, He declared that a valn-
alton of property would be L great cN-
pense and would take great deal OF
time.
Nj. ru1ler asked II the increase
900 year. Mr.. Williams replied:
ably cut off abou, so per cent OF the
transfers. Such increases have gem
orally yielded about l. per cent Some
travel is entirely cut off,
Chairman FULLER then said that GER
tainly 100000 to 100000 was in
volved in the mater. and thai, there
fore the company should be willing 70
pay a few thousand for the expense of
making the Investigation.
Councilman English declared that
the company's rate proposition was n
serious thing for the people of the city,
already turdened by a recent street
car fare increase. and by the hish cost
pie had not had their salaries increased
in the past year. and yet they Were
CONSTANTLY asked to " pay inc cree; 5. :,
that II the company is going TO ash
for this increase on top OF the first
increase there is no assurance that il
will not be back in another six months
asking for still another increase
WANTS Thorough Probe.
He declared that the investigation
this time should he thorough and final
and that there should be a valua tior
Of the physical assets OF the company
as we'll as an investigation OF its books
He moved that hearing be held on the
subject at 5 oclocE Tuesday night It
requested TO give its answer AS 10 the
expense question a. that time. This
motion was adopted
doubt AS 20 the advisability OF ask
dng the company 20 pay the expenses
OF the proposed !nvestigat!on: !! logic
some o-e sao could make rais !avesti-
Aae.-aa Se4sen declared TIA, the
city ouSh, % max. me invesIiration,
and as i: @zrt.1 the Information !;
should pay .r-
-Ts. cf:y oerA: ro:- TIE ely has
~ Co., x51as > acer.e,5 g So: 3.' e.
DOR &c cs-:s.. 'ss-. TIE coma.ay Is
now ASKING coacAss.onE."
Alderman Guns: declared :aat c!-y
employees ought 20 b4 able 70 80 ire
work OF making the necsssa-y :-yesti-
cation
Fear Another Request
Chairman Fuller sad:
In eIpa-te hearing. eo~h az ve
have had heretofore. i is !.13oss. bic
FOR Us 20 arrive at an iateN gent con
Clrs!on. II we grant an increase VIVA.
assurance have I hat extensions
will be made or that we vi -ecslV.
anything in return. We shnr:'d nav.
experts 70 see what is proper 70 be
done don't believe that tho Council
will grant an increase on an evpsrt
statement"
President Thomas S. wheelwrfrh. /,
Of the company. declared that il had
been estimated that the Increased rev
erues from the increase granted in
February would he from 100000 TO
s256.0Q6 a wear, but the company's pay
rolls showed that its employees were
now receiving .24l 600 more than IN
the preceding year.
We have gone as Ear we can And
are right W 20 the hurdle on the in
crease question" ne said
Turning 20 Mr.. Wheelwr!Ght, MI
Z Fuller said;
'Mr. Cofer, the city, Con7trollcr
tod me tina: his investigation o, Your
i Books amounted 70 nothing II was
simply a veriAca, on Of figures"
& = Ny. Wheelwright dc9lored the posi-
biIity. o. long inv"s; cation. lie
said II would mean Gisconten. among
Is the employees Of the company.