The Washington herald., 1917-12-09
Public Utilities Commission
Of the District Of Columbia,
Washington, d. c.
Gentlemen


By of the large increased for the past year
of all raw materials entering the manufacture of of labor.
of maintenance of property and taxes the Washington Gas Light
Company compelled ask for OF rate be charged
gas consumers Of the District of Columbia
Between July eOl and September 1916. the lawful rate.
fixed by Act of Congress- which the Washington Gas Light Company
authorized charge private consumers the District OF Com-
ba dollar per thousand cubic feet lhe Ias COMPANY
the price gas private from dollar to ninety cents
and from ninety cents to eighty cen the latter rate being the
charged until October |. 1916 During said period and until
August 1917 undertook pay and did pay shareholders
go upon what the time of the reduction rate to eghfve
cents considered conservative and fair value of its property used
and useful the conduct Of its business The Company thought that
by said reduction rate to private sales would In
such extent that the earnings would be maintained
increased but the sales of gas did increase accordance with
the expectations of the Company However, economies
effected only the manufacture of gas but in all Departments
and by thereof during the period from about the first of jan
uay 1911 until about the first of October 1916 the receipts from
sales the esve cent rate to private about
enabled the Company and plant the best possible
condition. pay its shareholders 6 upon what believed be
the fair value of its property at the time said reduction price
made and give the public good and adequate service That
the service adequate and satisfactory indicated by the
markaby few complaints the Company received during said period
During the time when the Commission apprang the prop
er Of the Washington Gas Light Company and few months prior
to its final order fixing fair amount which should represent
basis for rates. there inserted the District of Columbia APP
preparation Bill which became law September l. 1916. the fol-
lowing:
s y ssss
for anygas by Companies
of the public buildings the United
Of Columbia in Of thousand
On day of hundred
sixteen the Washington Gas Light Company
collect furnished in
the District Of Columbia rate in Of
other than the
Columbia shall not monthly bill
after the shall have been
charge and collect from such
thousand cubic feet Of represented by said pro
vdd further That nothing
law IN the Public Utilities Of District of Co
lumbia. - ~- - W.
By this law there only reduction in the revenues of
the Company of about l2 but became effective at the very
beginning shortly subsequent thereto of the increased cost of la
Dor and of all materials entering the manufacture of gas
Believing the fixed by this statute should be enforced
that the receipts from the sales of gas would be insufficient to pay
operative and other expenses incident the manufacture of gas
taxes interest its bonded indebtedness and the rate of return to
its which had heretofore been paying since about
November 1910 the Company requested the Commission under
date of September 49, 1916 issue its order continuing the eighty
i've cent rate until after the completion of
the apprasement of the property of the Company the fixing of
its tar value basis for rate return. The Commission declined
to grant this request of the Company but later suggested that
trial of be made by the Gas Company under the seventy
hve cent rate has accordingly been done The result of one
wear rial rar l..