The Washington times., 1920-05-08
.35-CENT GAS
BOOST ASKED.
Washington Gas Light Company
Files Petition With UtlIl-
ties Commission.

Gas at $3.50 per thousand cubic
feet. 80 cents higher than the pres
snt sbcent rate. Is the charge the
Washington Gas Light Company
wants TO make during June. aceordr
ing TO q petition filed with the Pub
lie Utilities Commission.
Asking that sI.0s per thousand Gu
bic feet, computed on a price or IA
cents a gallon for gas oil. be used as
a base rate, the company petitions
foe permission to regulate the gas
charge as the price OF oil fluctuAtes
The company wants TO Increase the
cost OF gas 4 cents for every cent the
cost OF oil goes up. The petition
states a contract for oil at 12h cents
per gallon has been made for June.
On this basis the company would
want TO charge $3.50.
The upward trend In the oil price II
the chief and only reason the com
pany Is applying for permission 10
increase it's rates The petition Incl.
IDENTIFY mentions that the proposed
coal gas plant. which would reduce
the price OF gas. cannot be erected
at this time. citing numerous reasons.
Citizens today were aroused over
the proposed increase In the cost OF
gas. II means gas bills will be about
one-third higher than before. VIII
liam II. Westlake. president OF the
Federation OF Citizens Associafien.
in particular 10 opposed.
"The idea Of making q sliding scale
for any public utility arranged on .
cost plus basis, where the cost Is
subject to market manipulation. is In
my opinion not only dangerous, but
an impossible suggestion" he said.
"The Federation of Citizens Asso-
Citations has stood for fair treatment
to utility corporations and fair re-
turn upon the money invested, but 1
do not construe that attitude to go
SO far as TO pass on to the public AL
OF the risks and dangers OF COM
mercisi enterprise. guaranteeing 20
the corpe ration which has a monopiy
a nxed pront under any condiuons
shortly before this contract expired
the company obtained another con-
tract for oil at 7h cents q gallon.
The new June contract calls for I'm
cents a gallon rfN
The company Is not able to contract
for oil more than a month ahead.
The commission today did not indi-
cate when a public hearing will Do
held. However, II Is believed a hear
ing will be called for within the next
several days. The company's pres
ent rate of 95 cents per tnousano cupiS
feet expires June ], and some acuon
must be taken before this date.
Discussing the oil problem. Howard
S. Reeside. president of the gas com
pany, in his petition states that prior
to the outbreak of the war the com
pany was able to-purchase gas oil at
cents a gallon. During the war the
price advanced to approximately
cents, and shortly after the signing OF
i the armistice the company contracted
for a supply to last until March To- AZ
6 cents a gallon.
..The company believes II will be
| fairer to the consumer and to the
company for the commission to hx
basic rate for the year beginning
June 1, 1920, based on a certain fixed
! cost for gas oil. namely ia cents per
| gallon. the present contract price, and
estimated cost for other materials and
labor entering into the manufacture
| and distribution OF gas, and that the
| selling rate fiuctuate each month as
the cost Of oil to the company In
creases or decreases of a cent per gall
lon up or down." says the petition.