The Washington times., 1924-02-15
(JT.IL| les
HEARING
LIVELY
Auditor Admits Findings OF
Capital Traction Co.
Never Changed.

~
Persistent attempts to prove
that the Capital Traction Com
pany over a period of years dom
mated the Public Utilities Com
mission made by Senator Nc
KelIar, Of Tennessee, featured to-
days hearing on McKellar's bill
providing a five-cent street car
fare in Washington.
Made No Changes.
e. B. Fisher, auditor for the Pub.
lie Utilities Commission, was the
principal witness at today's hearing
and admitted to Senator Mckellar
that the Public Utilities Commission
has never changed any of the rates
Of depreciation or expense deter
mined by the Capital Traction Com.
pany and reported to the Public Utii.
tiles Commission.
"What Is the need of a Public
Utilities Commission audit?" in
quired Senator McKellar of Auditor
, Fisher, ''if you never make any
changer Do You regard that method
of bookkeeping fair to the public:'
Mr.. Fisher replied that no
changes had been made because it
has not been found necessary and
he regarded this a compliment to
the company rather than an in
Justice to the public. He later stated
that a more vigorous checking up
system had not been in vogue be.
cause the commission "is behind
In its work"
Scrap With Allen.
A lively colloquy ensued between
Senator McKellar and Walter Allen,
secretary to the Public Utilities
Commission over the authorized
functions of the commission as
dictated by Congress in 1913.
Senator Mcclellan brought out that
the Public Utilities Commission has
permitted the Capital Traction Com
pany to buy new cars out Of its de-
probation fund while the traction
company should not be able to do
this unless specifically ordered by
the Commission. Mr.. Allen admit
ted that the Commission had never
issued an order requiring the trac-
ton company to buy new cars out
of their depreciation fund, but when
ever they had done this the Com.
mission always approved their &C
ton. -
Upbraids Commission.
Senator McKellar 'uphraided the
Public Utilities Commission for not
fixing specific depreciation rates
to be allowed the traction com.
panies although they have had be-
tween ten and eleven years to take
this step. Mr.. Allen explained that
tentative depreciation rates were
fixed by the commission in 1919,
but later admitted to Senator Nc
Kellar that the Capital Traction
Company had ignored these tenta.
tive rates.
The life Of a street car and the
life of public utility buses were
discussed at today's meeting and
Chairman Copeland of New York
said that these facts would be vital
to the Investigators. Vice President
Hanna, of the Capital Traction
Company, promised to give definite
data on this score when he Is called
to testify.
Car Costs $4,000.
It was testified by Auditor Fisher
that a Capital Traction Company
street-car costs $4,000 and it's life
has oeen estimated at twenty-five
years. Officials of the Capital
Traction Company testified that
while they were working on the
basis that their motor buses would
endure for four years they now
believe that they will have to be
scrapped in three years.
senator Copeland presided at to-
days hearing Of the scent street
car rare committee in the absence
OF Chairman Ball, whose brother is
critically i'll in Wilmington.
While Auditor Fisher was the
only one put on the stand to testi-
~, MS story was augmented from
time to time by calculations from
MeSsrs. Hanna and Allen.
| George e. Hamilton, president Of
the Capital Traction Company, re.
quested that his company's testi-
mony, when It is continued, be
heard by both Copeland and Ball
inasmuch as they have heard most
OF the testimony thus far given.
With this in mind Senator Cope.
land stated that the cent street
car fare hearings would be con-
tlnued next Tuesday providing