Evening star., 1924-03-21
COOLIDGE RENAMES
Z Commissioners
FOLLOWING PROBE
Rudolph and Oyster Nom
mated After inquiry Into
Activities in Office.
MANY CUTS IN RATES
OF UTILITIES ARE CITED
Hollands Report Tells of Efforts to
Reduce Charges and Work on
zoning Commission.

Reduce Charges and Work on
zoning Commission.
Cuno Fl. Rudolph and James r.
oyster, the two civilian Commission
ers of the District of Columbia, whose
terms expired more than a week ago,
were reappointed by President Cool
idge today.
Their nominations were sent to the
Senate by the President following a
study of the report made to him BY
Rush l.. Holland, assistant attorney
general, who was designated by Pres
ident Coolidge to conduct a friendly
inquiry into the activities of the
commissioners, with special ref
erence to certain acts while serving
as members of the Zoning and Pub
lie Utilities Commissions.
The report of Mr.. Holland COM
pletely Yindicated the two Commits
soners and assured the President that
the charges made against the commits
sloners by several citizens who were
protesting against their reappoint-
ment were trivial and not sufficiently
substantiated by the evidence obtained
by Mr. Holland.
ReappOintment DELAYED.
The opposition to the reappoint-
ment of these two local officials fol-
on March that President Coolidge
had made up his mind to reappoint
the incumbents and, because of the
nature of the charges, the latter
thought it best in the interests of
the citizens of this city and for the
general good of the local government
that the nominations be held UP
pending an inquiry into the charges.
The expiring terms of Commission
ers Rudolph and Oyster covered three
busy years in the history of the Dis
tlict government. The increased bur-
dens that have come to the office
with the rapid growth and expansion
OF the city have been reflected in
their activity.
Although the zoning law was en-
acted prior to their appointmentg
on March IA, 1921, that new task
was still in its infancy and has called
LOT constant and laborious work
-, Commissioners Brownlow and Kutz
made the original coming maps, but
the job had to be done in the short
space of three months after the law
was passed, and naturally as time
Went on many necessary changes
cropped up.
Hold Many Hearings.
The present coming commission has
had to hold public hearings every
month in order TO consider the appli-
cations of property owners for changes
In the original coming of their hold
ings.
The past three years also has been
a Dusy period for the Commissioners
IN tnelr role as members of the Pub
Tic Utilities Commission. During their
term of office the rates of all the pub1
nc service corporations have been re-
duced. Col. Charles Keller was chair
o nf hn
part or the time before Maj. Bell was
appointed.
They had been in office but a few
days in the spring of 1921 when a
series of public hearings on rates be-
gan.
Street car fare has been reduced
twice, from 4 tokens for 80 cents or
cents cash to s tokens for 40 cents
with 8 cents as the cash fare. This
was reduction in the token rate
from 71s cents to 6 2-3 cents.
The price of gas has been reduced
from s1;S2 to 81. This cut was made
gradually in four different inquiries
Other Rates Reduced.
The rates of the Potomac Electric
Power Company have been reduced
several times in that period, but the
public has not received immediate
Deneht, due to the litigation pending
In the District Supreme Court over
the disputed value of the power plant.
At the suggestion of the telephone
company, the rate for unlimited serv-
Ice was reduced more than a year ago
from $3.50 to s5 a month.
At the present time the Commits
sioners have before them one of the
most difficult of all utility questions,
namely, to fix rules for the proper
handling of the depreciation accounts
of the several companies.
Commissioner Rudolph has directed
the financial end of the local govern
ment, taking in the, assessment of
property, collection of taxes, auditing
of all municipal accounts, and, in ad-
dttion. has supervised the charitable
and penal institutions
All existing laws relating to chari-
ties and public welfare work are now
being gone over by commission of
citizens appointed by the Commits
sioners, assisted by William Hodson.
expert of the Russell Sage Founda-
ton.
Oyster Faces Traffic Problem.
Commissioner Oyster has directed
the activities of the police, fire,
a task that has kept him busy.
In addition to supervising the rou-
tine operations of these important
services the Commissioner has had
to pass upon many changes in the
rapid increase in the number of vehi-
cles, bringing with 1t the danger of
accident on the streets.
Preparation for and the successful
handling of the Shriners convention
last summer was probably the big
gest task the present Commissioners
faced during their expiring terms.
Commissioner Oyster established
one-way streets for the Shrine con-
claye, and was so impressed with the
experience then that he retained
many of them. He also has endeavor-
ed to improve parking conditions in
the downtown section.
Many Betterment Bills.
A long list Of legislative bills for
the betterment of the city and its
physical improvement have been ad-
vocated and supported by the present
board. Notable in this respect has
been the endeavor to carry out the
long-standing plan for completing
the park system Of the National
Capital.
Although Commissioner Rudolph
with the experience gained by his
previous term. which ended in 1918,
he found that during the eight years
intervening the municipal machinery
of the city had grown by leaps and
bounds.
Commissioner Oyster was a mem
Der of the Rent Commission when
appointed by the late President
Harding. And. while he had not
previously served rs Commissioner
he had always been active in civic
affairs through the Board of Trade
and Chamber of Commerce. which
gave him a clear insight into WASH
ington's needs He also has served as