The Washington times., 1929-08-15
RIEGEL REBUKED
FOR HANNA
GRILL

ten-cent car fare nearing De
fore the Public Utilities Com
mission today as E @. Rigel
director of the Washington
Consumers Guild, struggled to
drive John H. Hanna, presi.
dent of the Capital Traction
Company, into a corner with
a barage Of complicated ques.
tions.
RiegeI was sternly rebuked By
members Of the commission on, sew
eral occasions for the manner IL
which he framed his questions and
for the remarks he made when
Hanna pleaded that he could not
understand them.
At one time Commissioned Har
leigh Fl. Hartman threatened to
strike Riegel's questions and remark
from the record. Before Hartman
completed his statement Riege
started to interrupt and the commits
sioner's voice rose to point as HI
said, "Just moment and let m'
finish my statement"
Finally Gains Down
Riegel seemed ready to flare int
open defiance of the commission OF
several occasions when his question
were overruled, but subsided eacf
time and continued with his cross
examination of Hanna.
Hartman said that the prineipa
objection to Riegers questions wa
that they were already matter o
record in the present case.
He pointed out that the record i
costing the people q great deal o
money and the commission i
anxious to keep it as concise as pos
sible.
This hearing is already 10
longer than any OF us expected /
to be and we are anxious to saw,
as much time as possible" Hartman
told RiegeI.
Riegel replied that 1t wouli b,
almost impossible for questioneri
at the hearing to remember all o
the questions and answers tina
have already gone into the record.
Finds Opposition
81 think 1t Is incumbent on every
one in this case to know what hey
are talking about" said Hartman.
Protesting against the constant in
terruptions to his line of questioning
Riegel declared that it is impossible
for the commission TO make the fine
distinction as to what his question!
meant.
1T is not impossible, - Hartman
replied in a loud voice, and the com
mission will do it,"
All of RiegePs questions we're di
rected this morning at the deprecia
ton reserve fund set up by the trac
ton company. He attempted Il
force Hanna into an admission tha1
IL the fund had not been set up cal
fares would have been lower.
Every dollar in the depreciation
reserve Hanna replied, represent!
a sacrific on the part of stockholder'
of the Capital Traction Company, be
cause, for the last 10 or Is years WI
have not been earning a fair return
on the money invested In the com
pany."
Merger In the Air
No mention of the unificatioI
agreement prepared by the commits
sion and presented to the traction
company two days ago was mad,
at the hearing today.
Before the session opened Hannt
said that nfficera of his ..tiTnna N
had held informal conferences with
officials fthe Washington Railway
and Electric Company yesterda,
and this morning, but thus far Flat
been unable to decide what cours,
of action they will pursue In act
ing on the merger pact.
The board of directors Of the trac
tion company will meet this after
noon.
George e. Hamilton, president o
the board, said that the question o
merger will not be discussed at tn,
meeting and only routine topics viii
be taken up.
Outcome Vague
When the commission handet
the 81 page merger agreement ant
asked him il his company woul,
agree to it, he replied that he coult
make no answer until he had beeI
presented to his board OF directors.
Hamilton said that the agreemen
will not be presented to the board o
directors until officers Of the corn
pany have thoroughly digested 1t
He said that he does not know whel
that mill Jha ##s