The Washington herald., 1920-07-21
PEPCO PETITION
FOR RATE INCREASE
ROUSES CITIZENS
CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE.


its property now used in public
service" and that other relief be
given "as the circumstances of the
case may require"
The petition of the power COM
pany is unjustihed." Mr., westlake
declared. and / seriously doubt the
right OF the commission to decide
upon the matter until some disposal
CT the s1.500.0o0 now in the hands
Of the courts IS made"
Rate Reduction In 1877.
In 1917 the commission reduced
the rate of electricity supplied to
Schedule A." which includes small
users and home consumers, from 10
to 8 cents per kilowatt hour. The
rcwer concern obtained an injunc-
tion restraining the commission n
from enforcing the decision and un-
der the provisions thereof the accent
discrepancy was impounded into q
iund now in the hands Of the court
pending its final disposal. II II de-
C.des In favor of the Potomac Elec-
trio Power Company the concern
gets the entire $1,500.0o0 II its de-
C:sion is against the company the
money will be returned to the con-
sumers.
Suppose" said Mr.. westlake,
the commission grants the Pepco
Its recently filed petition and the
court eventually gives it the sl,5oo,-
900? Where will the public get on?
In my estimation the Utilities Com
mission should defer action on the
petition until the court makes its
decision, and IL that is in favor of
the power concern the rates should
be reduced and not increased. That
amount will cover whatever alleged
losses the Pepco has been suffering.
The power concern should not asn
the increase until he court gives the
$500. 900 back TO, the consumers"
The petition OF the power COM
pany Is really an amendment to the
one 1t filed May 20 asking for per-
mission to raise the rate on current
used by consumers in Schedule
E" Many of the large manufactur-
ing concerns are included in the
schedule. 1t was proposed by the
Pepso to raise the rate according
to the fuctuating price of coal.
During a hearing on the original
petition 1t was brought out by Jus
tin NJ. Chamberlin, counsel for sew
eral of the large consum $. that q
raise in Schedule Z" a.S.e would
be discriminatory.
Effect OF Coal Prices.
"Of course" Mr.. Chamberlin said:s
"the high price Of coal affects the
cost of the current supplied to the
large users. but at the same time
the smaller consumer Is affected
also"
At a meeting of the board of di-
rectors of the Potomac Electric
Power Company last Wednesday II
was decided to request a general
raise. so the amendatory petition is
really the result of the point raised
at the hearing by Mr.. Chamberlin.
The commission has set August 2
as the day upon which 1t will hold
the initial hearing on both the orig
inal and amendatory petitions.
Should, the commission allow the
power company to raise its rates
over 10 cents per kilowatt hour the
company would, it is thought. aban-
Ion its attempt to get the courts to
restrain the commission permanently
from enforcing the scent order.
The courts have already indicat-
I'd disposition to finally decide the
disposal OF the sl.500,000 in favor of
The consumer" said Francis II. sts-
phens. corporation counsel, yester-
lay. In approving the commissions
valuation OF the power company
hey have given evidence that they
will sustain the commissioners au
he way through"
There is nothing in law to prevent
he commission from increasing the
rates while there is pending in the
he District Supreme Court by the
against the issuance OF
he temporary injunction restraining
them from enforcing the lo-cenl
ate.
Possibility Of Suit.
A civic body, IL Is pointed out,
night sue for a writ of injunction |
against the commission restraining !
I from providing higher rates tnan |
he one now being paid by the pub !
ic.
Col. Winfield Jones, head of the |
Press Committee for the |
District OF Columbia suffrage. speak
ng for the committee on suffrage |
ust before his departure for Marion,
ohio. last night said:
The Pepco's latest demands for
Increases In rates Is the best argu- |
nent for District suffrage that /
'ould be. II we had q Public Utili- |
les Commfssfon here Slecfed NV tha