The Washington times., 1915-07-16
DEREL|CT UTILITIES
TO PAY PROBE COST
General Counsel Syme So De.
cides For Commission-RuI-
ings on Stock Purchase and
Bonds.

Public utilities found guilty Of charg-
ing unjust or discriminatory rates or
Of failing to provide reasonable service
must pay the cost of the investigation
Of their conduct. according to an opinion
of Conrad H. Syne. general counsel Of
the commission. made public today.
The commission also adopted the
opinion of General Counsel Syme hold
ing that paragraph AZ of the public
utilities act. relating to assessments for
the cost of investigations. does not
justify the assessment against the utili-
ties Of the costs of investigation of the
Jurisdiction Of the commission over the
Terminal and TaXicab Companies. In
reference to the cost of the investiga-
tion of the legality of special contracts
of the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany with the Washington Loan and
Trust Company, Arron Brylawski and
others. the commission holds on tho
advice of the general counsel. that while
1t has the right to assess the cost OF
such investigations against the utility.
II will not be done in this instance be-
cause of the nature of the case.
The company. 1t is stated entered
into these contracts in good faith and
abrogate them except by order Of the
commission. Under such circum- =
stances. says Mr.. Syme 1t is little
hard that the cost of Investigation
or theSe special rates Snoulu De dSSeSseu
against the company.
Can Purchase Stock.
The opinion of the general counsel
holding that the Washington Railway
and Electric Company has the right to
purchase the shares of stock of the city
and Suburban Railway. the Georgetown
and Tenleytown Railway Company. anu
the Washington and Rockville Railway
Company without a written order OF
the commission was also adopted
The commission declined to adopt the
suggestion of the Washington and
MARYLAND Railway Company to cooper
ate in friendly suit to test the legal
ity of its order requiring the company
to begin operation by a nongrounded
circuit. The commission received a let
ter from the railway company January
! stating that a portion Of Its trans,
former equipment was disabled and
requesting authority to connect with
the grounded circuit of the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company
Tho connection 1t was said was merely
an emergency one to be used until re-
pairs were made.
The commission. 1t is stated. repeat
Maryland Railway Company reminding
It that the authority was for tenn
porary use only Of the grounded circuit.
and failing to receive a satisfactory
reply. an order was issued April %,
requiring the company to begin oper-
alton by non-grounded circuit by
June 1. Later, assurances were re-
cevied that ARRANGEMENTS had been
made with the Capital Traction to op-
crate by a non-grounded circuit until
December l. by which time the Wash
ington and Maryland Company will
have made the necessary repairs. This
arraneement. 1t is stated, Is satisfac-
tory to the commission.
Form of Bonds To Be Changed.
Consideration was given to a letter
from the Washington Railway and
Electric Company asking that approval
be given to certain details relating to
the sale of bonds amounting to 1866 500
which the commission has authorized
and inclosing the form Of bond which
the company purposes to issue. 1t was
decided that the company be informed
that the commission doubts the ad-
visibility of permitting these bonds to
be issued with the statement that they
are part of similar bonds aggregating
81 ,000, COO of principal and that the COM
mission suggests that the bonds con-
tain no statement to the effect that
bonds of this class are to be issued
from an amount beyond that already
approved by the commission.
A similar position was taken with
regard to letter from the Potomac
Electric Power Company asking ap.
proval by the commission Of details OF
the sale Of bonds amounting to $7s,50O.