Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1920-12-02
RAIL CROSSING
REPAIRS HEAVY
Says Interurban Traffic Big
Expense for Street Car Co.

Repairs at principal street car cross
fngs in Indianapolis. deterioration Of
which IS said 10 be due largely to the
operation OF lDterurban cars over the
tracks, have increased IN cost until at
the present time it requires as much to
make such repairs rs II did to lay the
original track, Thomas p. McAIath. clvn
engineer OF the Indianapolis Street Rail
''0r'n@~v stated today in the re-
sumption Of the hearing Of the companv's
petition Tor 2-cent transfer charge be
fur tie Public Service Commission. Mr.
McNath occupied the witness stand dur
ing the entire morning. and it was in
diceted that he would not be relieved
until late In the day.
Repairs made recently at Pennsylva-
Ma and Ohio streets. Mr.. McMath said,
cost One-half as much again as did the
original cost OF laying the tracks. and
repairs made at Illinois and Ohio streets
cost the company in 1914 as much as the
original cost Of laying the crossing.
ESTIMATE MADE
OF TERMINALS VALUE.
Much time was spent today In cross
examination Of Mr.. McMath BY Samuel
Ashby, indianapolis corporation counsel.
in IN effort TO determine the value Of the
company's terminal facilities.
The Indianapolis Street Railway Com
psny's terminal facilities located at MI
nois. and M7rket streets. have a total
value of 1861 III, property including
waiting room. train shed. baggage room.
express room. check room and tracks,
according TO the answers to interrogato-
ries fled by the company Nov. 20.
Individual valuation of the property
IS as follows. according to figures given
in the examination Of Mr.. McMath: Wait
ing room, s1T1,0Oo; train shed. 1852, JO1 /;
baggage room. si5.jG0; express room,
S11a5O0: tracks. s16S,617
Tho tOt71 valuation - the freight ter.
minals, placed at s6S9.97O, is divided as
follows. Freight AyJs.s nos. i AID =
s439,T53; freight house No. 8. s24.617;
freight house No. 4, $4,000.
II. H. HornbroOk, attorney for the street
car company, presented exhibits show
ing the cost Of fueI for mower nu-Do~oS
in 1915, 1917 and nine months Of 1920. and
another exhibit showing the cost OF
power for the same period.
The first exhibit revealed that in 1915
the company spent S6S.7149S for coal. an
average cost Of S1.437 per ton; In 1917,
the exhibit shows coal cost Sl65. 1876 u.
en- average cost Of S2631 per ton. and
- the first nine months OF the present
year, the company has been forced 10
pay s239,5S166. an average Of S4.s65 per
ton.
Mr. McMath stated to the commission
he had been with the Indianapolis Street
Railway Company for the last twenty
one years and that since that time many
miles Of track had been laid, almost
who ly for the use OF the interurban
companies on Ohio, Delaware and Mary
land streets, Capitol avenue and many
other streets In the downtown section.
About ten miles OF special track has
been laid In outlying districts also, due
to the fnterurban accounts, Mr.. McMath
said.
Mr.. McNfath stated that the shock re
sult~"t from a damaged interurban car
would be four times as great on a rail
as Sex caused by a damaged city
car which is approximately twenty tons
lighter.