The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-03-24
Bn Bill PRICE.

directly intimately concerned about that legally impounded
which the Potomac Electric Power
Company fighting for in the courts and which would
the splitting huge dividend melon in the company
wins and grabs OF the rich prize
the few months that fund.- which started in
1917 win aggregate about $ssooooo The Public Utilities
Commission holds that this money belongs to the people Of
Washington who patrons Of r. and not to the
company. The commission is fighting in the have
Its decisions upheld The fight the peoples fight
It in July, 1917 that the q. q. rendered decision
fixing valuation of the properties Of the Potomac Electric
Power Company ITO It's capital stock then now
100000 and its bonded debt then-snce increased
through capital expenditmes-was 100000.
Having found the valuation the commission reduced the
charge Of the company from 10 kowa
hour to cents per kowatt hour. Until this valuation was
made the company had been turning huge div
dends its the Washington Railway Electric
Company That company through these dividends
earnings paid dividends its stock since
declared by the commission to be much water There
riot Of dividends and W. R. and Z. common stock
scared and scared in the local market until reached
60 par.
The e. Company to court at once to ght the
valuation and reduction Of electric light rates succeeded
In getting from the court order directing that continue
20 collect 10 cents kowatt the directed
that the difference beween 10 and impounded
IN trust fund for repayment the Of electricity If the
findings Of the Public Utilities Commission as to valuations
were upheld The company in taking the matter to the
courts declared that its properties worth
000 and that 10 per owa barely sufficient
20 pay . reasonable return that valuation.
The late Judge Could Of the District Supreme Court handed
Che Company black eye when he virtually upheld
the findings Of the p o. g. The District Court Of Appeals
did not in full with Judge Could being more liberal
70 the Pepco corporation The Public Uities Commission
took an appeal to the United States Supreme Court where
the case is shn pending.
The attorney who represented the o. g. throughout the
valuation proceedngs well in the valuations of the
street railway and gas properties Of the District retired to
private practice when his valuable work completed The
F. o. Co. however has retained his services assist the
present counsel Of the commission the appeals on all these
valuations he understands all facts details and the history
Of the water in local utilities any other
Until the last Congress his special services paid for
by appropriations made by Congress That body refused at
the last session to appropriate $1,000 his important work
during the next fiscal It further prohibited the payment
Of single dollar of o. G. funds for special
The Public Utilities Commission has the people of
Washington to raise that $4,000 is going to be sub
scbed with goody part Of has already
scribed $1,000 by The Washington Times
starter It Of protecting rights Washington
people to Che fullest extent the local corporation being
Sentd by the best lawyers be had Without special counsel
Che r o. side Of the matter would presented by
attorney.
Briefly, corporation wealth is looking out for itself with
Che most eminent Washington their services highly
enumerated from funds the public pays into the corporation
In electric light YOU pay this big legal bill and vet
Congress didn't want YOU to be represented except by
single lawyer whose salary is the huge of 900 per
year.
Since 1917 therefore, Washington electric light users have
had deposited their credit in that impoundd chunk
W n0AeJ INGALLS, SOmetnng 10 One-1utn OF the
money have paid the company sxtyeight
months to be returned to you the highest uphold
the o. c. Even these only partially uphold the
r o. G. will have something coming back you when
settlement is finally made-not only of the total
you have paid in that time for electricity but per
interest in addition.
Rising above the question Of the money you may get back
however the vital principle public should not nav
for electricity necessary give Lighting
company reasonable return upon its JUST VALUATION
not its claims to what is worth Identicay the
Car and gas companies, also in the court.
In the light of these facts every citizen Washington
should be willing to make large small subscriptions to
protect his or her rights in the future and to prevent having
electric Light rates or street fares
$420O00o0 Of wateust plain water put years ago
cover promotion charges and to enable financial
get rich at the public expense many Of them