Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-02-16

rto lewiston gas case WAS heard be-
,.s. rho public Utilities Commission at
., c,cIork Tuesday morning at the Of
IF the commission at the State House
,bs complaint of Margaret II. Hines
I'D others alleging that the company's
.,.s were unrcasonable and it's service
,-.doouate The hearing was upon the
,..,urrer OF the gas light company, al
lang tia; rhe specifications of the COM
.f,rt were faulty in that they alleged no
,.r.icuIar acts or conditions for which
ne company Was responsible. The gas
abt company vas represented by
,~orrss y Carter of Carter & White and
-. commandments by Hon. w. r. Pattan-
=. end Herbert f.. Locke. The city OF
T.n;ston. which was instrumental in Sc
.,r'rg the complaint against the gas
rebt company. VAS represented by Mayor
LOUIS !. Br'hA-
Tho demurrer WIS sustained and the
,,atnrprs were given authority to amend
A.. raf,tiol., which Was done. The petit
.roo az amended by the compliments en-
,.rs iutn s,.tdl both in regard to the rates
sgkai by "" tONlItllS anu tiic "diudtioii
n ,he conpunr's property
Tho rates are specified as follows: Gas
rsai for many purposes IN any quantity
-, IA and iHclndins 100000 cubic feet per
.,,,m ;, f. per lono cubic feet. subject
"a discount Of 10 cents per cubic feet for
naymeut wtfi a certain period; 100000
20 e1tnn cuhir feet per annllm, inclusive,
az NET uer pea cubic feet: 100000 to .0),-
n. ,,,ii, feet. 81 = net per 1000 cubic feet !,
y. 4i uhlr fo,t and upward. si.l0 net per
,a6 cuh,5 feet.
4 ts alleged in the amended complaint
hot these rates and charges are excess
s,y. and unjust, taking into due consid-
ration the far value of all of the prop
er,y nj the respondent company and
therefore unlawful.
The complaints say that fair value
# Nh, RESPONDENT company's property is
not in exceSs Of S25e.roo. that the gross
reyenue from the sale of gas is more than
EN0 while the operating expenditure
Is unfortunately ST, 900 per year. leaving
A surplus of $4,000 per year. that rea-
sonab!e charge for depreciation is not
more than $."o per year and the deduc-
ton Of that with $500 for interest upon
the bonded debt of saa. $40 leaves approx
;mately tea o30 per year as net profit. The
rompanants also declare that they be-
l,eye the common stock of said company
rpfresents par value of $4,000, on
which the company is paying dividends
at the rate of per cent. per annum, or
z inr, which is not represented by any
T3rerty value: or. if so, by much
saallcr property value.
IN this connection 1t is interesting to
cry of the Lewiston Gas Light Co. is
but slg2.oao. while its value for gas selling
purposes is in excess of 100000" said
Mayor Brann in discussing the situation
with the Sentinel reporter we believe
that in this matter we have the COM
pany on one horn or the other of di-
lemma'
The Public Utilities Commission
gave the company until next Wednes-
day To file it's answer. Lawyer Carter
meanwhile assuring the commission
that the inventory of the property or
the company would be pushed for
ward as rapidly as possible. There Will
probably la two inventories taken OF
the plant in addition to that of the
company, one by the compliments and
the other on disputed points by an
engineer Of the commission.