Evening star., 1948-01-08
be|tsviI|e Line
Cost Disputed al
PSC Hearing
Commission Expects
To Take Up Bus
Fare Plea Today
By John V. Horner
stor Sfoff Correspondent

BALTIMORE, Jan. 8.-Conflictine
expert testimony on Capital Transit
Co. cost estimates and accounting
practices was placed before the
Maryland Public Service Commission
today at the concluding session of a
hearing on the proposal to abandon
trolley service between Beltsville and
Branchville.
Although the commission expected
to wind up the hearing during the
day, Chairman Charles B. Bosley
said no decision will be forthcoming
Immediately. This afternoon the
PSC expects to resume the inter-
rupted hearing on Capital Transit S
plea for increased bus fares in
Montgomery and Prince Georges
Counties.
Transit officials and attorneys in
sisted the company incurs heavy
annual losses in operating the 3.2-
mile trolley line The deficit origin
ally was figured at s50,000, but yes
terday the company reduced its
estimate to $4,000. The officials
testified trainmen's wages alone
exceed the estimated $22,1 revenue
from trolley passengers.
Charges Disputed.
Paul L. Holland, chief engineer
of the Public Service Commission
appearing as a witness for citizens
opposing the petition, asserted the
transit company had included de
cidedly excessive" charges against
the Beltsville line.
Mr.. Holland testified that if oper-
ating costs of the shuttle line were
figured correctly the company's
statement would show a loss OF
only "a few thousand dollars"
Other witnesses questioned Cap
ital Transit revenue estimates. Rob-
ert C. ziepolt of Beltsville reported
he and a group Of associates
counted riders on two different days
in December and found the number
to exceed 1000 each day. The
company contends the daily average
is 686.
Actual Profit Claimed.
On the basis Of this information
Louis B. Arnold. the peoples attor-
ney, argued that revenues are
greater and operating costs are
lower than the utility claimed. Mr..
Arnold said the line actually oper-
ates at profit.
j. E. Hebsrle, vice president and
controller of the utility, testified it
is not proper to consider the Mary
land line as a part of a central
metropolitan system. For that rea-
son, he explained. the company
credits the trolley line with only IS
cents on each 12.25 weekly pass sold
for combination county-District use.
The remainder is credited to reve-
nues of the District system.
Population Figure Disputed.
T. Raymond Burch of College
Park, a real estate operator and a
member of the House of Delegates,
produced a map for the purpose of
showing that the area served by the
trolley is more thickly populated
than reported by Capital Transit
witnesses Tuesday. Mr.. Burch said
a survey disclosed the area has 1929
housing units, with 81 more under
and 189 others planned
for the near future.
F. Floyd Await, counsel for the
utility, commented that the transit
company could not be expected to
operate at a loss so real estate men
and other businessmen could oper-
ate at a profit.
Another witness for the people was
David Ginsperg of Hyattsville.
Resolutions, letters and petitions
TO abandonment were re-
ceived from the Prince Georges
County Real Estate Board, the coun-
ty commissioners, the Beltsville PTA,
the Beltsville Grange and a group of
440 citizens. Others had been sub
mitted previously.