Waterbury evening Democrat., 1908-11-20
MORE JUICY PLUMS
Commission on Public Service Recommends Three s7,sOO
 Places Under New Law.

appointed Dy the last legisiaiure' i' made public this morning. The members of the commission are Mar GUS H. Holcomb of Southlngton, Thomas Dudley Bradstreet of Thom- aston. Charles Phelps of Rockville, r. H. Woodward of Hartford and Washington F. Wilcox of Chester. Judge Holcomb Is the attornay-gen- eral of the state, MT Bradstreet is the comptroller, MT Phelps is former attorney general and is now the states attorney for Holland county, Mir Woodward was long useful pub lie official at Washington and MT tiWilcox is former congressman and former railroad commissioner.
 The commission reports primarily in favor of establishing for this state public service commission. IL IS proposed that this commission rhal. consist of three members, to be named by the governor and confirmed by the concurrent action of both branches of the general assembly, as is the case with the appointment of the higher judges. The salaries are to be $7,500 each, which also is the same as the judges have. In the first instance the members are to be ap- pointed for two, four and six years and after that one member is to be appointed for six years at each ses- sion of the legislature. The gov ernor fills vacancies occurring be- tween sessions, to hold until the ris- ing of the next general assembly. Commissioners can be removed by the superior court on written com plaint of the attorney-general and after hearing. No stockholder, agent or employe of any company subject to the commission shall be eligible for commissionership.
 The board is to have an office at the Capitol and to keep records, em- ploy clerk and accountants, etc, as seems best to the members, but with in the appropriation made for the purpose. The duties are thus gen. orally defined:
 The commission shall have the general supervision of all railroad, street railway. gas, electric, water, express, telephone and telegraph companies in so far as they are sub ject to state control, and shall keep itself fully informed as to the com pliance with law by said companies, and, when deemed necessary, shall report violations of law to proper officials having Jurisdiction of such violations"
 The report provides for the or ganization of any public service cor poration under a general law which it presents. Any three or more per sons are permitted thus to incorpor- ate, under prescribed conditions and at all times under the supervision of this commission. If a company does not apply to the commission for leave to do business within year of it's organization or if, having re- ceived authorization, it neglects be- yond a reasonable time to go to work, then its corporate powers cease.
 When gas, electric, water and tel ephone companies want to do busi- ness they must apply to the commis- sion and various stipulations are laid down for this procedure. One im- portant section says:
 Such application shall be denied in so far as the same tsks auth5r- ity to furnish service in any territory in which another company is active ly furnishing reasonable service of like character to that for which ap- rlicatiol is made"
 If company fails to go work within the time specified by the com mission, the authority becomes void and the same company cannot apply again for two years, unless the com mission once, for sufficient reason, grant an extension, An important section says:
 All existing charter rights to erect structures in over or under the highways or other public places in this state, or to condemn private property for public uses, shall cease and terminate on July 1, 1909. ex- cept as extended by the commission in accordance with the provisions of the preceding sections; provided, however, that any gas, electric, water or telephone company may ex- tend it's construction in, over or un- der the highways in any towns in which such company shall, on the first day of July, 1909, be legally supplying service for general use un- 1Ss charter rights"
 Provision is made for reports to and by the commission and it stipu- lates that the holders of 25 per cent of the stock or the bonds or the notes (issued for more than year) of any corporation subject to the commission may request a special examination of it's affairs by the commission and if they put up secuf- ity for the cost of the examination, il shall be made. The commission may also make examinations on it's own motion.
 The commission Is given the power when local authorities bring com plaint to it, to hear the question of rates and, If it shall find such rates and charges to be unreasonable, de- termine and prescribe what will be jEst and reasonable rates or charges to be thereafter maintained by such company n s'io1 cases US the maxi- mum to be charged
 When company wishes to issue stock, bonds or coupon notes, 1t must get permission and state among other things what is to be done with the proceeds. No company can issue bonds, coupon notes of other evil dences of indebtedness payable more