The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-01-07
Valuation Must Be Made By Person or Firm Satisfac- tory to the Commission, and Work Must Be Com pleted Before April 1, 1914.
Representatives McMurray and Wilson Win Sweeping Victory in Gas Case Of ficers Ordered to Disclose Amount of Salaries Re ceived By Each.

The Public Utilities Commis- sion handed down 8 decision in the Bridgeport Gas case, this morning, denying the motion of the company for dismissal of petition, and requiring notice of the company's purpose, be- fore Jan. 20, to make a physi- cal valuation of it's property, in default of which notice final decree will be entered. The commission orders the company to file with the com mission, on or before Jan. 20, Ia listof it's saIarfed officers and the amount of salary of each.
 This information was sought during the progress of the hearings, by Representatives J. H. McMurray and Lynn W. Wilson, but was furnished by the company in. a gross sum, by which the salaries of all the general officers of the company were shown to aggregate $23,- OOO.
 If the company elects to make physical valuation, the work must be done by April 1 1914, by 8 person or firm ap- proved by the commission.
 The decision of the commits sion is as follows:
 DECISION ON MOTION
 TO DISMISS PETITION"
 'tAt the close of testimony in
 the above entitled case, the re- spondent company made it's mo-
 ton that the petition be dismiss
 ed because of failure of the petf- tionerS to make out @. pri1na. facie
 case. Briefs were filed and the
 case argued in full on it's merits as well as on said motion with the understanding and agree
 ment, however that if the mo- ton to dismiss should be denied
 the respondent company would
 have the privilege of making and
 presenting a. physical valuation of it's plant and equipment before
 final order in the premises.
 After making a careful exami-
 
 ords, comparative rates etc, pre- Sented at the hearing, the com
 mission is of the opinion that the petitioners have made out a, prina facie case wlferefron the motion to dismiss is denied. In comp1i-
 ance with the agreement relative to making and presenting a phv- sica1 valuation, the company is given, if it so elects, until the first
 day of April, 1914. in which to
 make and file with the commis- sion a physical valuation of its plant and equipment, such valua- tion to be made preferably by a person or firm approved by the commission. The company is di- rected to notify the commission in writing on or before the 10th day
 of January, 1914, whether it elects to make such val a1uation, and if it
 does not so elect to do, final or der and decree will be made by the commission at its earliest con- venience after said 20th day of
 January, 1914.
 tThe company is further direct
 ed to file with the commission on
 or before said January 20, 1914, list of it's sala1-ied officers and
 the amount of salary of each The petition for a reduction of rates was brought by Representative Lynn w. Wilson, Representative John H. McMurray and others, last June. Two hearings were held. The petitioners were represented by Attorney John J. Cullinan, of CulIinan & Cullinan, and the respondents by Attorney David H. Day, of Marsh Stoddard & Day. The petitioners claimed that the price of $1 per thousand cubic feet for gas is unreasonably high. They asserted that a price of 75 cents per thousand would be fair to the com pany and the public.
 They proved that the stockholders of the company had never invested