The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1920-02-19
POWER RATE HEARING
EVIDENCE PRESENTED
Total Valuation of the Tenney Com
any's Interests Was Placed at
S4,411 ,307, as Related at
Montpelier.

The hearing before the public service
commission. at which the granite man
ufacturers object to the increase in
power rates that the commission last
fail gave the Tcnney company, was in
progress again to-day in Montpelier,
\. {. Hollis Of the company wants to
have the hearing completed this week
because he has another engagement for
next week. He is associated with F. II.
Gleason Of Montpelier for the company,
while s IT, Jackson and +. h. Deavitt
represent those who are objecting to
the increased rates.
The briefs OF the Tenney company,
which Is introducing evidence first al
though the defendant in the action,
show that the total valuation OF the
companv's interests is S4,4ll 1907. An
estimate Of the valuations of struc-
lures, unimproyed water rights, and
improved water rights, lines and other
assets of the company was made by
the different engineers.
Yesterday afternoon Alexander Ma
coInber of the Sanders < Porter com
pany was on the witness stand. Tie
testified as to the present day estimate
of the plants Of the company and the
estimate made on 10 years basis. Mr..
jackson did not care to rely on the
present day basis and there was an in
timation that the matter will go to
supreme court in case OF failure TO
secure the decision. on the question OF
constitutionality of the law if the pres
cnt day basis was raised. The produc-
ton cost was based on the losses as
well as other data The engineers did
not agree on all items
Mr. jackson inquired if the reproduc-
tion prices based on the November,
1919. appraisal would not be larger
than on the basis OF a l0-year period
preceding this time and INCLUDING both
war and peace conditions. The diff
ference between the engineers was
relative to the structures and trans
mission lines
One Of the interesting parts OF the
afternoon hearing was the proportion
of cement, water and crushed stone
that was used in construction. Whlle
no price was given as to the expense OF
the water used, it was joked about
some bv the attorneys
LR. Shattuck of the Sanders Por-
ter company testified, in qualifying as
an expert, that the concern, of which he
is one of the superintendents, Is doing
business in nearly every part OF this
country. having just completed 3d.
OCO 900 lob in one place and $1,000
600 pine line Job in another middle
western state and that it has big con
tract in South America and is working
on one in West Virginia. He had gone
over the report and believed the repro
duction figures were all right. He ad-
mitted that l0-ycRr basis would be
better than an appraisal made last fall,
an things considered. Relative to de-
prcciat;on in connection with rate
making. he presumed the commission
would want to form their own opinion
on that rather than have the witness
tell them.
The defendant rested this morning
in its presentation of evidence rela-
tive to valuation of its property. WI.
Henderson. who has been associated
with the New York public service com
mission for five years in rate making
and Capitalization, was on the stand
Yesterday afternoon and concluded this
He made a survey Of the
of the company and
showed there had been no effort to
.over up anything in their records by
he company.
The parties do not agree as to where
he income tax should be charged. Mr..
Henderson admitted that if it was not
,harged to expenses that that item
would be some $4,000 less The petit
.ioners claim that the consumers paid
he income tax. according TO Mr. Hen
lersons testimony
The granite manufacturers apprais-
II Of the Tenney property. as made by
Percy NJ. Engh OF Milwaukee. was pre-
,ented this forenoon in three forms, as
'ollows: For period Of 10 years. up to
Dec. 81. 1919. S3.OS5.s5l; for 10 years
lnder pre-war conditions. S25T4OO6;
or 20 years under pre-war conditions,
=. .4S3. .6Sl.
Evidence was also presented by Mr..
Enrh regarding the purchase Of the
Moody & Almon plant and the Cory,
Deavitt q Frost property showing that
.3O00O0 was paid for the former and
1923 sos for the latter.