The Washington times., 1919-10-21

operate its cars Tor the present 1ares'
but the Washington Railway and
Electric Company has since this act
of June 8, 1900, acquired the stock
of these other lines, and under the
provisions of the act undertaken to
operate and carry suburban lines at
considerable expense to the parent
system.
An Taxed Ts DeneAt Few.
Il maintain. therefore. that IL we
are to require the passengers who
have been riding and are to ride on
the lines of the Washington Railway
and Electric Company proper to pay
an increased rate OF fare in order
that the system may be carried as a
whole, in order that the people re-
siding in these sections Of the city
traversed by the Georgetown and
Tennalytown, the City and Suburban,
and the Washington Interurban lines,
then why should not these three per-
sons who use the current of the Po-
tomac Electric Power Company in
these sections pay a portion of the
expense Of maintaining that system
as whole. since Ii is in fact part
of the system, made so by the act
OF congress under which the other
systems were Joined together.
"A very large portion of the ex-
pense of operating and maintaining
the Washington Railway and Electric
Company-ie the expense Of electricity
used in the moving of its. cars over
its various lines extending through
the various portions of the District
of Columbia, for the accommodation
of its citizens living on those various
sections and desiring to use it's cars
as means of transportation.
Electricity Big Item. -
"A very large portion Of the expense
of operating and maintaining the Cap
ital Traction Company is the expense
of electricity used by it likewise in
moving its cars over Its various lines
for the accommodation Of the citi-
zens of the District of Columbia who
desire to use the cars as a means of
transportation.
The electricity, in the case of the
Washington Railway and Electric
Company, is manufactured and fur
nished by the Potomac Electric Pow
er Company, which likewise furnishes
| electricity to those citizens of the Dis
trtct of Columbia who desire to use
electricity.
THE electricity used by the Capital
Traction Company is manufactured by
the Capital Traction Company itself
in its own plant, owned by il.
THE difference between the two
being that in the case of the Capital
Traction Company, the same corpora
tion that manufactures the electricity
! operates the cars, while in the case
of the Washington Railway and Elec-
trio Company the same corporation
! that manufactures the electricity does
not run the cars because Congress
fits reason for so doing am not ac-
| quainted with provided, in language
which ], have quoted, that the. Wash
ington Railway and Electric Company
might acquire all of. the stock and
ownership of the Potomac Electric
| Power Company but specifically pro-
vided:
t"'But in, no event shall the. said
! railway corporation be authorized to
| receive any transfer OF the property
| or franchise of the said Electric
Power Company
Power Rate Modified.
"The Potomac. Electric Power Com.
pany is manufacturing and selling
electric current to consumers thereof
in the District of Columbia at this
lished by the company, but which has
been modified by order OF this com
mission. ----------ss-----
The charge for electric current to
the individual .householders was at
the rate of 10 cents per kilowa att, and
at that rate 1t was earning sufficient
money to maintain its property and
pay sufficient money to the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company by
way of dividends on it's stock to per
init the said railway company to oper-
ate its cars in the manner above indi-
Gated without financial disaster to the
railway system. -t
The Public Utilities Commission,
by its order dated July 13, 1917, re-
duced the price of the current to 9
cents-per kilowatt to the small con-
!, sumers, but the company applied to
the court for relief. and the court en-
Joined the Public Utilities Commission
| from enforcing that order until fur
ther order of the court, and that in
junction being still in force, the small
| consumers have been paying and are
today paying the rate OF 10 cents per
kilowatt for electricity used.
z3.3z5 Electric Meters.
1.-The records Of the Public Utilities
Commission indicate that there are at
present 23,325 ,householders including
occupants of apartments using their
separate meters, who use electricity
for lighting purposes and paying
therefor the maximum charge of 10
cents per kilowatt. The average cost
to these consumers for electricity is
S2.35. per month.
by increasing the charge to these
consumers from S2.35 to S315 per
month and making a proportionate
increase to all of the large consumers
Of electric current in the District of
Columbia, who pay a lower rate for
same, it will result in an increase in
revenue to the Potomac Electric
Power Company for. the next six
months of s565.0oO. which is in ex-
cess Of the amount of $55S.257.44, to
which it is entitled as found by my
! associates, and which would be avail
able by way of. dividends to the
Washington Railway and Electric
| Company, so that its cars could be
operated and the integrity of its
| whole system maintained, while at
! the same time the rate of street car
| fare could remain as at present to
wit: cents, and this without any