Evening star., 1916-01-01

PUBLIC UTILITIES.

Public utilities operating in the Dis
trfct probably were more in the lime
light during the year just closed than
in any year in their history. This was
the result partly of orders affecting
them issued by the public utilities COM
mission and of their own efforts to i'm
prove the services which they furnish
The Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company led all utilities in making
Improvements. This company spent
over 100000 on extensions and equip
ment. Its most important extensions
were the 14th street link, giving direct
access from the northern section of the
city to the government buildings south
of Pennsylvania avenue, built at a cost
OF about $4,000: installation of the un-
derground system on Nichols avenue in
Anacostia. at a cost Of 100000. the he
building of short double-track ex-
tension on Water street, at a cost of
about $4,000, and the laying of double
track connecting curves at 14th and G
streets northwest, at a cost of about
$4,000.
Capital Traction Extension,
The Capital Traction Company. in
March. made application to the public
utilities commission to build an extern
sion on 18th street from u to l streets,
and along 1 to 14th street: also on II
street from 14th to eth streets, with
terminal loops at 18th street and New
YORK avenue. 7th street and Pennsyl-
vania avenue and 18th and G streets
northwest. The application was refused.
This company placed motormen's seats
on all double-truck cars during the
year and made a change in routing of
cars to accommodate patrons in various
sections of the city, whereby through
services were established from 14th
street to the navy yard and from
georgetown via Union station to sth
and F streets northeast
The public utilities commission kent
close watch on the schedules and gem
eraI service maintained by the street
railways during the year and many i'm
provements were made at the insta nee
OF this body. The most importsnt
nearing affecting the Capital Traction
company which the commission con-
ton for 18th street extension Sev-
erai hearings affecting the washington
taliWay and Electric Company were
neld by the commission. The most i'm
portaht related to the company's re-
quest for permission to issue bonds.
winch was denied. and the fiscal rela ,
tlonship between the traction concern
and the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany' subsidiary corporation.
Bond Issue Disapproved.
All utilities operating in the District
were hailed before the commission at
some time or other during the wear
Inc request of the Potomac Electric
POWER Company for permission to issue
bonds was the subject of an extended
investigation. the request being denied.
The commission denied the request of
the Metropolitan Coach COMPANY for
permission to issue $4,000 worth of
securities, and as result the COMPANY.
which operated herdic line over 10th
street, went into receivers hands and
tirely. e"
During the year jitneys made their
ADVENT in Washington and the pubIic
utilities commission assumed jurisdic-
ton over them as common carriers.
PendinG completion of the valuations
being established on the properties of
an local public service corporations,
the commission made no attempt to
take up rate questions. Valuations
have been established for several of
the taxicab companies, however, and
the entire work is expected to be COM
pleted early during the coming spring.
Work in the Coming Year.
Consideration of rates likely will oc-
cupy much of the commissions atten-
tion this year.
Without suggestion from the COM
mission, two utilities already have
made important rate concessions. They
are the Chesapeake and Potomac Tele-
phone Company, which announced
cheaper tariffs for certain kinds of
service. and the Potomac Electric
Power Company, which adopted re-
duced rates for electricity used for
heating and cooking purposes
The only change of the year in the
personnel of the commission occurred
when Commissioner Brownlow sue
ceeded former Commissioner Siddons,
following the latter's elevation to the
bench of the District Supreme Court
November "a H. c. Eddy, engineer of
the commission, resigned and J. Kap-
peyne, connected with the valuation
bureau of the commission, was named
as his successor.