The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-07-16

and jurisdiction gwen them. tually expended for any of the purposes mentioned in a, b, or c, from income or from other moneys in the treasury; to reimburse for moneys expended from in- come or other sources prior to five years before the enactment of this bill.
 The corporation desiring to issue securi- ties must file notification to that effect with the commission which will cause an investigation of it's properties and as- sets to be made, together with the out standing obligations. including capital stock, the corporation to pay a stipu- lated sum per $10o of securities issued to defray the expenses of the investigation.
 No utilities corporation may issue any securities without the consent and ap- proval of the commission, though it may execute notes for a period of not longer than one year.
 CAPITAL STOCK LIMITED The capital stock issues is limited tc the amount of the actual investment 1T the plant upon which tile license or priv ilege tax is paid to the state or other political subdivision. Where mergers or consultations occur the capital stock certificates and debts may not exceed the reasonable value of the properties owned by the corporations merging ol consolidating.
 A fee of 10 cents on each 500 face value of security issues will be required.
 Section 20 of the bill defines the power of the commission to be: The commis- sion shall have general and exclusive power and jurisdiction to regulate ant supervise transportation companies and utility companies and their property property rights. practice rules, charges service rates, fares, charges, service reg ulations franchises, licenses and con tracts, and financing and securities ir accordance with the provisions of this act, and to do all things necessary and convenient in the exercise of such power and Jurisdiction"
 Inspection fees provided in the bill fol low: For each $109 of securities up tc s1o GOO, S25o: from $10,o00 to s159, 600, $1.5t per thousand; from s15o.ooo to s3oo,oOO, s1 per thousand; from $300,000 to S500000, $ cents per thousand; from $5o0,o00 tc T ,000 eco, 40 cents per thousand; from | S1, COX, GOO to 8, ,O00,0o0 20 cents per thou sand: from s2,OO0o0o to s3,0oo,oo0, 10 cent: l per thousand: over 8, 3,000. GOO, 5 cents pel 1 housand In no event will the fee b. ] less than s25.
 OTHER POWERS
 Among the things the conAmission ma. do in addition to those above set out are I Inquire into the business management of all utilities; examine at any time7th books and papers of utilities companies permit street car companies to gran reduced transportation to firemen. DO licemen, sanitary inspectors and certai | other officials of municipalities; pre- scribed rules relating to accuracy of al meters and make inspection of same a all times inspection of meters may b made on request of consumers; prescrib uniform system of accounts for all utili ties; enter suit by bill or petition to for felt franchise of utilities which fail t carry out contract it may have with municipality; right of appeal either b 1 the complainant or the utilities corpora 1 ton from the finding of the commisso to the circuit court of Montgomer. | county and from there to the suprem | court
 Act to go into effect 30 days of ap proval by the governor.
 The right of appeal given the com l plainant against a utilities corpora tion is a new feature. The presen | law permits the utilities corporation l. I appeal from the finding of the com l mission. but denies this right to tn complainant.
 It is estimated that the revenues de rived from the franchise and investiga tion fees will amount to somethiaj like $50.00 a year, which is to be use in defraying the expenses of the com mission.
 This bill re-enacts the Conner rail
 road bin of 1907 as a part of the util ites law of the state.
 Estimated amounts to be paid b
 Birmingham utilities corporations un der the provisions of the proposed bi
 are Birmingham Railway, Light an
 Power company, $11S0 a year: South
 ern Bell Telephone company. s103C
 Birmingham Water company, S960.
 It is claimed that the provisions q
 the proposed bill here outlined con
 form to house bill No 31S4, which ha
 been passed by the lower house c
 Congress and is now pending in tn
 United States Senate. This bill na
 been read twice in the Senate and o
 July was referred to the connrntte on commerce, by which it is expecte
 to be reported out at an early date. | FEDERAL POWER COMMISSION l It creates a federal power commis sion with supervision and jurisdict;o over all waterpower companies gen l erating power on streams over whc the United States has control, amen other provisions containing the follow ing:
 That in case of the development transmission or distribution or use i 1 public service of power by any license l hereunder or by it's customer engage in public service within state whic 1 has Tot authorized and empowered commission or other agency or agen cies within said state to regulate an control the services to be rendered b. such customer engaged in public ser I vice, or the rates and charges of pay ment therefor, or the amount or char acter of securities to be issued by an, of said parties, it Is agreed as a con dition of such license that jurisdict;o, is hereby conferred upon the commits son upon complaint of any person az grieved or upon it's own initiative t, exercise such regulations and contro until such time as the state shall hay, l provided a fec