Evening star., 1951-11-09
|ArnoId BusIine
Initiates Costs,
CountyCharges
Board Attorney Says
Transit Firm Hides
Facts From Public

The Washington, Virginia g.
Maryland Coach Co. (Arnold
Lines) has been yinf1ating its ex-
penses by considerable amount. "
Attorney Malcolm D. Miller, rep
resenting the Arlington County
Board, charged today at an Inter-
state Commerce Commission hear
ing.
Mr.. Miller contended that the
company is guilty of IAN apparent
attempt to hide facts from the
commission and the public" which
they are entitled to know.
Attorney S. Harrison Kahn, gen.
eral counsel of the company, de-
MED any attempt to conceal facts.
He declared the leases of buses.
about which Mr.. Miller is inquir-
ing, are on record in Arlington
County and are available to him.
Mr.. Kahn complained that because
OF the "harassment" of the COM
pany by the Arlington County
Board. its operations are made
more difficult.
Charges Delaying Tactics.
He declared that if the board
would cease and desist" in its
delaying tactics, the company
could go into the open market and
purchase new buses instead of
leasing them.
After repeated clashes between
opposing counsel. the company
agreed to furnish the total rental
figures for leased buses for 1861
and 1852 as we'll as the rental for
Cne nrSt nine months of this year.
The company proposes to acquire
additional leased buses during the
rest of this year.
Richard c. Bennett. companv
controller, conceded under cross
by Mr.. Miller that
the firm could purchase new buses
outright more cheaply than it can
lease them. Previous testimony
has been that the company does
not have sufficient funds to pur-
chase new equipment and that
that IS one factor in its request
to drop the use of tokens and put
ltS tares on a cash basis.
Comedies Point In Garage.
Mr.. Bennett also conceded that
II the company owned its garage.
offices and shops, which it now
leases for $4,000 a year from Mr.
and Mrs. Joseph L. Arnold, ma ajor-
lty stockholders in the bus COM
pany. that would be a valuable
asset as security to acquire new
buses.
David o. Walter. of 100 EactI
George Mason road, Falls Church,
secretary of the Federation of
Fairfax County Citizens Associa-
ions, appeared this morning be.
tore ICC Examiner J. j. Williams.
who is conducting the hearing. toI
oppose eliminating the tokens. Mr..
Walter said that his group is COM
posed of As member associations,
Is Of them representing neighbor-
hoods served by the Arnold lines.
MIR. Kahn charged yesterday
that Arlington County was setting
itself up as a judge, bent on tell
ing the bus company how to serve
the public.
Few Miles i'm Arlington.
"Only a small portion of ttheI
ous) route miles lie in Arlington
Mr.. Kahn said. Yet
seeks to set itself up as
a judge to tell this interstate mo-
tor carrier how to serve the pub
lic."
The lawyer said that county
representatives have complained
to the commission that the COM
pany is not rendering good serv-
ice. And he quoted them as say
ing there is no evidence the
service is improving.
Mr.. Bennett, who finished his
direct examination at the close
of yesterdays hearing, testified
that Arlington County, although
opposing additional revenues for
the company, has directly taken
away some of it's business. He
pointed out that in June, 1850
the county acquired it's own school
buses.
The controller declared that the
company formerly carried these
children. as well as taking them
on special sightseeing trips, a
function which the county has
now also taken over by using
school buses.
Sees New Territory Losses.
Because the company is extend
ing its routes into areas that are
just beginning to be built up, Mr.
Bennett testified it expects to LOSE
'$19,855 for the balance of thi.
year. He declared these route.
will not become profitable fol
some time, until the territory be.
comes more thickly populated. He
said 65, 5,277 miles are being addec
to the company's bus schedules
$4,000 of them in these new areas
Mr.. Bennett testified that the
company is now carrying 10 pei
cent fewer interstate passengers
than it carried in 1949. Within
the State, he said, there is re-
duction of Is per cent since 1949
He cited increased operating costs
and taxes and a total payroll OF
$1,025, 900.
The company comedies it will
lose about 10 per cent of the pres
ent users of tokens, which rep.
resents about 100000 passengers
annually, If the tokens are elm.
mated. For the calendar yeal
1851. the company estimates it will
carry 12,770.006 passengers.
Benefit Supper. Bozoor