The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1929-08-16
BENEFIT To
PUBLIC
TOLD

Y Unified operation of local
ear lines is not far off, John
H. Hanna, president Of the
Capital Traction Company,
told the Public Utilities Com
mission today at the hearing
on the company's petition for
increased car-fare.
William NICK. Clayton. champion
of the people in scores Of battles
with the traction company. Is lead
Ing the fight to hold car-tares at
their present level today.
He forced Hanna to admit that
notification of the companies would
be advantageous both to the public
and the companies. Then he asked
the traction head IL he thought there
was any prospect of unification be.
ing brought about soon.
Hanna Admits Advantage
IT do" Hanna replied. land !
might say, Mr.. Clayton, that II 1t
had not been for you it would have
tbeen accomplished before this time"
Clayton was instrumental in de-
feating the merger pact in the Sen.
ate at the last session of Congress.
Hanna revealed that the Capital
Traction Company is planning to
extend its fight for an increased
rate OF fare into Maryland. While
he was being cross-examined by
Clayton, Hanna said that when the
H. ~ h.
ington was filed the company had
made plans to present similar Pc
fition to the public service commits
sion Of Maryland.
Route Changes Seen
Hanna told the commission that
his company has considered changes
in routing cars over its system and
studied advantages to be gained
through joint use Of tracks with
the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company. His company is
not prepared to make any changes
now, however, Hanna said.
Clayton questioned Hanna as to
the advlsability OF routing Capital
Traction Company cars straight
down Fourteenth Street to Penn
aylvania Avenue instead of having
them turn off at New York Avenue
as at present. Hanna said that
because of the heavy traffic on
lines of the washington Railway
and Electric Company during the
, rush he was not sure whether the
Fourteenth Street tracks could &C.
cOmmodate cars of his company.
In connection with this plan, how
ever, he said, rerouting of the en-
tire system of the traction COM
pany through some sort of unfit
cation plan might be desirable.
I Draw From Surplus
Clayton brought out the fact that
although the company has been
losing money since 1925, it has
never failed to pay its per cent
dividend on its securities. Hanna
! said that money to pay these divi-
dends was drawn from the surplus
accumulated by the company during
the prosperous days of the war.
In 1925, the company was forced
to withdraw $51,534 from the sur.
plus. Last year, $219,594 was with
drawn from the surplus to pay
dividends. Clayton asked il the
board of directors had ever con-
sidered lowering the dividend rate,
30 that dividends could be paid out
of the company's earnings. At
torneys for the traction company
objected and Commissioner Harleigh
III. Hartman told Hanna that he did
not have to answer.
Explains Fare Demand
Explaining the demand of the
traction company for uniform fare
Hanna said he believed that If his
company were granted a Decent
fare while the fare on the railway
company remained unchanged PEG.
pie would ride on the lines Of the
company with the lower fare.
Clayton asked why he had never
made any attempt to have the fare
charged by the Washington Rapid
continued on Page 16)