The Washington times., 1929-07-30
CAPITAL / | R NJ
LOSES FARE
RUSE

Inc gnOSG Oh b star cudAADtE
session held by the old
Public Utilities Commission
last year came back to.
haunt the new commits
sion today as it considered
the application Of traction
companies for increased street
car fares and charges and
counter-charges flew back and
forth in the board room of the
District Building,
When the smoke Of battle cleared
away, the Capital Traction Com-
pariy had sustained one crushing
defeat, lost q cleverly planned
counter.attack. and won the third
and final tussle with the commits
sion.
Then the hearing settled down to
the usual routine, with J. II.
HeberIe, assistant to the president
and statistician Of the Capital Trac-
tion Company, explaining the
finances of the company, while
Commissioners Harleigh IL Hartman
shot question after question at him.
Attorneys Battle
Less than five minutes after the
hearing got underway this morning,
the faces of attorneys for both sides
were flushed and their voices were
raised as they fought over the ad.
instability of the record of the hear
ings on the Capital Traction Com.
pany's application for an increased
fare in 1923.
Yesterday the traction company
made an effort to introduce ex.
cerpts from the old record into the
record OF the present case. Hart
man blocked this move, holding
that the present commission Is not
bound by the actions Of the oid
commission.
This morning Maj. Gen. Mason M.
Patrick asserted that Corporation
Counsel William w. Bride, general
counsel for the commission, was OF
the opinion that the commission had
never entered into an agreement
whereby the record Of the old fare
hearing could be brought into this
case without being challenged.
Then the battle started.
Bride Claims Agreement
Bride declared that George E.
Hamilton, chairman Of the board of
directors OF the Capital Traction
Company, and G. Thomas Dunlop,
general counsel for the company,
and John II. Hanna. president OF
the company, were present at a
meeting in the office of Harrison
Brand, vice chairman Of the old
commission, shortly after the fare
case was dismissed last year. At
this meeting it was agreed by all
concerned that the record of that
subject to challenge.
Hamilton 1eaped to his feet.
II deny that absolutely" he
shouted.
Brides face flushed as he replied.
"But 1t was clearly understood
that
"It was not clearly understood, -
shouted Hamilton.
FIeharty Clarifies Case
. NOuuSCl ID II LC"
harty then stood up and explained
that, although he had not attended
the session, he understood that
neither side was to gain a legal
advantage as the result of any
agreement entered into there.
Dunlop then arose and began to
explain that the commission was
prejudicing the company's case by
refusing to allow them to use any
part of the old record. As he
/ launched into a fiery explanation
of the rights of the company and
how they were being violated,
Hanna pulled his arm and said,
| "Just q moment now" Dunlop sat
down and Hanna arose.
He declared that he had very
vivid recollection of the meeting in
Brands office and that it was
clearly understood there that any
part. or the entire record of the
old case. could be used in the pres.
ent case, but that he had no recol.
lection Of any agreement such as
outlined by Bride being entered into.
Ham Cites Understanding
William F. Ham, president of the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company, then took the floor and