The Washington times., 1929-07-29
PROCEDURE
HIT BY CAR
FIRMS

Before the echo Of the open
Ing gun in the fight to in
grease street car fares in
Washington had died out in
the board room Of the District
Building this morning the new
Public Utilities Commission had
frustrated the first move of
the traction companies.
Attorneys for both the Capital
Traction and the Washington Rail-
way and Electric companies offered
nine objections to the procedure
which the commission will follow in
the fare hearings.
Mai. Gen. Mason M. Patrick,
chairman of the commission, over
ruled all the objections.
Fare Raise Issue Pushed
The legal staff Of the traction
companies concentrated every effort
to have the commission consider
only the fare increase petition and
not indulge in Investigations to de-
termine possible economies in street
car operation here during the hear
ing.
The commission plainly indicated
that 1t may order rerouting of street
car lines and unification of opera
tion to save money for the car
companies. As the bearings get
under way, representatives of the
traction companies found they were
dealing with an entirely new and
different commission. Legal points
that would have passed without OBJ
lection before the old commission
prompted heated exchanges of words
between the new commissioners and
the attorneys for the TRACTION com
panies today.
Single Increase Hinted
AT one point Commissioners Har-
leigh III. Hartman asked G. Thomas
Dunlop, general counsel for the
Capital Traction Company, whether
his client would accept an increased |
fare IL its competitor, the Washing !
ton Railway and Electric Company
were allowed to continue operating |
at the present rate of fare. Dunlop
said he couldn't answer the ques-
tfon and Hartman ordered him to
go into conference and return with
an answer.
Dunlop hastily held a whispered
conference with George T.. Hamil |
ton, chairman Of the board of di-
rectors Of the Capital Traction
Company.
Dunlop started a lengthy ex.
PLANTATION, but Hartman interrupted
him and again asked a pointed
question. Dunlop said that the
company was not prepared to an
sWer now but would reply when
It. appeared that such a ruling
might be handed down by the Com.
mission.
Not content with this answer,
Hartman again asked the direct
question and his voice could be
heard in the corridors Of the board
room.
Refuse to Answer
Hamilton leaped to his feet and
said the question could not he
answered now and that il the Com.
mission ever did raise the fare on.
one line and leave 1t lower on
the lines of another company, it |
would be 'stultifying" itself.
Then the records Of the hearing |
will show that the Capital Trac-
tiun Company refused to answer
my question:" said Herman.
THE record should show no such
thing" replied Hamilton, but Hart
man paid no attention to him and |
the hearing continued.
S. r. Bowen, chief counsel for the
Washington Railway and Electric |
Company, pointed out that his client |
was made a party to the hearing
through the petition filed by the
Capital Traction Company. The in
crease asked would not give the
Washington Railway and Electric |
Company a fair return on its pres.
3ent valuation, he said. but the car
company does not wish to put any |
Continued on Page 10. Column 81 |