Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-18
PUBLIC UTILITIES
ACT |SEXP[A|NED.
Board Composed of District
Commissioners Has Wide
Field of Duty.
CAN PRESCRIBE DIVIDENDS
AND PASS ON ALL DEALS
Purposes and Scope of Organization
Set Forth by Daniel E. Garges,
Acting Secretary of Body.

Daniel Il. Garges chief clerk of the en-
gineer department of the local govern
rnent. and acting secretary to the public
utilities commission of the District OF
columbia has prepared for The Star a
condensed statement explaining the or
SANITATION, powers and purposes of the
commission.
The utilities law is declared to be one
of the most elaborate pieces of legisla-
tiOn of its kind ever enacted. Officials of
the commission are DESTROYS that citizens
shall thoroughly understand it. Mr..
Garges' statement was prepared with the
view of clearing up any misconceptions
that NAV have formed in the mind of the
public with respect to the provisions of
the law. 1t is as follows:
Personnel of Commission.
The public utilities commission of the
District of Columbia was created by an
act of Congress approved March 4, 1913.
The commission consists of the Com
missioners of the District of Columbia,
the powers contained in the law being
vested in them and imposed upon them
IS a governmental and administrative
agency. TO be exercised and performed
their powers and duties as Commission
crs of the District of Columbia, without
additional compensation.
The Commissioners of the District of
columbia consist of two residents of the
District of Columbia, with salary of
5000 per annum each, appointed for a
terms of three years. and an officer of
the Corps of Engineers. United States
Army. detailed by the President of the
Jnited States for the duty. whose rank
is above that of captain. This engineer
officer receives a sufficient addition TIC
his salary as an army officer TO make ii
equal $1,000 per annum.
1t is required by a law that the
Commissioners and every officer or en-
ploye of the commission shall take an
oath of office that he is not pecuniarily
interested, voluntarily or involuntarily,
in any public utility in the District of
Columbia or elsewhere. The commits
sion is given general power to en-
ploy and prescribe the duties of such
officers, clerks. stenographers, inspec-
tors, experts and others IS it may deem
of the law. and to fix their compen-
sation within the appropriation pro-
yided by Congress The appropriation
provided for the fiscal year to end
June 80, 1914, Is $4,000.
Executive Officer Appointed.
The commission organized March 10.
1918. and created the office of execu-
tive officer, appointing 10 that office
one of the assistants to the Engineer
Commissioner, who also is an officer of
the Corps of Engineers, United States
Army. and who serves the commission
without further compensation than his
army pay. The commission also has
appointed an engineer at a salary of
$500 per annum and a small clerical
and inspection force. This organiza-
49,
various department or branches of the
service are organized In this organi
zation il will follow to a large ex-
tent the present organization of the
public utilities commission of the city
of New York
The law also provides that the cor
poration counsel of the District of CO.
lumbia. whose salary as such corpora
tion counsel is $4,000 per annum. shall
be the general counsel of the commits
sion and for such service shall
receive an added compensation of
81 900 per annum.
The term public utility as embraced
in the law includes every street railroad,
cept steam railroads-the Washington
Terminal Company. the Norfolk and
Washington Steamboat Company and all
companies engaged in interstate traffic
upon the Potomac river and Chesapeake
bay; gas corporation, electric corpora
ton, water power company. telephone
corporation, telegraph corporation and
pipe line company. 1t contemplates super
vision over the transportation of pas
sengers, freight or property or service
from one point to another within the Dis
trict of Columbia, but does not cover in
terstate commerce. Every public utility
is required to furnish adequate service
and facilities. and the charges to be made
by il shall be reasonably just and nom
discriminatory. The commission is
authorized TO permit and require the joint
use OF tracks and appliances for reason
able compensation.
Valuations to Be Made.
The commission is directed to make as
soon as practicable, valuation of all pub
lie utilities under its supervision. This
valuation is 10 be made from three sepa-
rate standpoints as follows:
]. The amount of money expended in
the construction and equipment, incud-