Evening star., 1924-01-31
scent FARE BILL
TO REST ON own
MER|TS,SAYSBALL
Mcclellan Declares He Will
Not Hold Up Other Meas.
ures # Met Half Way.

Senator Mcclellan OF Tennessee.
author of the scent street car fare
bill for the District, at the hearing
today before the Senate District
subcommittee on that measure. com
pleted his own testimony and an
nounced that he would hold himself
in readiness to go ahead with the
hearings at any time. He said |. he
desired an expeditions consideration
of his bill. He would not seek to
hold up other District legislation in
the Senate by offering his bill as
an amendment as long as it was evil
dent that the District committee was
continuing in a reasonable way with
it's consideration. he said.
Senator Ball. chairman Of the Dis
trict committee, announced the COM
hossible: that he. too. was anxious
to dispose of the bill and that after
all of the testimony necessary had
been taken. the committee would re-
port the bill.
Senator Ball insisted, however, that
the bill should stand on its own mer-
Its and that no attempt should be
made to offer 1t as an amendment 10
other District legislation from the
floor Of the Senate.
II am as anxious as any one, said
Senator Ball, that the people Of TIE
District should have fivc-cent stree.
car fare. The only question is
whether they can have 1t with jus
tice."
Next Hearing Tuesday.
The committee decided to hold it's
Tryo NJ n.
a.m., when officials of the Capital
Traction Company will be heard.
Conrad H. Syme was the first wit
ness today, appearing at the request
of Senator Mcclellan. Mr.. Syme told
the committee that he had been gen.
eral counsel for the Public Utilities
Commission for six years and that
afterwards he was employed by the
commission as special counsel in con-
nection with the cases In the courts
! involving the valuation fixed by the
commission on the various public
| utilities. He said that in the law
that became effective last July Con-
gress had provided that none Of the
appropriation made for the Public
! Utilities Commission should be en-
| ployed in the payment OF special
| counsel He told the committee that
| he did not believe that any of the
officials of the street car companies
had anything to do with the prohi-
| bition- of the use of funds for the
| employment of special counsel by the
! Public Utilities Commission.
He said that Representative Ben
Johnson had been the first to raise
| the question as to the right OF the
! public Utilities Commission to en-
ploy special counsel and that the
| question had been raised on the moor
! Of the House. The appropriation bill,
| he said, was sent to the Senate with
a prohibition against such employ
ment of special counsel and the Sen
| ate had stricken II out. In confer
ence. however. the prohibition was
retained.
Mr.. Syme told the committee that
the Public Utilities Commission In
| Electric Power Company and by the
street car companies had taken into
consideration the fair valuation fixed
| by the commission on the properties
! Of these companies, together with
| such additions to the capital charges
as had been made since the date or
! which the valuations were made. lie
said that the commission had not
given consideration to tine outstand-
ing securities Of these companies In
Differ on Valuation.
Discussing the Potomac Electric
Power Company, which is owned by
trio Company, Mr.. Syme said that the
Public Utilities Commission had fixed
valuation for the power company a.
of December 81, 1916, at about $12,.
500, 600. He said that the Potomac
Electric Power Company insisted that
the valuation should be about $23,-
100000.
company shall be permitted to carr
a fair return on a$12 500. 900 instead OF
S23, 100000" said Senator McKellar
Mr.. Syme replied that the basis. OF
the rate allowed by the commission
was on the valuation established. BY
1t plus the capital account charges
since that time.
In reply to question by Senator
Ball, Mr. Syme said that he had never
had any doubt but what the Publ,
Utilities Commission had the righ
under the act creating 1t to fix th'
rates to be charged by the publi
utilities in the District. He said tina
he did not think the fact that th
charters of the street railway com
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