Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-27
OPERATIONS REVIEW
WINDS UP HEARING
IN w. r. E. BUS CASE

Continued From First Page)
of the total of such charges for over
heads and so forth.
Company Moved for Buses.
Peoples Counsel Ralph B. Fleharty
asked few general questions, and Will
liam NICK. Clayton, counsel for the
Federation of Citizens Associations,
asked Mr.. Ham If he considered the
Maryland operations of the system
more successful than those in the Dis
trict. Mr.. Ham objected to answering
the question, and the commission sus-
tanned his objection. Mr.. Clayton ask
ed who was the mover in the appli-
cation for substitution of bus for rail
service in 1928, and Mr.. Ham replied
that the company was the mover.
did you make that petition because
you could give better service hV bus
than by raii?" asked Mr.. Clayton.
I'VE made the petition because the
District proposed to pave Bladensburg
road, and the type OF track We had
there would not have stood up under
the. new paving and we would have
what would have been the cost Of
rebuilding?"
ABOUT $4,000 as Irecall It,"
"Was there any protest on the change
from property owners?"
IT don't recall"
would you say that there has been
an Improvement in the service"
There has been decided improve
ment"
During the past six years you have
purchased new busses?"
yes"
Did you ever ur2 any on this line'"
"Yes."
your averae- loss per year during
the past six years has been about
$4,000"
''YeSF
"In the year 1923, your net loss was
$4,000. about?"
eyes. That Is due to the operation
of new busSes on this line. The type
of bus at present in use Is the most
modern small type developed by the
Yellow Coach Co. When buses are
new, their operating expenses are lower
than when they are old"
Your passengers are increasing"
eyes"
as it reasonable to suppose that
this increase will continue?"
Our gross business will continue
to increase. but our operating expenses
W Ia dlSU cAIOW OIL uPWuAu
Willing to Separate Downtown.
HAS the company lately. considered
bringing these BUSES downtown"
Not lately. We are perfectly will
ing to bring them downtown. If that
should be done, however. we feel that
the rate on the line should be the
same as that on the Burleith line"
would bringing the BUSES down.
town stimulate your Maryland busi-
nesS?"
IT think it would"
In answer to further questions by Mr..
Clayton, MIR. Ha'u said that in 1923, had
he been able to foresee that the line
would have lost $4,000 in six years, he
would have rebuilt the tracks and have
something to show for his losses.
Mr.. Hartman then asked Mr.. Ham
If, since the Interurban company was
already paying the railway company an
per cent return on some of its buses,
If the railway wasn't seeking return
on the same buses twice. Mr.. Ham
replied that it was not, as the revenue
from these buses was included in the
railways operating revenues. Mr.. Hart
man asked the question numerous times
in varying questions, but each time Mr..
Ham insisted that there was no dupli-
cation.
Commissioner Hartman asked wheth-
er Mr.. Ham was satisfied with IAN even
break" in the operation Of the buses
by the Washington Interurban Railroad
Co.
mo, we are not satisfied with an even
break" replied Mr.. Ham, I'm serving
the public this company has lost its
entire investment and suffered tremen-
dous losses in operation"
Then you believe that the company
Is entitled to make up some OF its past
def1citS?" asked Mr.. Hartman.
Seek to Make Up Deficits.
eyes, we do" said Mr.. Ham. eve
have certainly not asked to be allowed
to make up these losses very rapidly
only some $1,000 a year. don't claim
that the service out there could not be
improved, but we do not feel like spend
Ing money for improvements when we
are losing. money all the time in our
operation"
At this point s. r. Bowen, general
counsel for the Washington Railway &
Electric Co. and the Washington In
terurban Co., announced that the lat
ter rested its case.
MIR. Ham then undertook to answer
a long series Of technical questions
last week by Commissioner
Hartman about the accounting meth
DDS OF the Washington Railway & Elec-
trio Co. and the history Of some Of
its various car barns and other build
ings. In response to one query, Mr..
Ham said the company had only two
cars which had never been used in
regular service at any time during the