Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-05

tSOIIbAthCu aACsp
Heberle, land I have found that It is
much simpler to get quarter and a
nickel or quarter and dime
from my pocket than It is to find
the three or more coins that are neces-
sary to make up the 20 cents required
for the purchase Of tokens. Often. in
order to buy tokens now the passenger
has to break a bill. He does not like
to do that and so more frequently pays
the cash fare"
Off.Car Sales Cited.
Chairman Patrick asked how tickets
or tokens were sold in Cincinnati, Kan
Sulting the missionaries which he had
sent out to street car companies in other
cities, Mr.. Heberle explained that in
some cases they were sold both on the
street cars or by agents on the street.
IF tokens were sold at main loading
points as well as on the street cars,
would not the sale be increased and
the cost of street car trafflc to the pub
lie correspondingly reduced?" asked
Chairman Patrick.
1T might have that effect at crowded
points," replied Mr.. Heberle, because
some passengers might prefer to buy
so they would not be delayed in getting
past the conductor"
How do you account for the dimin-
ishing token use in your company"
Gen. Patrick asked the witness.
Mr.. Heberle replied that, first, q 40
cent investment is required for the pur-
chase of tokens, which makes the use
somewhat unpopular, and the second
that the use OF automobiles has in
creased materially recently. From his
own observation, the witness said. many
of the automobiles recently bought be-
long to Government clerks, who before
the purchase were regular riders on the
street cars and bought tokens.
Gen. Patrick then asked what the
percentage token use would be il the
sale we're at two tokens for Is cents,
and Mr.. Heberle replied that it would
be from 95 to 81 per cent.
Clayton Enters Conflict.
William NICK. Clayton, counsel for
the Federation of Citizens Association,
asked Mr. Heberle IL 1t was not fact
that the company had resisted the sale
of three tokens for 20 cents. Mr.. Heb
erie said that the company had OBJ
jected on the ground that it would in
crease the burden on its conductors
and would make the service slower than
at present.
Would this be any greater burden
than the sale OF l-cent transfers." Mr..
Clayton asked.
I'm my judgment, yes" Mr.. Heberle
replied.
The witness next introduced an ex-
hibit showing the increase in the COM
pany's return on its fare value that
would result from various percentage
use of tokens. All of the figures were
in comparison with the amount claimed
to have been received during the IL
months ended April 80, 1929, available
for return.
A 10 per cent use of tokens after de-
Quoting increased local and Federal
taxes, would yield an increase in reve-
nue. OF 1921 ,066.49. bringing the total
revenue available for return up to ST.
449, 697.46, or SIS per cent. IS per
cent use would make the percentage re-
turn 5.33, an 80 per cent use would
make the return Sill, an S5 per cent
use would make it 488, a 30 per cent
use would make it 4.66, 95 per cent
use would make it 4.34 and O SO per
cent use would make it 4.3o.
Accounts Analyses Submitted.
Peoples Counsel Ralph B. Flehartv
asked Mr.. Heberle II 1t would take much
trouble to calculate what the result
would be on the 68.5 per cent use of
tokens. which is the percentage OF use
now in effect on the Scent cash fare. 6
tokens for 40 cents rate. Mr.. Heberle
his slide rule and looked at 1t
for a few seconds and then said:
THAT would result in an increase Of
1898. 67906 in the amount available for
return, making the total $l.467. 3l0.03.
which Is equivalent to a $3.50 per cent
return on fare value"
Mr.. Hartman then asked II Mr..
Heberle would submit the figures with
out making the deduction for Federal
Income tax and Mr.. Heberle said that
would be done Immediately after lunch.
Mr.. Heberle next introduced the
sixteenth exhibit. which was
rs pages long. 1t contained analysis of
six Of the company'S accounts asked
Thursday by Mr.. Hartman. The ac-
counts submitted were: Shop equ. pment
and maintenance, car advertising, SAL
aries and expenses of general officers.
general miscellaneous expenses, bus
chassis and bus advertising.
Many Items Covered.
After Mr.. Heberle had given a gen.
eral explanation of the Is pages Of de-
tailed accounts. comprising the break
down" of expense accounts requested
by the commission, President Hanna
said that the company would like to
have an opportunity later to explain in
detail any individual items which might
be questioned. The items in this anal
ysis ranged all the way from q few
cents up to several thousand dollars.
1T may be that some of the items
in these accounts will be questioned"
said Mr.. Hanna. I'VE might admit
that emma nf them ara IN orror Ofhare
might seem to be in error when they are
not, and we would like chance to ex-
plain them
Mr.. Hanna called attention to few
items of several hundred dollars each
charged up to merger expenses. He
said that the company had set up a
separate merger account, and that these
few items had been overlooked in the
of expenses to that account.
The company next placed In evidence
a tabulation showing a comparison Of
operating revenues, expenses and other
items for 1922 and 1923.
Revenue Decrease Is Listed.
During that period the operating
dropped from $4,994, 043 80 to
81, 4,147.99, a decrease OF $64o,896.
The operating expenses, rentals and
s3,617,21s1s to $3.4o9,731.14, a de-
crease ofs $207, 1914.
AS a result, as shown in the tabula-
ton, the income available for return on
fare value dropped from $l,376.824.8l to
1894, Ol6.a5, a decrease of $442, 40S.26.
The number of revenue passengers in
1922 was 70,886,927 and in 1928 the
number was 5S,6l7,3sl, a falling of OF
IL, 269,536
In this total the operating expenses.
rentals and taxes per revenue passenger
are shown to have increased from 5.103
cents to 5.8l7 cents in the same period:
or a little more than seven-tenths OF
mo cept The avora0o wage nor hour