Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-28

Mayor Moore will confer with Di-
rector Twining and Thomas +. Mitten:
president Of the Philadelphia Rapid
Transit Co.. this afternoon concerning
the Frankford elevated line and other
transit matters.
The conference is being held at Mayor
Moore's request. The Mayor arranged
for IL at the last meeting Of the board of
directors Of the +. II. 7. Co.. at which
he was present He said at that time
he wanted SHOW down" on tho
Frankford elevated. He explained that
the city was unwilling to go ahead with
the arrangement of contracts for the
elevated work until there was some sort
of working agreement in force between
the city and the company.
The citys offer. made by the Mayor.
to permit the company TO operate the
elevated on the basis of . per cent an
nually on the city's investment. has not
been accepted as vet by the company.
The Mayor takes the position that
the city is entitled to a net ; per cent
return on its investment. Mr.. Mitten
has told the Mayor that he personally
thought the matter of leasing the
Frankford elevated would not have to
be submitted to the stockholders Of the
p. r. T. Co. The board of directors
of the company as whole, however,
does not agree with Mr.. Mitten on this
matter.
To Arrange Transit Check-Up
Another important transit conference
10 be held in the near future is one be-
tween City Solicitor Smyth and Transit
Director Twining. The object of the
conference is the arrangement of de-
tails for the appointment Of experts to
check up on the +. r. r. Co.'S ap-
praisal. Council yesterday authorized
the appropriation Of $50 900 TO pay the
expenses OF this survey. A corps of
engineers and accountants will be en-
ployed to do the work for the city. II
is indicated that the experts will not be
named by the city for several weeks.
A development in the transit suit be-
fore the Public Service Commission ex-
pected within the next day or two is
companies of the =. r. L. to the com
plant made by the United Business
Mems Association and the Clivedep I'm
provement Association. asking the COM
mission to reduce the annual rentals
paid the underlying companies.
The underlying companies are eX
pected to file an answer to the com
plants in spite of the fact that their
demurrers, overruled by the commits
sion last Monday. were based on
denial of the commissions jurisdiction.
BY filing an answer, the underlying
companies will tacitly recognize the
jurisdiction of the Public Service Com
mission. Legal experts. however, say
that this would be wiser course than
ignoring the proceedings before the
commission. Otherwise the commission
might rule against the underlying COM
panies and order a reduction of rentals.
and the companies could not appeal
until the order against them had been
completed.
Answering the complaints made by
the associations. the underlying com
panies will at least have an opportunity
to make defense.
Henry p. Brown. an attorney for the
underlying companies. said today sew
eral courses of action were being con
sidered by them. The companies have
ten days in which to file answers.
Stotesbury May Return
A report f. T. Stotesbury will re-
sumo his place on the directorate is
current.
He and Mr.. Mitton. at outs over the
latter's advocacy of the FIVE cent fare,
are about to rejoin hands under a new
working agreement, it is said. The
adverse decision of the Public Service
Commission on the Company's applica
tion for new fare tariff is mentioned
as the leading factor bringing the banker
and the traction expert together.
That the way for Mr.. Storpsbury r
return to the p. r. r. board has been
made easy by Mr.. Mitten is conceded
even in the company's executive offices.
1t was Mr.. Mitten's recommendation
at the board meeting Monday that mo
ha ny irpn IN hn
vacancy caused by the resignation of
Mr.. Stotesbury." No explanation was
forthcoming as to why this was done.
since the places of the other two re
signing directors were filed.
Mayor Moore after the meeting. said |
he thought it was a graceful act" on
the part Of Mr.. Mitten toward Mr. |
Stotesbury.
StOtesbury Defended
Reference to Mr.. StoteSbury as Phil !
adelphias = leading citizen" and the !
statement that he resigned because che ,
wouldn't stand for the bunk that was
being put out marked q bitter debate
on the local transit situation in Council |
yesterday.
Charles B. Han, Ware leader. was
Mr.. StotesburyS CHAMPION The bank !
er's name was brought into 'hp debate .
that followed Councilman Joseph L. /
Gaffney's effort TO force the city solici- |
tor to intervene in the business men : .
fight against the annual $4,000, 900
'back breaking rentals" paid the un-
derlSing companies by the Z. r. T.
The move OF Mr. Gaffney was de-
feated, IL to Q, but not until after he .
had intimated that the city solicitor
was attempting to conceal something in .
his apparent unwillingness directly to .
attack the underlying rentals,
If the p X. I, is in the financial
predicament it claims to be. said the
Ware floor leader. either a fare increase
is necessary or the underlying rentals |
will have to be reduced.
"You can't buffalo the people much |
longer" said Councilman GaffnPy.
fractional Vote
The vote on Mr. GaffneyS resolution |
was a factional lineup, with Eduard
Bucholz. member from the Fifth dis
trict, voting with the administration
majority.
Later, an ordinance appropriating
$50, 900 TO finance the city's fight !
against higher street car fares, through |
the employment OF engineers, account |
ants and other experts, was unanimously
passed.
cL,.II