The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1919-03-14
FARE
HATES HEARING
| COMES To CLOSE
cO1uANY CONTENDS JUSTIT1CA-
TkpH ON ACCOUNT OF INCREASE
&N COST OF LABOR, MATERIAL
AND EXPENSES.
SHOWS THAT TENDEN-
IE FARES IS CAUSING
70 MOVE FROM OUT
THE PIKE.
ECREASES RETAEDS BUILD
SlYG OF HOMES; NO DECISION
By CONCESSION FOR SEW
= EEAI, WEEKS.

Tho public hearing OF II" West E!r- ,
\ginia Traction and Electric con'W'nES
Application for an increase in fare rates =.
between the city and. Esr' Grov" was :
held yesterday before tho public service !,
commission in the circuit court. room.
4 Judge e. c. Rider acted as, chHirr';'n
pf the commission and judy" L. =. :
Tiles conducted the hearing and u ste :
nofraphic report Of the proceedings was
faker-'
Attorneys John j. Coniff ard Charles
b. Schuck represented the traction COM
pany and out the pike towns interests
verAs looked after by Joseph H. Fa'"t- !
an and ". s. Casey; John F. ArheaZ ;
or sEdgwood and Noodsdalc. and Clty
Solicitor n. J. Cullinan for the city o;
Wheeling.
A small crowd was present during
the hearing and much interest was
manifested by those attending. -!
The hearing opened with Chairman
RidE explaining that the traction COM
nanv was entitled to a fair profit on !
thef4 investment and the actual phys
cal value OF the property and m IN
crease In rates could only be allowed on ;
the value Of the services rendered u
the public
This limiting the scope Of the bearing
on.Ifhis ruling started an argument
art&,r the attorneys and questions ban
f3,ss3 Sac,s and forth between Mr.. Contft
foS 4he corporation and Mr.. Handlan Tor
thaitown of Elm Grove
1ttorney Handlan handled most Of
thSt questions put to the witnesses AT
times assisted BY Mr.. Arbenz and MI.
Casey while Mr.. coniff did the cross
exax,inins for the TRACTION company
The contention Of rho traction COM
path for a justification in the raise OF
faias was the increased cost OF labor
materials and general operating cNpshS-
eswhich have kept pace with other
: n,-iraa that have mounted Skyward IN
thetstfSst few years. This was the state
mont NJ 7 d WhtterIore. manager or
the .rompany and first witness in tho
hearing. Mr. Winitt"nrnrc only spoke OIL
since he became manaSec IN l9l' anu
great deal Of his testimony was taken
IN 10 verify data which is contained IN
the company's' annual reports and tur-
nishinx figures pertaining t" the "prT-
atinS. expenses. net profits and general
exISnditurcs and outstanding debts ana
bonds.
MI whittcmor. said that .hn indeht-
edpess Of the company is st.t$?.;1I. 70"
Ttsch it pays s245.6S3: those figures
-ers for 1917. Attorney Fla"dlAn
aimed that the Increase in fares asked
br was for the purpose Of creating
otter market for its bends and If an
Iditicnal bond issue was floatcd the
rs would have TO ne kept high I" pay
interest even after things aaJus'"n
elves to n peace basis. Figures
flee maintenance gone oyer the
them as over S2a.phn. AMI
~ item Of $1,506.60 for stationary was
questioned.
Henry Stein. OF Elm Grove. said thf
existing fare had tendency to cause
people out the pike to move TO IN" CITY
or, :Warwood and also tho Ohio SIDE
towns. where tho fare is five cents and
makes quite a difference IN their az
\ penses at the end OF the year II" knew
a number OF out the pix" reoptr WHO
have already done this and an addition
al,fare would cause many more %. take
the ssame course Mr.. Stein said IN"
West Alexander line was losing money
anf3 thu raise of fare frnmi Elm Grow"
and, other towns was to meet this dctl-
cheney.
:, Mayor Campbell. OF Elm Grove. was
next on the stand and his testimony
followed the same lines as Mr.. STEMS.
Arthur Carter was sharply cross
questioned by Mr. Coniff when h" over
stepped the bounds Of the usual trstI-
rno4 which was given by those before
him.
80. .Reymann testified to the sale
Of the road by tn" old holding company
Of which he was an official. He told Of
tba deal with the Schmulbach interests
when no sold the line for 5000 Il share
with the understanding that certain i'm
propeu1ents and extensions wcr" t" ~"
made by the old company. This was
done and brought down tho rric" per
share to him AS profit to SITS.
Il C. Ogden was examined by Attor-
neg Handlan on tho comparative rates
to other towns such as Bcnwood. Nc
Mechen, Warwood and the Ohio side
towns, and said that street car service
improved As the territory developed;
tina, citizens, Of I.eathc-wo"d and