Evening star., 1948-01-07
Proposal toDrop
Trolley Line 10
beItsviIIeIsHit
Capital Tronsit Claim
Of Losses on Shuttle
Challenged Before PSC
Ru 1nhn W la.nn,
By John v. Horner
Star Sfoff corraspendsnt


BALTIMORE, Jan. Testimony
by the Capital Transit Co. regard
ing its losses in operating the Belts
ville-Branchville trolley was chal-
1enged today before the Maryland
Public Service Commission.
Through cross-examination of key
utility officials, Louis B. Arnold,
University Park attorney represent
ing group of Prince Georges
County citizens, sought to convince
the PSC that 1t should not approve
the transit company's petition to
abandon the car service A hearing
on the petition went into its second
day.
A dozen Prince Georges residents
told the commission yesterday that
the public convenience and neces-
sity" requires continuance of the
3.2-mile line, just outside the Dis
trict of Columbus. The utility con-
tends that patronage does not justify
the service.
Loses Are Claimed.
Transit officials scheduled for
cross examination are j. E. Heberle,
vice president and controller, and
Dean j. Locke, staff engineer. They
testified yesterday that the company
has always sustained loss on the
shuttle operations and that In view
of present high operating costs
tn there re Is no; prospect ct getting "out
Mr.. Arnold contended that the
utility is charging the shuttle line
with maintenance items for the
entire system. He obtained an ad-
mission from Mr.. Locke that pat
ronage had increased substantial
ly" in the last seven years. Another
witness conceded that the company
owns no buildings on the line, al
though financial statement car
ries charge against building
maintenance.
The Capital Transit position is
that the shuttle service must share
part of the annual operating ex-
penses of the entire system.
Residents Testify.
Mr.. Heberle testified that the net
annual loss of the Beltsville- Branch
vile trolley approximates $4,000. He
and other company officers said
even a proposed increase in fare
would not wipe out the deficit. The
utility is seeking authority for high
er fares on all its Maryland lines in
another petition pending before the
Public Service Commission.
The Prince Georges residents who
testified yesterday comprised only
a small group of the delegation at
tending to protest the abandon
nent. The essence of their testi-
mony was that the community has
expanded on the assumption that
adequate transportation would be
provided. They argued that if the
trolleys are cut off the section
would endure unreasonable hard
ships.
Among those speaking against
abandonment were William A. Du-
val, Mayor of College Park; Douglas
Cruikshank, Berwyn; Edwin Man.
gis, Beltsville; DR.. Herman Dubuy,
Hollywood; Mrs. Katherine Mitchell
and Mrs. Viva Reihm, Daniels Park;
Donald Albert Jewell, Beltsville;
Dwight E. Lord, Hollywood; John
w. Mckay and David K Hart, Ber-
wyn, and Edward H. Killen, an off,
cial of the Department of Agricul-
lures horticultural station.
Hyattsville Resolution Read.
A resolution from the Council of
Hyattsville also was read into the
record.
Roscoe F. Walter. Rockville at
torney, challenged the PSC's author
ity to pass on the petition to aban-
don the line but was overruled. Mr..
Walter declared jurisdiction belongs
to the Interstate Commerce Com
mission because many trolley users
are bound to or from the District |
and Virginia.
Charles Bosley, PSC chairman,
said that Capital Transit appeared
to have included unusually high
charges against the trolley line for
maintenance Of buildings and equip
ment which were purchased at low
cost. His comment was on testi-
mony that maintenance of buildings
costing 1921 was figured lat 81 1,063
annually, and on equipment costing
$20,292 was figured at $8,432 an
nually.
When Mr. Arnold asked E. P.
Goucher, the utility's superintend-
ent of ways and structures, to EMU
merate the buildings the company
owns along the Beltsville- Branch
vile line, Mr.. Goucher said there
were none.
Prince Georges Board
Opposes Fare Increase
The Prince Georges County Com
missioners were on record today
as opposed to any fare increases in
Maryland by the Capital Transit