Evening star., 1921-03-18
$25 600 A MONTH LOPPED OFF
GAS COST TO D. C.. CONSUMERS
Public Utilities Commission Reduces Price
to $1.25 Per Thousand From Today,
Continuing Until September 18.

Householders of Washington will
save approximately $25.00O a month
on their gas bills by the decision of
the Public Utilities Commission made
public last night. reducing the price
per thousand cubic feet from $1.S2 to
1926
This estimate was made unoffirially
at the District building today. and is
based on the amount of gas sold at
S132 during December. which was
344. 900 thousand cubic feet.
While December is ordinarily a
month of heavy consumption. officials
of the commi ssion point out that last
December registered a low consump-
tion of gas The summer months
proba bly, will drop below December.
pected to remain between 100000 and
$4,000 a month.
New Rata Effective Today.
The new rate becomes effective to-
day and continues until September
Is. The gas bills rendered on April l
win be at the reduced rate.
The commission granted in part the
request of the Washington Iunch-
room Association FOR an increase in
the amount of gas sold at wholesale
:. ass. The commission did this by
100000 cubic feet the maximum
amount to be sold al sl.25. All con-
sumption between $4,000 and 100000
cubic feet will be at s1.20 per thou
sand. which will affect large mum :
Der of the eating establishments of
the city.
Ruling I.dicntes Policy.
In its gas rate decision the COM
mission has indicated the policy which
will govern it's actions at least dur
ing the period required for its new
members. Commissioners Rudolph and
oyster to become better acquainted
lens.
This policy is to proceed conserva-
lively to reduce the price for service
rendered by utility corporations as
far as it may be reduced without
crippling the efficiency of the corpo-
path of good business management.
1t is understood the commission
gave thought to a gas rate of S1.20.
but abandoned the idea because it
believed it would work hardship
upon sboS the o at It, th sims level
which would mean considerable
saving to the. company during the
next few months. the commission will
consider further reductions when the
rate just announced expires. Septem-
Der Is.
Low Government Rate to eB cited.
In the meantime there is every like
lihood the commission will call the
attention of Congress to the injustice
of the federal and District govern
ments paying only 20 cents thou
sand cubic feet for gas, when private
users are forced to pay $1.25. 1t is
stated that il uniform rate were
adopted for all consumers. govern
ment and private, the present rate
could be reduced at least 4 cents.
The gas company now manufactures
and sells annually about. 1000. coo. 900
feet of gas, Of WHICH the United
States and District governments use
approximately 80 per cent at the
seventy-cent rate. In addition. about
per cent of this total gas manufac-
ture goes into the Districts street
lamps. at a cost approximating 20
cents a thousand cubic feet. 1t costs
the company. according to statements
on file in the Public Utilities Commits
sion. more than a dollar thousand
cubic feet. not including overhead
charges to deliver gas to the street
lamps. so that it incurs a loss on this
business of ~ cents thousand cubic