Evening star., 1925-01-06
D. c. OFFICIALS FACE
GASOLINE TAX GRILL
House Subcommittee to Call
Commissioners, Auditor and
Collector of Taxes.

The District Commissioners, the
auditor of the District and the col
lector of taxes will be grilled by the
special subcommittee of the House
District committee, which is investi-
tax to yield at least 100000 for
street improvements as was esti-
mated by the District authorities
! when this legislation was being con-
sidered by Congress.
Members of the subcommittee at a
hearing today express ed themselves
as unable to understand why with
the number of cars known to be
using the streets in the National
Capital and with estimated consump-
tion of 10 gallons a week per car. why
the gasoline tax has not yielded
twice the amount that it has pro-
duced.
Regard Checks Insufficient.
The members of the subcommittee
are not satisfied that the District off,
cials have made as careful check as
they should on returns made by the 13
big oil concerns wholesalinG gasoline
in the District. 1t was brought out
that some of these concerns have a
number of retail stations and that
they check their own accounts.
Representative william c. Hammer
of North Carolina was particularly
insistent that the District authorities
should check the reports of the large
concerns wholesaling in the District
against their source of supply.
The District auditor, Daniel j.
Donovan, was expected to testify be-
fore the committee today. but did not
put in an appearance. The hearing
will BE resumed at the earliest pos
sible date on which the District au-
ditor and District collector of taxes
can be present. \
Inspector Headley Questioned.
Inspector Albert S. Headley, in
charge of traffic, was questioned on
his previous testimony before the
Senate committee and regarding his
estimate of the number of machines
to operate on the streets of the
! National Capital. Inspector Headley
said he believed that there are be-
| tween 10000 and 10000.
Representative Zihlman pointed
out that the tax yields a sum OF
which a consumption of only
gallons a week per car would yield
He said that investigation made in
other States and among motorists
here show that an average consump-
ton of 10 gallons week is fair
estimate per car. Mr.. Zihlman en-
nbasized that the taxes yielded about
| $500 900 less than the Commissioners
estimate.
He cited reports he has received
that some of the taxicab companies
average 10 gallons per car a day.
Inspector Headley said that there
were about 10000 cars parked at one
| time on streets in the congested Sec
ton.
Oil Company Oficial Heard.
Paul Himmefarb, president of the
Penn OIL Company, which operates in
the District, Virginia and Maryland
and which has some filling stations
was questioned by the committee. He
testified that his company sold be-
tween $4,000 and $4,000 gallons OF
kerosene in November to grocer,
stores and filing stations. About 2C
per cent of this was to filling stations
! The most of this was used for heat
| ing purposes on account of the high
! cost of fuel He declared that ne
| Kerosene was being used in motor en-
| eines and that even if mixed with
| gasoline it would have to pay cents
| a gallon tax.
| He said his company reports tt
| District officials and State officials
| of Virginia each month it's sales. His
| company was checked up once By
| District officials. He estimated e
consumption per car of gallons OF
gasoline per week and said that instead
| Of 10. 600 cars being parked in the con-
gested section there were 10000.
says Gasoline Sales Drop Or.
| Mr. Himmefarb said that sales OF
gasoline dropped off in the District
about 100000 gallons last year, due
to the fact that previously gasoline
had been selling cents a gallon
| cheaper than in Maryland and cents
| a gallon in Virginia on account of the
gasoline tax in those States Now gas
/ oline Is wholesaled l cent cheaper in
Virginia, so that the retail price is uni
form in the three States.
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