The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1917-08-15
PEPCO INJUNCTION
PLEA PUT OVER
UNTIL FRIDAY

Hearing on the request OF the Pc
tomac Electric Power Company for
an injunction restraining the Public
Utilities Commission from enforcing
the reduction in rates charged for
electric current ordered to become sf-
fectiVe as Of August 1, was postponed
until Friday by Justice Hitz, OF the
District Supreme Court today.
The Potomac Company asks that an
injunction be issued which will pre-
vent the new schedule OF rates becom-
ing effective until its appeal from the
valuation of its property as fxet by
the commission has been passed upon
by the courts, and that the vasDation
be set aside pending the decision
Says Duty Aetunted Valuation
Answering generally, the Public
Utilities Commission AYERS that the
valuation Of the properties Of the
Potomac Electric Power Company,
S11. 81 1908, was made by the COM
mission with a full recognition Of Its
duty both to the public and to the
PLAINTIFF, and that its conclusions
were based upon the evidence in the
record, and are sustained thereby.
The commission declares that the
report of the accounting bureau made
by Andrew Sangster, chief account
ant. and the report of reproduction
cost made by the engineering stan
under Charles L. PiIlsbury, were
made with the utmost care and after
q minute investigation into the books,
accounts, and records OF the company
and As to cost OF reproduction after
most careful survey and inventory Of
all its properties.
The report as to the actual cost OF
the property of the company, as dis
closed by Its records, the commission
states, was as accurate as could pos
sibly have been made considering the
way In which the records of the com
pany and its predecessors had been
kept. and that where a doubt arose
in the minds Of the commission as to
the propriety Of allowing any item
of cost disclosed by the examination,
such doubt was resolved in favor OF
the plaintiff company.
comnany.s Attitude Criticized
It is averred that notwithstanding
the obstinate and unhslpful attitude
of the company, the commission pro
ceeded with its work and completed
the report now before the court both
as TO historical cost and reproduc-
ton cost in accordance with the most
scientific methods known to Valu-
alton bureaus"
The commission states that the ut
most latitude was allowed the com
pany in the introduction OF its own
testimony, that no technical obtec-
lions of any sort were made by
counsel for the commission, "but that
the door was thrown wide open to
all of the witnesses OF the company
to enIighten the commission as far
as possible, and to enable II to per
form its duties under the law, fair
ly and impartially."
The commission denies the allega-
ton Of the company that the evidence
In the valuation case shows that the
property OF the company Is worth In
excess of $4,000, 900.
"war Prices" Il Charge.
The answer states that the evidence
shows that the amount Is based largely
on inflated war prices for property pur-
chased at much lower rates; that It In
cludes large items Of a puts.y hypo-
thetical nature for which no expendi-
lures were made by the company, as
for instance q claim Of t2.50o.0oo for
value Of its rights In the public streets
Of the District Of Columbia for which
no payment by the company was ever
made that It exceeds ~ approximately
5000. 900 the amount found on the books
Of the company, even including such
items Of expense which the Public Utili-
ties Commission believes should not be
considered in the fair valuation OF the
company for rate making purposes"