The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-04-18
SnR. pRETTUSS ADMITTED THAT BE
HAD 30 FIGURES TO PROVE
THAT FARE BETWEEN ANY
TWO POINTS WAS TOO LOW
FOR PROFIT.

CITY Solicitor ". J. CnIltran yesterday
made the prediction that the state public
sseryice commits sion win not permit tho
Wheeling Traction company 10 increase
its fares In Wheeling. Solicitor Culhnan
;explained his prediction by saying that
tthe commission had ruled that 1t Will
mot prant increases above those speo-
med in city franchises. unless the street
lear company offers very positive evil
idence that it cannot operate on its pres
tent earnings
Mr.. Cullinan succeeded IN breaking
tdovn much Of the com panyS testimony.
Iwheo he introduced the citys franchise
with the company which has ~ years 70
sr,n and which provides that the Wheel
ling Traction company must carry pas
fsensers from any point within the CITY
ito any point within the city for I'VE
Affa- ne offered the franchise Mr..
S<ult1nan 3s&ed E D. Dreyfuss, traction
exert and consu hing engineer:
(. "Haxe you any figures on your com
spany's books to prove tha you can no&
carry a passenger from any point w7thin
.<he city Of wheeling TO aoy point ~41nlh
nhe city Of Wheelinsr
! MI: Dseyfrss answered We have no<-
sThe witness then explained MS ans"er
by saying that the company Is deeply 10
tho hole finarc4ally and IS becoming
unoro heayily involved every day. as
result Of inability to operate except at a
,fIos.. WIN the present earnings. THIS
SDrcytuss sntd held good with FereTence
TO every division Of The traction system
In view Of the commissions ruling that
~ will not override franchises. e1ceSn
where vesy positive proof IS given. at
torneys interested in the petition or the
COMPANY look for a denial OF the re-
,1uested increases Counsel for the trac-
tion COMPANY remain confident however
that the Increases win be permitted.
Judge E. C. Ryder and Judge T. r.
Morgan Of the state public service COM
mission conducted the hearing IN the
circuit court room yesterday morning.
The traction company seeks peFtuis-
sion to establish a fare-gone system on
oil ~ lie lines, each zone to measure
2s miles. the fare to be figured on q
basis Of 2X cents per mile
CITY solicitors tried every way to pro
cure from Mr.. Dreyfuss the earnings OF
the company ON each Of the separate al
visions, but he said It was Impossible
IN give these figures since all earnings
are nooaed. He admitted that car regis
ters ring up city and suburban fares.
Attorney J. C. Palmer Of this city
and Attorney David McCahtll or PITS
burgh, represented the traction com
pany.
scented By the following solicitors: ": J.
C.ulltnan. wheeling: C. J. Smith. war
wood. Martin Brown. Benwood: ]. u
Simoson. McMechen and Everett Moore
Mnundsville.
Hon E F. Moore. representing the
rity questioned Mr.. Dreytuss tlrSt as
70 points at which passengers may enter
Care for carriage to Ohio. The inter-
stare route was described in detail.
AIR. Drcytuss said the rate per mile
from 14th and Market 70 Bettalre Is 'ol
cents per mile, under tho old rare zone
system
to McMechen is SIS cents per niue, I0i,,
AeSfecAen to "Tofnlinson's' the rate -
Ia cents Der mile The next zone ls
from Stop 81 to the Moundsrtue line OF
1,s4 cents per mile.
Ohio Side Rate.
On the Ohio side. from ShadFsloe 20
Stop 20. the rate is 1.o2 per miles. Inc
re.t zone, from Stop IS to Fourteenth
and Market streets. Wheeling. calls 1oF
a rate Of 81 cents per mile.
The witness said the greatest cnaFs
ncr mile on the entire system IS 1ou'fu
on tho Wheeling to AouadsNille mt
He said this did not apply as 70 'nH
volume ct business done in the various
zones.
norts compared. The Ohio side showed
larger earnings than the West virginia
division:
sib1e to separate the earnings OF lnT
NoundsYillc. division rom the eenfFai
earnings Of the system.
interstate Question Raised.
THE question Of interstate traffic from
+be Moundsyille division to ONO was
sooa into at length. Witness said ne
understood that many people from tne
Moundsyille division went into ONO
attorney Moore tried to force from
.ho w,tness a statement that trips from
Noundsyille TO Ohio we're two separate
.cte and trips and that the MoundSrilio
are are not involved in Interstate
tr.fec. The witness added that me
sra,,azy;1le cars do not cross the state
line .
Tho ouestion of discrimination IN IA
,or of Ohio division passengers was
tskeo M. Nj. Dreyfuss explained thae
the company adds one mile to OHIO
x,de fares in order to figure mamie
nance Of bridges
ue explained that in the Moundsrllle
division the passengers are Favored pS
the company's failure to figure IN itS
|ares the high cost Of caring TOT ana
jnnrovinS the 'rNarrows.'
Witness said intrastate traffic IN
ue.t Virginia is favored rather than