Evening star., 1926-06-17
UPHOLDS INCREASE |
IN WATER RATES|
Maryland Commission Disc
misses Suburban Property
Holders Complaint.
Special DisDatrh to Ths Gtar

BALTIMORE, June 1.-THE Mary
land Public Service Commission this
morning dismissed the complaint OF
James F.. Steele and other owners and
residents Of Hyattsville against the
increase In rates charged by the
Washington Suburban Sanitary Com
mission for service In the towns Of
Hyattsville. Riverdale and elsewhere
in the district.
The commission in dismissing the
complaint, said. in part:
This commission after an exhaus-
tive hearing ~ the case. study Of
the testimony and careful reading
of the briefs submitted by council has
failed TO find any evidence to sustain
the charge of unrea soma bleness. 1t
therefore concludes that they are not
unrea sOnable.
so far as he illegality Of the In
crease is concerned. that is matter
purely Of law. and courts are set up
for the purpose of determining such
issues This commission. therefore.
does not feel called upon to pass
on it.
Not Privately Owned.
This commission does NOT find
that an increase in the assessment
is necessarily unreasonable. 1t must
he remembered that the washington
Suburban Sanitary Commission Is not
privately owned utility operating
for the profit of it's stockholders or
officials. hut is an agency maintained,
no, for gain. but for the welfare of
all those within It's sphere of OPP
Grafton. 1t is a community enterprise
or form of municipal corporation
No one makes Il profit out OF II.
when 1t began operations there
was no unified water or sewerage
system in It's territory. There were
a number OF separate systems In the
individual settlements, more or less
efficient. The purpose sought In the
creation of the sanitary district ana
sanitary commission was to provide
d unified and comprehensive water
and sewerage system adequate to
meet the needs of the rapidly growing
territory adjacent to Washington, and
to remove obvious dangers To the
health of the people OF the section.
After quoting the action OF the
General Assembly Of 1924 in removing
the restriction upon the increase IN
front foot assessments. leaving these
10 be determined from time to time
by the commission as costs ana con-
ditions require, the commission con-
tinued:
As to Lack Of Uniformity.
Another basis for complaint is the
charge that the assessments are not
uniform throughout the sanitary dis
trict. This allegation is based largely
on the fact that In Capito! Heights
and Mount Rainier no increase IN the
assessment was made. IL appears
that the charge upon property IN
Capitol Heights was made In March'
before the increase in Hyattsville and
Riyertaie was ordered. Instead OF
making the charge in tapitol Helghts
uniform with that at ilyattsVille anu
RiVerdale at that time and increasing
II In July, the amount OF the increase
which had already been decided was
included in the charge when made.
The rate in Mount Rainier was not
increa sed, because Mount Rainier has
a wooden water-pipe system and the
sanitary commission did not wish TO
burden the general system by main
tanning these wooden pipes and re
placing them out OF general 1und
when IL became necessary; therefore
IL was agreed with the authorizes OF
Mount Rainier that the malntenan nee
OF these wooden pipes would be borne
bv the people of Mount Rainier and
that the property owners OF that town
should bear the cost OF replacement
when It becomes necessary TO replace
them. In both these situations the
"a nitary commission exercised only
that discretion which any business
organization OF any state, county
or municipal administrative agency
would naturally be expected TO exer'
else. Unless it is allowed reasonable
discretion 1t cannot be expected to
function properly. In making these
exceptions in the case OF Capltoi
Heights and Mount Rainier Tor the
reason stated, the sanitary commits
sion did not, in the opinion of this
commission, violate the principle OF
uniformity in its charges.
Are Part Of Functions.
"As to other issues raised in the
complaipt. including the classification
of property, the size and character of
water and sewer main extension, they
are matters involving the Sanitary
Commissions administrative func-
tions and which, according to the
opinion of the attorney general in the
case this commission Is not called
upon to pass.
pursuant to the CONCLUSION reacneo
i'm the foregoing opinion, it Is. the
18th day of June. 1925, by the Public
Service Commission OF Maryland.
ordered that the complaint OF James
r.. Steele and others against the
washington Suburban Sanitary Com
mission be and 1t Is hereby dis
missed"
The order was signed by the three
commissioners, Harold r.. West, chair
man: J. Frank Harper and Ezra b.
whitman