Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-31
HARTMAN BEGINS
UTILITIES DUTIES
Takes Oath Today and At
tends Executive
Session.

Harleigh H. Hartman took the oath
of Office as a member OF the Public
Utilities Commission at a brief cere-
mony in the commissions meeting room
today, The oath was administered by
Frank E. Cunningham, clerk Of the Dis
trict Supreme Court. Besides making
the usual oath to defend the Constitu-
ton Of the United States, Mr.. Hart
man svore that he was not interested
pecuniarily, voluntarily or involuntar1ly,
in any public utility corporation in the
District.
After posing for canleramen and re-
ceivtng congratulations from friends
and employees Of the commission, Mr..
Hartman Joined Chairman John w.
ChildreSs and Engineer Commissioner
William B. Ladue in an executive seS-
sion of the commission. This was the
first meeting held with a fun member
ship present since March 4, when the
Senate adjourned without confirming
the denomination of Lieut.. Col. Harri-
son Brand, jr., vice chairman of the
commission The meeting was also the
last with the present membership, as
Chairman ChildreSS has resigned, his
resignation taking effect at midnight
tonight.
Patrick Oath Tomorrow.
"a II.
member of the commission, Maj. Gen.
Mason M. Patrick, U. S. A., retired, will
take the oath of Office and the COM
mission is expected to organize under
its new personnel Monday.
Talking to newspaper men after the
ceremony, Mr.. Hartman said he looked
forward to hts duties with great
pleasure. He expressed himself as
pleased with the kind words said about
his appointment by President Hoover in
the press.
"Ill have to do some tall working to
keep up the pace you have SET" he
remarked, smiling.
Mr.. Hartman said that he would not
close up his law office, where for years
he has been busy as a consultant on
public utilities matters, as he had sew
eral cases which had reached point
where 1t would be impossible to abandon
them. He said that he would accept
no new cases, however, and wind up
the present cases as quickly as possible.
He will be present tomorrow while Gen.
Patrick is taking the oath.
Mrs. Hartman Spectator.
Among the spectators at the cere-
mony were Mrs. Hartman, Commits
sioner Proctor L. Dougherty, employees
of the Public Utilities COMMISSIONS
ONCE force ana accounting bureau, anu
several of Mr.. Hartman's friends. The
commission meeting today was possible
as the regular Semi-weekly meeting OF
the Board of Commissioners, which
would have required the presence OF
Col. Ladue, was postponed because OF
the absence from the city OF Commits
sioner Sidney F. Taliaferro. Mr.. Talia-
ferro is taking a week end vacation.
Holidays Granted.
The first business taken up by the
commission was granting of a half hol1-
day on Saturdays. beginning tomorrow
and continuing through September, TO
all employees of the commission. M. M.
Browning was appointed property ofh-
Ger for the gas inspection bureau.
The commission ordered the WASH
ington, Marlboro and Annapolis Bus
Lines, Inc, to continue selling tokens
at the rate of 10 for 81 for trips to
Bradbury Heights for another month.
The bus company has been selling to-
kens at this rate for two months in the
hope of attracting more passengers, the
previous rate being four tokens for 50
cents.
The company recently reported that
the reduced price for tokens had caused
a financial loss and asked permission
to restore the old token rate. The pres
ent order leaves it open for the COM
pany to make this request again at the
end of the month should the business
still be improbable.