The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-14
farshan Declares So1tth Hope Of An1ericas Future

right to render 8 decision establish ing valuationswithout receiving or considering any evidence.
 Following MT. Davis testimony l. F. Donnell, engineer of the commits sion was called to the stand and throughout the remainder of the day went into an analysis of the informa- ton gathered by him during his in- vestigation.
 When o'clock came President Pat terson made a motion to adjourn. It failed of a second. The commission continued in session. Later Mir. Pat terson announced that the hour of adjournment having arrived he would be glad for the commission to ad- journ until 9:30 Thursday morning. Mir Patterson left the office and stated that he had other duties that called him away and that due to the long session he did not feel physical ly able to continue the inquiry.
 The commissioners made a motion to remain in session until the valu- ation of the Alabama Power company lad been fixed, and by a vote of 2 to 0. President Patterson having retired the associate commissioners declared the commission still in ses- sion.
 hbHOCiatCh DCAIhst
 In defense of the action of the as- sociate commissioners and the valu- ation of the Alabama Power com pany, the associate commissioners is- sued the following statement:
 After persistent campaign of procrastination and repeated failures on the part of President A. c. Pat terson to go into conference with his associates to ascertain and fix the values of the Alabama Power com pany's property until December 12, and after two days discussion and conference on the subject, the associ- ate commi issioners were forced to proceed without his assistance to ar rive at it's value, MT. Patterson hav- ing withdrawn from the conference at o'clock.
 First conclusion was arrived al after most thorough consideration Of the voluminous report and papers be- fore the commission for many months The associate commission CTS have confidence that they have reached a conservative valuation and in doing so have cut down the amount contended for by the com pany by approximately $11.000,O00. ITO show how much time has been devoted to LniS 5tuuy Ol NdiuSS II dP pears from the record that on May IS. 1920, the nationally known firm of Hagenah and Erickson were em- ployed and they had a corps of ac- countants working on the company's books for nearly six months. No- vember 16, 1921. they filed their re- port and appraisal. In 1922 MT. Me Donnell. consulting engineer. filed two full reports and about that time MT. Aldridge. the commi ssion's ac- countant. filed his report. Septem- Der i. 1922, the power company, on demand of the commission. filed sworn statement of the original cost In detail and in October the com pany filed its brief.
 Much testimony was taken for and against the conclusion shown by these reports.
 "As early as June. last, MT. Pat terson moved and the commission unanimously ordered that July 6 should be fixed as the day for going into conference for the purpose ol fixing this valuation and requested all interested parties to file sucn further papers as they desired"
 B. H. Cooper and S. P. Gaillard. as- sociate commissioners. were asked by The Age Herald T6pTcstHtdtiNo oe Montgomery Wednesday If they in- tended to make reply to the state ment of President Patterson Wednes- day morning which charged that they were planning to fix g valuation on the property of the Alabama Power company without considering all the clements reauired by law to be con sidered in an investigation Of utility values. Mir Cooper replied:
 "I have read the statement in The Age Herald, but have not given It full consideration. At this time I do not desire to make reply. I reserve the right. however. to make such statement as I see fit when l have considered the matter. It is proper to state that I have always believed that a member of quasi judicial body should not make state ments on matters under consideration until decisions have been rendered..
 MT. Gaillard's statement follows: 1T have not read the statement of MT. Patterson in The Age-Herald and do not care to make any reply at this time."