Evening star., 1921-11-05
MERIDIAN Rents
VILE Be PROBED
Commission to Hold Hearing
on November 10, Is Word
to 1865 Tenants.

Following receipt of complaints
filed against five United States sem
ators by the owners of the Meridian
Mansion. 24oo 10th street northwest.
charging the tenants with paying
rents too low, and Of additional COM
plants filed by senator and the
chief justice of the Count of Appeals
against the owners, protesting. on the
other hand. against alleged high
rentals. the District rent commission
has decided to Investigate rents for
the entire building on Its own initi-
atlve and fix a complete schedule of
rates therein.
Announcement of the intention of
the commission to take advantage for
the first time Of the provision in the
rent law that rents may be fixed by
the board on it's own initiative was
regarded by those in touch with the
situation as the first step toward at
tempting to standardiZe rents.
Public Hearing November 10.
Notices that the commission will
hold public hearing November 10 at
10 am In this matter have been sent
to the 166 tenants residing in the
apartment house, to Kennedy Bros,
Inc, owners of the building. and to
II. l.. Rust, part owner and agent.
Numbered among the tenants sum-
moned are number of members of
Congress. Army officers and other
public officials. The notices were sent
oy registered mail. One notice, ad-
dressed to Col. ]. K. Miller, was re-
turned today to the offices Of the COM
mission marked refused by ad-
dressee."
The defendants against whom the
corporation filed complaint are:
charles s. Thomas and Senators An
drieus A. Jones, New Mexico; Thomas
j. Walsh. Montana: John B. Ken
Georgia Those complaining against
the owners are: Senator Charles A.
Culberson, Texas, and Chief Justice
Smyth, Court of Appeals.
Refuse to Pay Rents.
The owners in their petition allege
that the defendants have consistently
refused to pay certain rentals asked
naaly agreed to when they took pos
session. The old rents and the new
ones, which the tenants have refused
to pay for their apartments, are: Sem
ator Jones. 5000. refuses to pay $34O;
Senator Walsh, s105. refuses to pay
$185; Senator Kendrick. S207.50. re-
fuses to pay 1885: Senator Harris,
$l60. refuses to pay $40, and Mr..
Thomas. $195, refuses to pay $2S7.50.
The apartments in question range in
to eight rooms and four baths.
Senator Culberson is paying s407.50
under protest, his petition states. 1t
Is pointed out that when the senator
paid $3.50. Chief Justice Smyth. who
occupies an apartment of seven rooms
and two baths. had his rent increased
from $40 in 1919 to $3.50.
Owners Statement.
In filing its complaint the corporation
owning Meridian Mansion pointed out
that the building, which was erected in
s1,250. 900. Furniture cost $50, 900 addi-
tional. it Is asserted. The schedules of
rent prevailing prior to the recent in
creases were bringing a net return on
this investment Of but from .057 per
cent to .07 per cent, the petition AYERS.
The increased schedule would provide
a return OF approximately 8 per cent,
ii is estimated.
II is emphasized that numerous hotel
services are afforded the tenants, SUCH
as ice water, refrigeration. office serv-
ice, passenger and freight elevator serv-
ice, etc.
Tenants Notified.
Tenants of the apartment houses who
have been notified of the hearing are:
j. E. LIE Fevre. r. Wyckliffe Geare,
W. N. Kennedy, Ted Kleh, Lieut. H.
L. Richardson. Francis NJ. Savage. A.
C. Oliphant, Alexander Tclford. Col. E.
Z. Buell., Mrs. Emma F. Garthe. James
F. Oyster. Col. W. L. Pitcher. Lester G.
Wilson, A. NJ. Nevius, Frank A. Roper
Maj. r H. Emerson, Col. F. c. Roggs.
+. 3. Kleh. Col. C. L. Kilburn, Joss
Baron, Miss Helgfrid Orvin, Mrs. Luz
cille e. w. Fohl, r. F. Warwick, Sem
ator C. A culberson. Representative
T~I~ ~
Bibber. John H. Clarke. Laura H.
Scherer, Col. W. T. Merry, c. C. Will
liams, Col B. T. Simmons. Edward H.
Causey. John A. Betjeman. F.. G. Rob-
bins. Representative Clay Stone Briggs.
Mrs. Margaret 7; Hamilton. Miss Mary
J. McVann, Mrs. NJ. E. Norment. Caye-
tano de Quesada. Charles R Dean, Chief
Justice C. j. Smyth, Maj. Q. H. Saun-
ders. Miss Mamie Mclaughlin, Charles
MEG. Sweitzer. Commander S. F. Bry-
ant. Commander W. c. Barger, Hal H.
NJ. H. Bradfield. Senator F.
r. Gooding. James A. Emery.
Miss NJ Y Wheeler. c. S. Thomas
w. W. Spaulding. Representative
Bertrand H. Smell. Col: J. H. Rice. ".
Representative Allen T. Treadway,
Col. L. D. Gasser. Miss Madella NJ
Kennan. w. r. Kelley. jeremiah Col
Inns, Miss Ethel D. Mckinney, H. J.
Cronin, Col George T. Perkins. J.
Harry Covington. George P. Tyner,
John F. Cissel, H. L. Rust. Mrs. E.
Rust Smith, Fl. L. Rust, jr., J. c. Will
liams, Mrs. Helen r. Ballenger. Col
]. K. Miller, Miss Agnes Ellen Harris
Maj. Thurston Hughes. Maj. L. s..
Morey. Miss Mary Abbott, E. NJ. Dur
ham. jr., Maj. B. II. i. Williams. Sena-
tor William j. Harris. Senator J. B.
Kendrick, Gen. Arthur Murray. Ben
jamin r. Newcomb. F. L. Finken-
staedt, NJ. B. Trezevant, Senator A. A.
Thomas ]. Walsh. Mrs. Annie Schley
vought, Mrs. Ella Herbert Micou
Alexander t. Vogelsang, Mrs. J. D.
Robertson. Philip Francis Brady, Gen.
Lansing Fl. Beach. Miss Mary E.
Burr, John E. jerks, Lieut.. Col.
Fl. Mcintyre. Col W. L. Pitcher.
e. S. Kennedy, Mrs. Elizabeth Giles
pie. Commander and Mrs. c. B. Hatch,
Vladimir Goutecha, Rep. P. Ten Eyck,
A. Ballivan, Mrs. B. T. Simmons, Will
liam Allen, Col. and Mrs. G. Hanson.
Col. and Mrs. r. T. Oliver. H. NJ. Freed,
Jefferson Patterson. J. c. Ropp, Mrs.
B. H. Mears. Capt. and Mrs L. S.
adams. Mr.. and Mrs. William Belts.
Col. and Mrs. F. G. Griffin, Col. and
Mrs. F. 8. Young. Miss B. OMeara.
Miss V. Murray. Capt. P. NJ. Patterson,
Miss Dena Hanson. I. H. Bartlett. Col.
D. c. Pleadwell, Capt. and Mrs. F. H.
Schof1eld. Senator and Mrs. Stanfield.
Mr.. and Mrs. George H. Gardner. Mr..
and Mrs. T. ]. Kilkenny. Mrs. S. c.
Rand, Col. and Mrs. c. s. Williams,
DR.. and Mrs. Z. r. Johnson, Mrs. T.