Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-09-24

| Sonableness of its charges being sus-
! tanned in an opinion handed down
| by Commissioner John S. Killing. In
the opinion statement on fair
value" is made.
Each utility must be considered
| from the conditions surrounding it."
says the decision. The present prop
erty is used only because the owner
was able to acquire il at a price
| far below its reproduction cost in
its original form and the Commits
sion is of the opinion that under the
circumstances the purchase price,
as fixed by the parties. plus the ad-
ditions and improvements made
since that time, substantially repre-
sents the fair value" The Commits
sion fixes s1S,500 as n fair value
and return of I per cent. the al
lowance for depreciating being 3
per cent annually. At the same time
1t declined to allow $4,000 a year for
superintendence, saying that it did
not require entire attention of H. E.
Geiser, the woener as superintendent
and manager. A proper sum for
superintendence, it is stated, is al
lowed in the calculations.
AS the result of a study bv the
Commission of conditions in Read
ing, the crossings complained of at
Bingaman and Third streets are de-
clared dangerous and ordered to be
eliminated, public hearing to be
held in Reading. The opinion gives
data about traffic at the crossings
showing a daily average of S.405
pedestrians, 2,2S1 motor vehicles;
735 horse vehicles. 37S bicycles and
u cattle between June IA and 20,
1919.
In an opinion in the borough of
m n ~ y 100 fr1e-%
sylvania Light, Heat and Power
Company the right of the company
TO impose minimum reasonable
charge is upheld and n rate increase
sustained
Eckingcr Gets Place-Jacob Eek
niger, coroner of Dauphin county,
mas assumed his duties as assistant
foreman of public grounds and build
ings.
Up to Welfare Board-Governor
William c. Sproul has called a meet
ing of the State Welfare Commits
sion for this city next Tuesday to
consider the Philadelphia tenants
complaints against alleged rent prof
lteering and the keeping of houses
idle. This resulted from a confer
ence between committee of ten
ants and Attorney General William
N~iAetAASA anu IDdlhlllS
sloner John s. Fisher at which data
gathered by the police of Philadel-
phla showing 1900 idle houses,
charges of speculation and prof
lteering and allegations of building
and loan association collusion were
presented. The plan is to have the
Commission make an inquiry in
Philadelphia and summon persons
accused of keeping houses idle and
of making harsh leases before it
Attorney General Schaffer also
with the Philadelphia Real Estate
Association and seek modification of
leases. The committee submitted
numerous reports on conditions,
Joseph Maloney, NJ. ]. Conway. I.
II. l.. Smink and others appearing
WapseeninS Bridge Bids - The
Board of Public Grounds and Build
ings to-day received four bids for
the Wapseening bridge in Bradford
county and an award will be made
later on. Whitaker and Diehl, Har-
risburg, were low with bids of s36,-
$50 and s37,351. ]. ]. Higgins.
Waverly; A. ]. McAfee, Bradford,
and H. w. Hoskins, Sayre. also bid.
Final Argument Heard-Final ar
gument was heard yesterday after
mum bE DepuCN attorney General b.
]. Myers on the application of the
Public Service Com mission for a
writ Of quo warranto against the
Middletown and SNvatara Consoli-
dated Water Company. which was
asked some time ago. The proceed
ings is to forfeit charter as the re-
suit of a number of complaints that
have come before the Commission.
Decision was reserved after argu-
ments by John r. Geyer, E. r.
Sponsolder and Berne H. Evans. the
latter being counsel for the Public
Service Com mission.
Sitting in Pittsburgh - Chairman
w. ID. B. Ainey, of the Public Serv-
ice Commission, and Commissioner
James S. Benn left late yesterday
for Pittsburgh where they will join
other members of the Commission in
hearing the railway complaints.
Working out Plans-Major Cen
eral W. G. Price, Jr., the new COM
mander of the National Guard. is
rapidly working out his plans for
the formation of the new units of
the National Guard. Strong senti-
ment for reconstruction of the diyi-
sion is being manifested generally.