Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-07-27

TNbOU today Tor thc Clti ch"cR. w
3 on the appraisal figures Of the Ranld
TraDsit Co., now being rushed to com
pletion for the Public Service Commits
sion.
The ordinance providing S5O. .OOU for
the employment of engineers. account
ants and other experts. is on the CHlen
dar for today's session. the last Coun
cilmanic meeting of the summer. II
was reported from the finance commit
tee last week.
The money will provide means for a
third investigation of the company :
property. The company has had a large
force of experts compiling data for
many weeks while engineers of the Pub
lie Service Commission are checking up
ou the figures.
The complete tabulatirns. designed
to show every penny of value in the
comnany's plant. will form the basis on
which the commission viii judge tho plea
for higher fares.
The decision yesterday halted the
company's plan to abolish free trans
fers and establish Il central zone where
three cent exchange tickets would not
be accepted.
That feature Of the 1907 contract he
tween the city aud tn" company which
stipuatcs fvc-ccnt fare apparently
will not stand. it is believed by Colonel
Sheldon Potter. one Of the citv'S repre-
sentativcs on the +. Il. 7. directorate.
In a dictated statement today Colonel
Potter said:
i''It would seem from the puhishcl
reports of what occurred at the meeting
! OF the Public Service Commission yes
terday that they did not regard tn"
: contract of 1907 HS unaItCrahly fixing
the rate of fare. but that they rather
viewed the question in the light of the
case of st. Clair Borough VS. the
Thmaqua and +. T.. Railway Co..
wherein Mr.. Justice NOschziskcr uf-
frmed the law declared in prior case.
saying:
g Where contracts fixing n rate un-
limited in time have heretofore been
entered in" by public service com
panies the state has the right. through
the, Public Service Commission. not
wfthstanding the contract. to inquire
into and adjust the rate to Il reasonable
basis.
III Criticizes Smyth's Plan
i"Of course if the contract between
the city of Philadelphia and the +. X.
t. unalterably fixed the fare. there
would be no necessity Of aScprtaining'
the replacement value of the traction
properties. This cannot be done hIr.
riedly and done we'll. II involves thu
question which lies at the basi" of all
popular discomfort with transit Once
decided it will allay popular prejudice
and quiet those questions 81 constantly
arising to the detrimcnt of the investors
in traction properties. l. will lay
proper ground for tho fixing Of reason
able compensation.
Z 1T seems strange the city should have
abandoned all participation in prOrpcd-
fngs for a valuation of the transit prop
critics and should hay" stakrd every
thin@upon the contract of 1907.
r. X. T. WithhOlds Comment
1--WE are facing the blow ~ bcSt we
can said AZ official Of thr l.. Il. r.
today. referring I" the decision Of tho
Public SCrviC" Commission
At I'll" company : "N"rUtiv" offices IN
the Land Title Building. II vas said Il"
official comment ON the decision WnuId
be mad" today. aud probably not until
certified copy Of the commission : re-
port is received.
All inquiries regarding the effect II
the decision ON tn" COmpHny'N finances
were referred to tn" testimony Of Mr..
Mitten at the recent public hearing here
before the commission.
Believes Decision Ju>t
'omnl'SHloh'r 1I I".nu'l nu ~ "U'n'; !;
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been nroyidrd
The decision ~p"nk' &c." n-"I' A"
repllru' r..,..
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Company Wants operation
Tho Rand Transit Go wprr, to cnt,,.
into a ten year agreement Of co.opcro