Evening star., 1928-02-24
Clayton Accuses Author of
Plan With Juggling" Trac-
ton Figures.
SAYS CUT IN SUBURBS
TRANSFERRED TO CITY
Federation Committee Maps Ont
Attack to Be Made on Plan at
Meeting Tomorrow.

me proposed Capita! Transit Co. SaS
the principal target OF the public utili-
ties committee OF the Federation Of
Citizens Associations. which met last
night to perfect It's plans TO fight the
street car merger agreement at spe-
cial meeting OF the organization to-
morrow night in the board room Of the
District Building,
william Nick. Clayton. chairman OF
II, committee. fred the first broadside
against the valuation By charging that
Harley P Wilson. owner OF SO per cent
Of the stock of the Washington Rapid
Transit Co. and author OF the plan Of
merger. had "iuggled figures" in his
.aluation computations William A Rob-
erts, vice chairman. also accused VIII
son OF trying 70 tx valuation on re-
production value at the highest COM
modify prices OF the century" while at
the same time proposing that future
additions to valuation be hxed accord
ing to the investment theory now tha,
prices are facing decline.
Condemns Valuation.
In referring to the valuation. Mr..
Clayton declared:
SO they arrive al this $50 900 ,o0O
total. first. BIZ a court valuation made
by one man without testimony OF any
experts other than interested company
officials; second. guess vaiuauon
based upon the first, and. third no
valuation
If We recognize this $50 600
valuation II is q permanent thing. m
escapable later" added Clayton Con
secuentiy, in rerouting cars and reouc-
ing expenses there can be no question
of a reduction IN valuation vnen tEaeAs
are taken out or carbarnS abandoned
But for any new srackage or construc-
lion large totals undoubtedly VIII be
ADDED 10 this basic valuation with an
ever increasing danger OF higher fares
n order 10 earn q return on q growing
investment. which has not grown
Another point of sharp attack ~as
the $4,000. 900 valuation claimed for
the MARYLAND properties OF the Wash
ington Railway & Electric Co which
the Public Utilities Commission has
valued at $500 900. --.s-- s@-.-Fr b.
Holds Figures -Jusgied."
Claytca said he has been told at the
Office of tire Utilities Commission tlat
Wilson had voluntarily reduced this
Slo, ,oOo. .Qea figure 20 s4.so3, Ss4. "But
this reduction" he said. was . mere
iusslins o! figures, for Wilson took that
precise sum and added il 70 the eSsi-
mated value Of the District properties
Of the Washington Railway & Eiecer,c
Co. so that the total valuation vas
not changed.
Preparations for conducting pubic
hearinSs on the street car merger agree
ment were virtually completed TODAY BY
the Public Utilities Commission Tie
hearings will begin Wednesday uo-rfnS
at 10 oclocs in the BOARD room os fhe
District Building. srd are expected 70
continue fer 10 days.
An order .. procedure mas been sersa-
lively mapped out, but as tbs may oe
deviatsG from during the course OF the
hearings. the ccr,1fiSSlcs. Ilss not pro-
poSe 10 make II public 81 tbs time TIE
az companies. however. 1t IS understooc,
will es given al opportunity 20 present
,aeiy. arguments FIST.
Views Ready by March Is
As the stockholders ot the TWO srae-
ton companies Viii NEE; March - 70
consider the agreement, The cou.r,:SSscc
plans 20 make Known rs views ca the
merger plan prior 70 that date 70 guide
tile Owners IL their action. TIE act cf
Congress authorizing he cS,-apanieS 70
merge StipGla;eS that st Least rsa3oT-
lty of the Stockholders shall acr-oS- any
plan q; consolidation prcrNSSG. xnise
the merger agreement isSs.T prcSlosS
tha, u Is Suo'sct 20 the ratification ~
the holders cf ;wo-thigGS q the $9ccS
ef recNorS os each Company.
Tc It's 10 prlacigNSl oc!Sc:icssS 70 tie
merger the c>C,Di.t.ss sGGeS prcssSt
agsl.lS: legal and other expenses OF
being borne by Ire merger
as provided i, the agreement,
instead &! che present Individual ecgs-
panieS,
Wilson had ece;, invited - attend tie
meeting, 81. he Seas his re-
src.s, lie aiSo has aSea ,:svi;sI - At
tend the se<ss:atsci meeting sccacrrcN
sisht which Will c< devised entirely -
a aiScu>Sicn cs the merger.
James q, NaSsc. president cf she
acccgGCsS IL Ciaytcss. has
promised that 10 hScSsCis w,I ec per-
lNi,;sI ;ca,eyr>w usSht.
In view ~ sSsSs PROMISES 81 the ssart
II MIR Ta5sn. TIE COMMITTEE, Clayton
said, viii act carry S&t its original rssA
10 demand sAas the fs<seratitSa president
Weld the CHAIR Because ~ his rsens-
ceyShta cN sHe s>sarI cl alrscscxS cf the
elsS Company
New Survey Demanded.
MeaaNNuc the Cls!zsnS Advisory
mSSti!,S also last usSss, seScSa-
,Gsl,Se<i that AN eSalGSstt.. W tse rsS,S>~
srsieS be undertaken by tNs Es,esse pylli~
lies C>""0,>>s>W 'at clsce.
S,lcS AZ evaltsassNa. IL ssse csssuSNs
NJ George < AaSenNes, wal>Se seg>It
aaS ,Spn,eI NTH S<Htse amendments
icu,d eS r<asyLSteI ~ ~ " ~ DAYS,
The >sssSc>sAss .G aN eNAssAtS4,
sa> the N<sA s>>N; III husssS res~Ss
NJ sae mSySsg pISn WSscn eEsegea sew
IA, Sel;->tS seNG ''S<'aN>sfu<siVs SsSSeS~
s>ssS "
"Iersalaty W. &.Ss<l,I ~ accuse the
,s>ns>>aS ~ the psS>$ras PAN ~ asssss&
motives" declared the yss<%s, Without
tCSt ngsSentilss sH taSM Ssis esseStASts
q them plan and >Sssse>sAIsS tN them
>0sa amendments there
- ~ Ne aS SttisessS c>sliesS ~ se neSSss~
.ary AMI Nstas 81 tAe prcseSsAsA ~
,oesS msegsSg>"
THE SekNWt VAS M tas tosm ~ .
esges 81 RslpA Il ssesAysy, ySSgssS
'<0,sSs,l NJ the fSsalSS u;tsttse> CyssanssS.
.ka,. and Wl0 ~ forwarded over tAs
tsnat&ssv et James u, MAIDEN. ~ char
nan ~ tns AlvkssNy <S>Gnsil, waa i
ISL ggxNtdens NJ ,as ssSaeratAva ~
attsen> ASSSsctAsssA> AMI a aaesnsst c4
he e>aTd ~ ansSss1s NJ the wsSaesg
t,n kAkNa Transit ~
The yN,tsneA geSNENsNi the stsat, AcSN
Ner. IL S0essAN a later gegSTt. AASel "a
he facts ~ <seNesXsSs IN the heAraass
sag>fe the ttsalie tstihsseS lSsasnagsxAaN
tar&p,s aeNs "Wednesday
haveanesS tN<SN>sAl s@ gs~e srssN>
- s~-,A.+.xs~ -