Evening star., 1924-01-28
M'KELLAR PRESSES
| FOR EARLY ACTION
UPON Scent FARE
Tennessee Senator Clashes
With Chairman Ball or
Facts Offered.
THREATENS TO MOVE
COMMITTEES DISCHARGE
Hearing Will Be Resumed Thur
day Morning-Files Finan-
cial Statement.

N2d4 oLdLC4LCubs
y clash between Senator Ball, chairs
man OF the District committee, ana
Senator McKellar Of Tennessee,
marked the hearing today before 90
subcommittee of the District COM
mittee on the Mcclellan five-cent street
car fare bill.
Senator Ball insisted that the sena-
tor from Tennessee was reading into
the record statements Of claims by
the Capital Traction Company. which,
had not been considered by the Pub.
lie Utilities Commission in establish
ing the rate of fare.
You should find out" said Senator
Ball whether these claims have been
allowed by the commission in making
rates or not" said Senator Ball.
Asserts Right TO Speak.
Il am testifying before this COM
nlittee as L desire" replied Senator
Mckellar, "and / am not answerable
TO any other senator / have ex-
amined this matter, and wish TO
make such comments on it as I de-
sire"
Senator Ball, demanding Order
here interrupted Senator Mckellar,
saying that he was anxious TO get d
clear and concise understanding OF
the matter being presented. He in
sisted that as chairman of the COM
mittee he was entitled TO ask Ques-
tions. He insisted also that Senator
Mckellar should not attempt to state
. ~ l.. .
committee as having prejudged the
case.
"The senator must not state the at
titude of senators on this committee,
said Senator Ball.
Willing to Answer.
Senator Mckellar said that he was
perfectly willing to answer questions.
You sat down the other day" re-
piled Senator Ball. when 1 was ask
ing you questions"
II don't like TO be directed as to
what 1 shall say or not say. and I
don't intend to be-" replied Senator
McKellar.
At this point Senator Copeland of
New York, seeking to throw oil on
the troubled waters, called attention
to the fact that 1t was about time
for the Senate to meet and suggested
an adjournment.
Senator Mckellar said that he had
about completed his testimony be-
fore the subcommittee and that he
had one witness to present. He want
ed to know when the subcommittee
could go ahead and finish up with
the testimony.
Ball Busy Elsewhere.
Senator Ball replied that the COM
mittee would go ahead Just as soon
as it can" He said. however, that
he was busy attending other COM
nlittees.
Senator MckeIlar wanted to know
how long the street railway COM
panies' representatives desired to
present their case. To this George
+. Hamilton. president of the Capital
Traction Company, replied that the
time required would largely depend
on the many matters to which Sena-
tor Mcclellan was calling attention
in his testimony, and to which the
street railway officials would wish to
reply.
The reply did not please Senator
McKellar.
Il want to say frankly" said Sen
ator McKellar, that if this investi-
cation before a subcommittee is GO
ing to be strung out through all OF
this session OF Congress, L will move
to discharge the committee from fur
ther consideration of my bill for
scent fares and get it before the
Senate for action. 1 don't intend to
permit, if 1 can help it, this matter
to be delayed in this way. Let's
have the hearing and dispose of the
matter"
Resume Hearing Thursday.
Mr.. Hamilton replied that the Of
ficials of the companies were at the
disposal of the committee. 1t was
finally decided that the hearings
should be resumed on Thursday morn
ing.
At the outset of the hearing today
Senator Mcclellan asked If the street
railway companies were ready to pre-
sent statements showing the operat-
ing expenses and their returns He
was told that the annual reports
had been filed with Congress today
and therefore would be available
soon.
A synopsis of the statement of the
Capital Traction Company Senator
McKeIlar read into the record showed
that the total operating revenue for
the company for the year ending De-
cember 81, 1929. was $4,S42, ,619II.
The operating expenses were fixed
at s3,12S.1S6,75, and the taxes at
s409,031.3S. The gross income was
given at $3.50. 126.43. The interest
and other deductions at s321,773.73
VI.
A dividend of Z per cent was paid,
amounting to $4,000. The surplus
after the dividend amounted to SITS
352.70.
Revenue Per Passenger.
On percentage basis it was shown
tha the net revenue per passenger
was 1.4S3 cents.
Vice President Hanna of the Cap
ital Traction Company, replying to
questions by Senator Mcclellan, tes-
titled that the surplus had been eX-
pended on betterments, together with
mart of the surplus accumulated in
prior years, the total expenditure be-
ing s393,380 during the year just
closed.
Senator McKellar went ahead with
his discussion of the financing of the
Capital Traction Company reading
fro mthe report of the Public Utilities
Commission in 1919 fixing the yalua-
tion of this company's property. He
again made the charge that there had
been $4.000.000 worth of Watered
bonds in the organization of the Capt.
tai Traction Company, due to the fact
that the bonds of the Washington
and Georgetown Railway Company
had been doubled in value, when the
consolidation was made with the OLD
Rock Creek Railway Company.
Cites $4,OOO.OOO Bonds.
by waiting three years" said Sena-
tor McKellar, these bonds. at loast
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