The Washington times., 1924-09-11
Reduced Telephone and Electric
Light Rates for D. c.
By BILL PRICE.

The investigation being made by Public Utilities Commits
sion expert accountants of the Chesapeake
Potomac Telephone Company is evidently the first of
the Commission begin hearings looking the reduction Of
telephone rates in the District.
The Of investigation will doubtless be made of
the business the Potomac Electric Power Company having
in view reduction in electric light rates.
The showing of these public utilities present caen
dar year. according to monthly reports to the Public Utilities
Commission indicates that the telephone monopoly making
virtually 8h per cent return its admitted valuations
and that the electric lighting making about
cent, as heretofore pointed out by this writer.
Further Investigations should not be necessary these fig
accurate but the experts will be able to determine
this Assuming their accuracy do not think the Public
Utilities Commission will hesitate order hearings the
purpose of giving the people Of Washington such relief in
lower rates as they entitled to-
The present Utilities Commission certainly nothing
in the way injustice oppression If had been for
the generosity of the commission at least large public
utility would have been in bad financial way during the
trying days Of the and for time afterward.
The Commission, therefore justly feel that it has
District and that the time has arrived when the people of
the city should be given some consideration in having lifted
from their shoulders small part of the burdens they
carry in these days Of high living costs.
Anything above per cent return property valuations
t t T meney nv oan wrong to
greatly stabilized and strengthened with the certainty
cent return It places the securities Of the companies
in the best possible financial position enables the easv
borrowing of money for improvements
In the Of the Potomac Electric Light Company the
Public Utilities Commission has purposey allowed that
pany far beyond reasonable that the Washington
Railway and Electric Company which owns the Pepco might
be bolstered financially The boterng however should not
be continued at the of the consuming public of this
city
There much political bunk being handed out that wages
and salaries have kept pace with the living for some
years That doesn't apply in this city, where the ory
OF the bread winners Government employees whose sal
aries have had mighty little boost While the workers of
Washington experiencing reduction the cost of living
the common stock Of the Washington Railway Electric
Company daily mounting higher and higher on the local
stock exchange It wouldn't be going higher unless was
evident to buyers that there increasing stream of
financial juice back of it,
No salary man Of Washington gets glimpse of golden
stream flowing his He isn't sharing in uce that
is exhlarang the common stock of the W. r. and Isn't
about time that the Public Utilities Commission give the
PLAIN ordinary citizen chance to feel popped up?'
AS to the Chesapeake Potomac Telephone COMPANY it
not carrying its back any weak sister, although it
paying enormous sums in royalty to its owner the American
Telephone Telegraph Company which is crying for
financial support There necessity that the telephone
monopoly shall have larger returns than just feed to
an allied company.
Instead Of being in need of exorban unreasonable
returns on valuation to help auxiliary Chesapeake
POTOMAC Company paying out to the largest strongest
monopoly In America for royalty that Public Ut
ties Commission should not allow It sufficient for the
Public Utilities Commission to allow just returns upon the
valuations Of the local telephone monopoly without per
uniting returns that include at least $250OOO year in
Juice" for outside owners
That excellent counsel for the Washington public w. NICK
CLAYTON understands the details thoroughly we have
no doubt he will convince the Public Utilities Commission that
should give relief to of telephones and electricity