Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-12-02
Last Of Transit
Applicants 10
BeHeard Today
Public Utilities Unit
Hears Hunkin Tell
OF Heavy Booking

end of its "last-ditch effort to
persuade private enterprise" to
take over the dying Capital
Transit Co. franchise next Aug
ust Is.
It scheduled a final interview
with the fifth applicant for the
franchise. I. William Stempil.
representing the Washington
Rapid Transit System.
And, said Chairman George e.
C. Hayes, the commission hopes,
within "a week or 10 days." to
be able to announce the date Of
a public hearing on the applica-
lions.
Before then, the commission
faces the chore Of evaluating the
claims Of financial backing made
by the applicants-claims that
ranged from $3.5 million to SIS
million, according to Mr.. Hayes.
Offer at Night Meeting
The highest was made yeSter-
day in a night conference with
the commission by Gregory Han
kin. former New Deal chairman
of the commission and counsel
for the Metropolitan Transit Co
operative.
He said the cooperative has
been promised SIS million to
finance operations If it is granted
Ia permit by the commission. He
said IS million would be put up
by the Wolf Oil &. Gas Co.. Inc,
Iof "a Commerce street. Newark.
IN. j., and backed it up with a
letter signed by H. Ernest Strub-
be. ST.. as president.
! Mr.. Hankin said the other $3.5
million would be put up by the
Stanwood Oil Corp. of the same
address, and backed it up with
ia letter signed by John A. Kaye.
as president.
| Mr.. Kaye. however, has been
listed by Mr. Stempil as a vice
president in charge of finance
and controller for the Washing
ton Transit System. At the time.
Mr.. Stempil identified Mr.. Kaye
as president of Wolf Oil & Gas
Co., Inc.
All Questions Answered
Chairman Hayes said Mr.. Han
kin. in a 23-page document
which he later made public, ap-
lpeared to have answered all
questions asked by the commits
sion.
Mr.. Hayes has said the same
thing Of only one other Of the
five applicants. a group of Balti-
more investors represented by
former Senator Willard E. Ty-
dingsy
| Mr.. Hayes pointed out. how
ever, that the answers might not
be those which would persuade
the commission to grant a per-
NIT.
Attending the session with Mr..
Hankin were Wallace j. Camp.
bell of the Cooperative League
Eof the United States and A. L.
Wheeler, Washington lawyer and
chairman of the Democratic
Central Committee of the Dis
Itrict.
The session followed an 30
minute meeting of the commits
sion with another applicant.
Max NJ. Kampelman. former as
sistant to Senator Humphrey.
Democrat of Minnesota. and
counsel for an unidentified group
of clients.
Mr.. Kampelman was accom-
panied by three leaders of the
Washington Board of Trade.
President Edward r. Carr, Ex-
ecutive Vice President William H.
Press and Donald A. McCormack.
chairman of the boards trans
portation committee.
Visited Twin Cities Operation
They denied any Board Of
Trade Endorsement of Mr.. Kam-
pelman's application but adj
mitted making a two-day visit
to Minneapolis-where Mr.. Kam-
pelman's clients are reputed to
be located-with the Washing
ton lawyers Monday and Tues
day.
They said they went to observe
the Twin City Rapid Transit Co.
of st. Paul and Minneapolis.
which recently converted from
streetcar to all-bus operation.
Applicants for the Capital
Transit franchise have been
asked by city officials to do like
wise.
OF Mr.. Kampelman, Chairman
Hayes said not all of the COM
missions questions had been an
.swered and that the agency prob
ably will go ahead without more
information.
He said most of the interview
was devoted to a report by the
Board of Trade leaders on their
visit to Minneapolis, which they
said favorably impressed them.
MIR. Hayes said the Board of
Trade officials did not elaborate
on a statement by Mr.. Carr on
Wednesday night that he plans
to announce creation of a pri-
vate company soon if no other
applicant proves to be satisfac-
tory.
Mr.. Hankins statement said
the Metropolitan Transit CO.
operative had been unable to
finance itself by the ordinary
method of financing through un-
Iderwriting by nvestme emit
houses"
Instead, he said, the co-opera-
tive will amend its charter to
divide its $40 a share stock into
two classes. Glass A, which will
be the voting stock. will have
! 900 shares with a par value
Iof $40, 900 each, or a total of $40