Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-10-21
Syme Declares 1t Is Not Au-
thorized to Do Business as
Public Utility.
OPINIONS ARE FURNISHED
COMMISSION TODAY
Counsel Also Holds Washington
Electric Has No Right to
Operate Potomac Light.

The Terminal Taxicab Company is
the only public utility in the District
of Columbia which appears to be oper-
ating under insufficient charter pow
ers, according to opinion submitted to
the public utilities commission today
by Conrad H. Syme, legal adviser to
the commission.
Mr.. Syme was asked about a year
ago to investigate the charters of the
various utilities concerns. His investi-
cation has been an elaborate one. In
his report on the Terminal Taxicab
Company, a corporation organized I'M
der the laws of Virginia, he states
that the granting clause of the charter
of this company gives it the power
among other things ito transfer, carry
and transport by means of its taxi
cabs, etc, passengers. gods, baggage.
merchandise and other personal prop
erty from or to any points or places
in the United States or elsewhere, but
not to exercise any of the powers OF
public service corporation.
Matter in Courts.
The District Supreme Court. Mr.
Syme points out. has held that this
company is exercising the powers OF
a public service corporation and has
decreed that it is subject to the reg
ulation of the commission. From this
decree an appeal has been taken to the
Court of Appeals which will be shortly
heard In the event the Court OF APP
peals sustains the lower court. Mr..
Syme states that he will consider the
propriety of further advising the COM
mission in the premises as to this par
ticular charter.
In his opinion the corporation counsel
also refers to the relation between the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company and the Potomac Electric
Power Company. He states:
TT is my opinion also. frequently
heretofore expressed, that the acts OF
Congress under which the Washington
Railway and Electric Company IS in
corporated did not give to this COM
pany the right to acquire the entire
capital stock of the Potomac Electric
directly engage in furnishing electric
light and power. This matter has also
received the attention of the commits
sion. and a bill is now pending to
divorce these companies 1 believe,
whether Congress. acts or not, we Will
ultimately secure the practical, If not
legal. divorce of these companies by an
appeal to court.
Low Rates Illegal.
That the furnishing by the Potomac
Electric Power Company of electric
light or energy under special contracts
at less than it's regular rates as filed
with the public utilities commission is
clearly in violation OF paragraphs 80
and So of the public utilities law is
the substance of an opinion rendered
yesterday by Corporation Counsel
Syme. He holds that the company
should be notified that unexpired con-
tracts have been annulled by the pass
age of the law.
The opinion will affect four existing
contracts made before the passage of
the law and expiring at dates from De-
cember IA, 1914. to May 81, 1926. The
contracts are with A. Brylawski. the
Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company, NJ. Goldenberg and the WASH
ington Loan and Trust Company.
A hearing this matter probably
will be held by the commission within
the next two weeks. Tomorrow the
commission will hold a hearing to con-
slider the justice of removal charges of
the Chesapeake and Potomac Telephone
Company. Next Monday there will be a
hearing to consider standards of serv-
ice for the street railways of the Dis
trict.