The Washington times., 1913-12-15
UTILITIES INQUIRY IS
URGED BY D. c. HEADS
Commissioners Ask Funds to
Permit Comprehensive Phys
.
! iGaI Valuation.

Tho pie rs of the Public Utilities Com
mission TO conduct comprehensive
physical valuation of the public utilities
Of Wash ngton are set out in the hear
inss on the District of Columbia appro-
rriation bill, which were made public
TO-DAY.
Mhile The District budget carried no
appropriation for this valuation. there
IS m understanding that money for
besiu-inis the task will be carried in
The geHc al deficiency bin, and the Com
miSaicne will make the best of the
ceiay.
The kelrings. now public. show that
the su;i Jmmittee of the House Appro-
priations Committee, were fnsistent
upon X. 1wing about the plans of the
t-ul,ues Commission. and there was
consider BILE sparring.
Tho commissioners asked $4,000 for
making i valua ton of the Georgetown
AND Nia;hington Gaslight Companies,
Compins, the Capital Traction Com
pany. tae Chesapeake and Potomac
Telephone Company. and the Potomac
Electric Power Company.
Harding Asks s6s,ooo.
after lis first appearance before the
District subcommittee of the Appropria-
TONS Committee, Colonel Harding re-
turned With supplemental request that
al ieas; ss5, 900 be made Immediately
available, but this was not done in the
pendias bill.
Chairman Page, of the subcommittee.
aslzed Why the Interstate Commerce
Com.7is. ion. nov charged with making
a valuation of all railroads. engaged In
interstate commerce. would not be able
tn inves tigate the Washington utilities
ana Ecl hit the District to pay for the
worA co onel Harding replied:
f'our Difficulty is that owing to exist
.nS conditions in the District, and the
propeg md popular demand Tor some
nlodiIicG ton in the operation of some or
the utilities here. these valuations. and
the act resulting therefrom on the Fart
o. the Utilities Commission, should be
ntsde as promptly as possible We DO
no. find. under the law any author,ty
&c do otherwise than make these Yaiu-
atoms ourselves.
There is nothing to prevent US CO.
operating with the Interstate Commerce
Commission and getting its assistance
as fa- as they are willing TO give II 70
us. but 4 doubt very much whether, with
tho entire field they have to cover, they
WOO be ready to get right at the Work
Of akine these valuations in the Dls-
trict of Columbia at the expense or
tbincG. Ierhaps, of larger import 10 the
country ut large.
Fear of Delay.
al think IL We wait until we get the
vriuat,o, made on an interstate basis
our functions would be postponed too
Icnr.''
Commissioner Newman and Commits
sioner 81 ldons interjected to remind the
committee that the question OF state
aI,C interstate traffic would arise were
the Intef state Commerce Commission 10
Undertake. under its blanket authority,
a probe of the local utilities The ma
iority of the properties of the UTILITY
corUorations. il was Jointly argued py
-tbe tI,rc. Commissioners, is iocated
within the District. this being especlang
tue OF the sas and electric light ana
power co-up9nies.
"hs TO the railroads which are inter-
state" commented Commissioner SID
dons the local roads which also run
into MARYLAND and Virginia charge a
fare to the passenger TOR his journey
over their roeds within the District, ana
they charge him again when he crosses
the District line to enter the state, so
they have apparently divided the terri
tory, sl:aking a sharp distinction, be-
tween the service they render WITHIN
the District and outside the District.
Commissioner Newman said the street
railroads had voluntarily refrained from
making en- interstate rate.
Your principal objection TO having
this work done by the organized force
OF the Interstate Commerce Commis-
sion" suggested Chairman Page, lis
as 20 the point OF timer
That is the principal objection sad
Colonel Harding. SO far as this COM
ui!ssion (the Public Utilities Commits
sio::, il concerned. these valuations are
iae chic thingssrwe have. With the
Interstate Commerce Commission they
constitute ole of the minor affairs"
Madden Estimates Cost.
CongTei sman Madden, telling of the
valuation of public utilities in Chicago.
his ioa:c city, said he believed it should
rot cost more than 5000 10 value any
one Of ne Washington concerns, and
other committee members doubted the
necessity of an appropr alton of s1f0.09O
The following colloquy occurred
among the Commissioners and Chair
man PAGE, of the subcommittee:
Mr. ?rge.Colond Harding. are you