Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1919-01-28
(ILITIES
SCRUTINY
Public Service
Commission May Result
M From Investigation
SPROUL FAVORS CHANGE
Important Revision of State
4 ontroI Suggested by Fed
4 eral Telephone Order

IA Investigation of the public utilities
laws Of Pennsylvania looking to the
creation of smaller Public Service
fCommission with greater powers to work
effectively is one of the direct results or
the increase of telephone rates an
nounced by Postmaster Burleson.
Creation Of such a commission is
favored by Governor Sproul. at whose
instance Attorney General Schaffer is
conducting thorough study of the
.utilities laws.
~&.Govcrnor Sproul. accompanied by his
secretary. Harry S. McDevitt, made a
hurried trip to Washington yesterday
and had a long conference with Senator
Penrose Neither would discuss what
transpired at the conference.
when the eXorbitant schedule OF
telephone rates was announced by the
PostofIice Department asked the
States Attorney General to make a
thorough study of the public utilities
laws and the powers of the Public
Service Commission and to make "A re-
port to me-" Governor Sproul said.
He stated that he was giving the
whole question of smaller commission
my careful attention." but for the pres
ent is not inclined to make any recon-
mendations on his own initiative toward
the creation Of a smaller body.
"If such a proposition is inaugurated
in the LEGISLATURE however. it will re-
ceive my hearty support he added.
Many Rates Fixed by Charter
Many of the existing rates are fixed
h,- .l,a, f.nNprpnr SnrOIll nOiptpd I.
and in cases where the decisions of the
commission conflict with charters or
ith local legislation the question has
10 be submitted to the supreme Court.
The Governor said he favors new laws
defining the powers of the commission
with respect to these rate situations.
Se Under existing law the Public Service
Il Commission is composed OF chairman
and six other members, all Of whom are
appointed by the Governor, with the ap
proval of the Senate, for terms of ter
years each. The chairman receives $10
500 and the other members $4,000 each
annually.
The Delaware County water rate cas-,
may I've appealed to Governor Sprou
and Attorney General Schaffer, to SCI
that the rights of the consumers arr
protected against the Springfield Water
Company.
In an opinion expressed last night tc
representatives. of the forty-fve fire com
panies of the Delaware County Fire
mems Association, Judge Eugene c. Bon
niwell who is chairman of the law ant
legislation committee. charged that thu
Public Service Commission virtually hal
ignored the rights of the water con
sumers and that the Governor and th
Attorney General We're the only one
who could protect the consumer.
He said the appeal being made to ;
higher court by the association nigh
give relief. but that no one could foretel
with any degree of certainty what view
the court would take.
Criticizes Board Ruling
The fight waged by the firemen o
Delaware County against the Spring
field Consolidated Water Company.
corporation having control of the waite
, supply for the entire county, has beel
carried on for several months. Las
fall. when the company threatened {
raise it's rentals to households, a vigor
Gus protest was made by the privat
consumers The company then agree
TO make reduction in the charges t
houses, but offset this decrease /
rentals by putting the charges for waite
u. ~ the fire companies to a muc
p higher IA. Finally the matter wa
y carried to the ibic Service Commis
b sion, and that body, after a review O
" the case, rendered a decsi I. 1t wa
Il upon this finding of the CON iission an
"a his own invest gations. that Judge Bor
= nlwell based his opinion delivered to tn
= iiremcn last night.
sF In commenting on the findings of tn
a commission Judge Bonniwell said
M The commission has not only re
lM versed the attitude of the parties bu
Ahas made a finding that neither part
4 ~ked for. lnsterl of treating the mat
~ IS a complaint made by the cor
1 sun,ers against unjust charges. the CON
IA mission makes it appear the Springiel
~ colnnanN nnneal led for the riRhf liz