The Birmingham age-herald., 1922-12-15
Untrue, Says Consulting AC-
 countant M. w. Aldridge, That GaiIIard- Cooper Had Any Report From Me Civ ing Original Cost Data
MATERIAL INACCURACY" CHARGED TO ASSOCIATES
Declares Utility Officials in Birmingham Formally Re-
 fused to Let Him Examine Books Revealing Original Cost of Power Properties

The Alabama Power company for mally refused Thursday to permit M. W. Aldridge, consulting accountant of the Alabama public utilities com mission, to examine it's books to find original costs of it's properties to be used in fixing the valuation upon which rates are to be charged in Alabama.
 The consulting accountant of the utilities commission, in his state ment, branded statement issued by Associate Commissioners 5. F. Gaillard and B. H. Cooper, when they fixed a tentative valuation on the property of the Alabama Power company, that they had a report from MT. Aldridge on original cost as absolutely untrue" Mir. Aid ridge, after charging material in accuracy, in the article emanating from the associate commissioners, added: "It is absolutely untrue that the commission had any report by me before it stating the original cost of the properties or the amount of the working capital of tile Ala bama Power company.
 sAfter repeated attempts to se- .ure the data "Wednesday and Thurs day" said Mir. Aldridge, T was finally asked to come to the office at 3 o'clock. After waiting until 4:15 o'clock I was given a lengthy letter in which access to the records of the company was refused and in which numerous inaccurate state ments were made, to which l will, of ocurse give due answer at the proper time.
 'I am surprised that the valuation should have been fixed, as l came 10 Birmingham under orders of the com mission for the purpose of examining the books of the company tc aseer- tain the original cost of its proper ties. Under the law the original cost is to be taken into consideration Tn fixing any valuation
 For two days Mr. Aldridge, accord Ing to his statement. has been led 4 merry chase in trying to get the data ha sought. "On Wednesday was told that Mr MeLetchie, treas urer of the company, was the only man who could supply the data, said MT. Aldridge. Later l was m formed that Mir. McLetchie was III and would not be down. ihufsuay morning ] saw him and ne sald that since the valuation had already been set by the utilities commission he would have to consult the legal de- nartment. He told me when to cone back in the afternoon and it was then. that formal refusal was made for access to the records.
 aThe valuation that has been fixed ia based upon no data as to crlglnal cost of the properties other than the ,ex1parte statement of the Alabams Power company and as far as n, Mathematician VI went. which in the absence of the records. have referred to. was not very far. 1 found evidence lending tC show that this eN-parto statement was unreliable on it's face.
 Year Needed for Audit, says.
 s0n Friday of last week Mr. Mc- Ietchie. iu sworn testimony before the commissions said that it would take one man at least year to inaNs 4 report on the original cost of the cempany's properties This period, of course. must elapsc after the ac- countant had been given access to the records which has never been done. He also admitted that Hagenan x Erickson. the engineers employed by the company. had had two 10 four accountants working on the desired records fer period of six or eight months,
 ~..There was s material inaccuracy in the article emanating from the associate commissioners, Messrs. .lt II srisf fa rA fa be pffqrt fhAt tbev had before them d report from me- as consulting accountant on the original costs of the properties of the company as well as upon the amount of the working capital. It IS absolutely untrue that the commis-
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