The Washington times., 1913-07-20

effect the three Commissioners are
members of the Utility Commission.
With the keen interest that both Com
missioners Newman and Siddons are
known TO have In matters relating TO
the public utility corporations. this
! branch of their duties will naturally
be an important one.
The State of Indiana has just fol-
| lowed the example of the District of
Columbia in creating a public utilities
! commission and granting 1t broad
: powers over the service corporations
| of the State. The Indiana law is
! framed after that in force in Wiscon-
sin Under this Jaw the process of
enabling a municipality TO take over
public utility and own and operate 1t
is placed largely in the hands OF the
commission Municipalities shall not
construct or operate any public utility
/ or acquire the same without the ap-
proval of he commission and every
franchise OF permit granted any cor
poraticn hereafter shall be indetermi-
nate and may be revoked for cause. EX-
listing franchises may be surrendered
and exchanged for indeterminate per-
mits and any municipality may acquire,
with INT NOIlSShl VI NiC
any utility and the commission shall
rix the compensation.
The commission is to consist OF five
members, not more than three of whom
shall be members OF the same political
party, and they will serve a term of
four years. Some of the important pro-
visions of the law are those giving to
all corporations the right TO use for the
usual compensation. the tracks. con-
dults, subways. poles, etc, of other
corporations when public convenience
shall be shown to require IT, and tele-
phone companies are required TO make
which desire connection with trunk
lines. All public untility properties
shall be valued by the commission and
all corporations required TO keep UNI
form accounts which shall be open TO
the commissions inspection at all times
A depreciation account that shall be
adequate shall be carried. the commits
sion TO be the judge What is adequate
in this respect
The commission will supervise the use
of construction funds and 1t is permis-
sfble for corporations to arrange TOT
a profit-sharing with employes' Gus
cipaiity and a sliding scale Of charges
for service is provided for. All scheed-
ules of rates shall be filed and be
accessible to the public and the rates
are subject TO review by the commits
sion. Hearings may be held al any
time on complaint of unfair rates or
CHARGES. Appeals from rulings must be
made within sixty days.
The limitations as to capital issues
OF bonds or stocks confine the corpor-
stion 10 their sale for labor actually ex-
pended or actual property acquired nor
shall any security be sold at a prem
iurn or discount except with the COM
missions approval and all issues shall
not be for more than 70 per cent OF
the amount of property or labor ex-
pended. Bonds. notes, or other evil
dences of Indebtedness bearing no more
than per cent may not be issued at
price less than s. per cent OF their
par value. Full data must accompany
application for the issuance of new Sc
curities and no consolidation shall be
legal that does not have the commits
sion's approval Holding companies
are barred from control of any com
pany unless incorporated in the State.
Parallel or competing lines may enter
into cooperative agreements as to OF
Grafton and exchange of facilities.