Evening star., 1948-02-26
Prince Georges
are Decision
Faces Delay
Commission Sets
Murch "a Deudline
On Filing Briefs
BY William A. MilIsn
star stoff cerresponasnt

BALTIMORE, Fep. zo.--An OM'
cial decision on whether Prince
Georges County streetcar and bul
riders will have to pay higher fare.
to the Capital Transit Co. will b.
delayed until next month at least
The Maryland Public Service
Commission has given county rep.
resentatives until March 10 to filt
a report on q traffic survey there
now under way. Briefs must bt
filed within the two weeks aftel
that, bringing the case up to March
"a. Meanwhile, hearings are at ar
end.
If the company desires 1t, how
ever, a hearing will be held or
the survey. Final arguments viii
be heard by the commission day
or two after briefs, are In. Their
the commission must 60 over 9
voluminous record and make up it.
mind. The company says 1t wants
Scent equalized fare zones, but the
citizens say the increase sought
would amount to 10 per cent.
Yesterdays hearing was marked
by the unexpected withdrawal o1
Gregory Hankin, former District
Public Utilities Commission chair.
man, as counsel for the citizens
because, he said, his fee has moi
been paid up to date.
County Unit Issues Statement.
Fred w. Cast, acting chairman
of the Prince Georges County joint
Transportation Committee, and Ar.
thur w. Brunei its secretary, al
the close of yesterdays commits.
sion hearing, issued this joint
statement:
Attorney Hankin today suspend
ed his participation In the Capital
Transit fare increase case. How
ever, the transportation rush-hour
survey now being conducted
throughout the northern section OF
Prince Georges County by the Joint
Transportation Committee will, con-
tinue, so that the information Oh
tanned from the survey may be
made available to the Public Serv-
ice Commission of Maryland for its
guidance In reaching a decision in
the case of Capital Transit for a
fare increase in the oompany's
Maryland operations.
MIR. Hankin announced his with
drawal after lunch. He told the
commission Mrs. Hankin, who has
been an economist in the case, "has
not received one cent" She testi-
fed yesterday and said she made
mathematical calcula-
tions, based on company figures
placed in evidence. sa
Mr.. Hankin said he has received
only a nominal fee and that 1t is
only fair an attorney should be
paid a reasonable fee without hav-
ing to ask forit too many times. /
The commission was informed by
MFR. BRUNEI that "it is very difficult
to- extract money from the people.
He said a voluntary solicitation OF
funds is now under way, and the
organized citizens hope they can
pay Mr.. Hankin for his services.
j. Edward Heberle, Capital Transit
Co. vice president and controller
cross-examined by Mr.. Hankin be.
fore the attorney withdrew from thu
case, said the company's net in.
come for the whole system for tn.
year ended last September 80 wa.
$307 ,344.. He testified losses from tn.
Maryland operations were made w
by District lines and by sacrificing
stockholders returns.
Mrs. Hankin testified Montgomer,
County bus and streetcar revenue.
for the year ended September 81
totaled $685. ,135, with losses at $18,.
939, with a total loss for Maryland
of $105,922. The transit company
contends its Maryland losses tota
$473, 900.
She said the company showed {
$39,901 gain on the Prince Georges
County streetcar line for the yea
and the bus lines of the company IL
the county showed losses totalinl
$126,884. She said her calculations
were based on figures the company
previously had put in evidence. Sh'
AIDED the company claims almos
double the depreciation for its prop
erty in Maryland over that in th'
District.