Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-08-13
TRACTION COMPANY
ADMITS z ERRORS
One Item for TrifIe Over
SIS, 900 and Another for $6
Will Be Removed.
CONTINUED From First Page,

for an increase in fares.
Mr.. Heberle read the questions from
the record Of the hearing and then
answered them one at q time from pre-
pared data. John H. Hanna, president
of the Capital Traction Co., sat at his
elbow and from time 70 time assisted
him in giving his answers. Occasion
ally Mr.. Hanna answered additional
questions, interiected by Commissioner
Hartman, on his own account without
reference to the data prepared by Mr..
Heberle.
Property outside Of the District is In
cluded in the company's valuation up to
Q total of $1l,320, Mr. Heberle ex-
planned, in addition to the property out
side the District included in the valua-
ton fixed by the District Court of APP
pears. which amounted to approx
mately 100000.
The company's valuation figure, the
witness testified, includes approximately
$1,000 charged as assessments, for paw
ing. sewers, water mains, ETC., against
real estate owned by the company. The
given as approximately ST., 1892.
Mr.. Heberle said that no secondhand
property Of the company had been In
cluded at the cost of new property.
Hold No Objection, Approval.
He said the only maintenance
charges included in the company'S
fare value" were such as have been
approved heretofore by the commits
sion
I'VE understand that when the COM
mission has not objected to any of our
charges 1t has approved them," said
Mr. Heberle.
HAS there ever been an order Of the
commission approving such charges?"
asked Commissioner Hartman.
NO" replied Mr.. Heberle.
From time to time Commissioner
Hartman interrupted the witness to ask
additional questions about various
items. Some of these questions Mr..
Heberle answered at once and others
he said would require further search Of
the company's records.
G. Thomas Dunlop, counsel for the
company, objected when Commissioner
Hartman questioned the witness about
Court of Appeals in 1925 Chairman
Patrick said that since Mr. Dunlop's
objection was the same as that which
he has heretofore made in regard to
such questions, and since his objection
has ben overruled the witness might
proceed to answer.
Referring to the track on Twenty
NTH and Twenty-sixth streets. be-
tween @ street and Pennsylvania
were included In the company's claim
value at $4,000.
This track Is in daily use," inter-
Jected Mr.. Hanna, and there Is no
question in our minds of the propriety
OF continuing to include 1t in our val
uation."
Value Power House Property.
The Grace street power house prop
erty, including the land, Is valued by
the company at $ll9,66s, Mr.. Heberle
testified.
Answering further questions of Mr.
Hartman's. Mr.. Heberle said that the
Grace street power station building
had been assessed at sos, 600 and that
the company had requested the asses
Sor to reduce the assessment to $50
600, and that after an examination of
the property the assessment had been
lowered to $4,000.
He said that the assessment on the
land around the building was $40, 386,
and that this land was carried in the
company's value at S20,6l5.
The dates Of constructions Of various
sections Of track were then read off
and entered into the record Also the
dates OF construction OF the various
parts OF the company's shops at 1922
M street.
Track Stretches Described.
Next the answers had to do with the
condition Of various stretches Of track
throughout the company's system
These stretches were described in terms
varying from mot very good" to excel
lent" The witness said that the tracks
Immediately in front of the White House
were In good shape, but that some of
the yokes had become loosened, prob
ably by reason Of O leak in the water
main under the tracks, and that the
water department Of the District gov
eminent had promised to investigate.
The answers to these questions re-
lattng to tracks were all prepared by
the company's engineer Of way, but
no objection was made to reading them
into the record by Mr.. Heberle. who
said he had no personal knowledge as
to their correctness.
Heberle Explains Track Question.
Mr.. Heberle entered a detailed ex-
PLANTATION of the conditions Of various
stretches of track In the city. After
he had answered q number Of ques-
tons on this subject, MT Hanna de-
clared that the company did not claim
that all Of its tracks were brand new,
but that it was trying to take care Of
them as fast as 1t could.
IT don't know what all this has to
do with the valuation of our property"
said Mr.. Hanna. IF it Is intended as
a measure for determining the amount
of depreciation, it is not . fair
method"
In connection with one item, Mr..
Heber]e used the words construction"
and Reconstruction"
Just what do you mean by that
play on words?" inquired Mr.. Hart
man.
The witness at once objected to Mr..
Hartman's expression play on words"
whereupon Mr.. Hartman said he had
intended no criticism.
Several times Mr.. Heberle made the
statement that the method OF account