The Washington times., 1916-01-05

other cities in a list of thirty compiled
by the Public utiL,ies Commission
here. Baltimore, mst forty miles away,
pays, as stated, 80 cents; New York
- cents. Denver. with population
two-thirds that oi WASHINGTON, pays
cents; Bridgeport. Conn. cents: Grand
Hap1ds. Mich , renl5I L"s Anssles'
Haven, Conn. cents. Oakland. CAL.
cents; Portland ore. cents ST.
Louis. 90 cents; san Francisco. cents.
Seattle, 8 .ents; Srokanr, Nnsh.' s' ,S .
mmmin charge. and some allow a dis
count for prompt pnNn"mi or MUS
rather than iuuo-c "A Ieralt, tor DELAY.
SH%h 9TqP@fS%"R %r@ "a the ls UI.f 1eat
conditions OF lrann1actur', capitaliEa-
ton. taxes, .tc.. IN these cites vary.
In some. and rHrtlcu'arlE IN thoSe
where the lowest rates obtain. water
power furnishes the. current instead Of
steam and consequently. except for the
possibility Of Watcr-?ower electrlcitF
being one day manuiartUreo mere from
the Great Falls, tn hre would be no e.
cusa for citing them.
To ee; at the question as to Nhethhr
the Potomac Electric Power SnmpaAy
Is charging excessive rates Tor llen,ihS
on the ba sis OF cost Of production alone,
wo, id not be fair because OF the fact
that without II cnmpict" ph!sichl Na'u-
alton of tn" companHs prorertes' ~ -
imrrssible fairly to compute the !N''
charges and Cerrocintion costs Whicnt
which shorld be added 10 the cost 81
production Such valuation, Il -
understood will shortly De Ih"c, ,tIitias the,s
nv the experts Of the Puhlc ''lnIirS
CorImissinn To make ~" current III
yyasbinefon II ,osts the Potomac EleC-
tric Power Company about thirtN ven
hundredths Of cent per kll%wu,, ~ ~
hut this does not include the cosiI WI
distribution. fixed charges All" "h'
fnr
What does seem, however, iaI
and readily accessible teSi ~
whether the Potomac Electric 70"
C'omnany charges excessive rates -
,o in0I1ire whether it's earnings. a.
r.presented in the rate OF ilVluehu
actually paid on its capital STOCK are
excessive. II this rate or diNiucn'.
is too high when compared win Wnat
exnerience has taught public utl'ItE
commissions elsewhere is falr rae
Of return, it can only mean that Nhr
Potomac Electric Power company Is
charging at least one class or :
patrons too much money Tor eiec'' "
current
Regulation In Boston.
In Boston, the Massachusetts Gas
and Electric Commission, adopted IN
the regulation of the gas. rates there
what Is known as the London ShdlnS
Scale. That is to say. starting win
the assumption that per cent is
fair profit for the owners OF puoIlc
utility stocks to receive. 1t establish :
ed rate which would yield that ana
then told the company that Tor every
reduction OF cents per l.OOO Cupic
feet of gas. which it might thereafter
make, IL could increase its diVldehu
rate one per cent. The New iorH
commission adopted a similar method
in fixing the gas rates in that CltS.
In arguing successfully for reduc-
ton OF electric rates in Baltimore,
Albert c. Richie, the People adVo-
cate before the commission. contende !
that per cent was the most tina 1
should be allowed the Consolidated
Gas and Electric Company, grossly
overca Dit allied as that company was:
The present dividend rate on the
common stock OF the Potomac Electric
Power Company is 10 per cent In
1914, despite 20 per cent increase
lin its capital stock outstanding, the
| dividend paid was 10.5 per cent.
Lest it should be raised AS evidence
| of the local Company's generosity to
| it's patrons, let a word be said as 10
| the announcement In the company
rate-folder regarding free lamp re-
newals Saws the company: Carbon
and Gem metallized filament lamps
| Cstandard, pear shape), from to 4C