Evening star., 1921-10-05
HUNDREDS DEMAND
GAS Be SUPPLIED
Conduit Road Residents Ap-
peal TO Public Utilities
Commission.

Several hundred residents OF Con-
duit road and the surrounding sub
urbs filled the boardroom of the
District building today to appeal
to the Public Utilities Commission to
compel the Georgetown Gas Light
Company to furnish them with gas.
Benjamin S. Minor, attorney for the
company. made an earnest plea to the
commission to reject the demand for
service. on the ground that the re-
quest is unreasonable. To supply the
houses on Conduit road alone, without
going down side roads. would neces-
state an outlay of $4,000 for the
laying of mains, Mr.. Minor declared.
$33.O0O Deposits Required.
In addition to that amount, he said,
the applicants for gas would have to
put up in deposits $4,000 under the
rules of the commission.
Chairman Kutz of the commission
asked Charles A. Baker, one of the
spokesrnen for the delegation, if the
people asking for gas were aware OF
the deposit requirements where new
mains are laid beyond a certain distance.
Mr.. Baker said he could not say
whether all of the applicants for gas
knew of the deposit rule, but he ex-
pressed the belief that they would be
willing to do anything within reason to
get gas service.
When Mr. Minor made the plea that
the gas company did not have the money
to finance SO large an extension at this
time Col. Kutz reminded him that such
an expenditure for new mains would be
added to the fair value of the company s
property, on which the company is al
owed to earn return of per cent.
'If you are allowed to capitalize this
expenditure and earn return of per
cent on the value of the property
through the rates fixed for gas. it real
ly wouldn't cost the gas company any.
thing, would it?" asked Col. kutz.
Separate Corporation.
Mr.. Minor replied that the George.
town Gas Light Company must be con.
sidered as separate corporation from
the Washington company. He declared
the Georgetown company has not since
1917 earned its bonded Indebtedness
much less a return on its investment
and that it would have to sell bonds
to get the money TO carry on this ex-
tension.
Now, If you will show us where we
can sell those bonds. we would bs
very glad to have you do so," saiG
the attorney.
I'm sure" said Col. Kutz, "tha'
these good people would dispose ol
Sdo SoAupdHy DOHUS at per cent.
Mr.. Minor reminded the Commits
sioner that Washington Gas Lighr
bonds could not be sold at per cen
to meet an extension of mains TO
the Georgetown company. which Il
technically a separate corporation.
O6er to Buy Bonds.
A. L. Castillo, one of the CONDUIT
road delegation took the floor and of
fered to buy $1,000 worth of gas bond.
at Z per cent.
Mr.. Minor explained to the speake,
that Georgetown gas bonds sell a
| 5 per cent and that they could no
be handled at 7 per cent.
j. e. Curtis. superintendent of tn,
Washington Aqueduct, told the com
mission the federal government ha.
no objection to the laying of ga,
mains under Conduit road, with tn,
provision that there must be tw,
mains. one on either side of the road
to remove the necessity for cutting
across the road to serve individua
houses.
VIII BE Even More Costly.
Mr.. Minor called attention to tn,
fact that this requirement would max,
the extension even more costly.
Col. Katz asked the attorney if tn,
company does not already follow tha
practice on all streets where cal
tracks exist.
James B. Cochran reminded tn,
company that they must not figur,
only on the present houses in tn,
Conduit road section, declaring tina
many more homes would be erected
| in that section Immediately if ga.
service was extended
The members of the utilities com
mission will make a personal inspec
jtion of the Conduit road section earl!
/ next week to get first-hand inforna
| ton before rendering a decision.