The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-03-04
new UTILITIES BOARD
TO ORGANIZE At ONCE
IS FACING
HEAVEWORK

The new Public Utilities Com.
mission viii be organized tomorrow
morning at 10 o'clock in spite OF
the absence from the city Of Col.
Harrison Brand, jr.. one Of the
new members.
It was originally planned to or.
ganize the commission today but
plans were changed when It was
learned that Brand had not re.
turned to the city and Ralph b.
Fleharty, the new peoples coun-
sci. would not be able to attend.
engineer Commissioner j. Frank
lin Bell and John w. Childress,
two members of the new commits.
sion, and Fleharty will be sworn
In tomorrow morning. Brand will
be sworn in Monday. The oath
Will be administered tomorrow in
the board room of the District
Building by Frank r. Cunningham.
clerk OF the District Supreme Court.
a meeting of the new commission
VIII be held Immediately after the
ceremonies at which the commits.
sion will select chairman.
Employees to BE Resworn
Every employe Of the commits.
stony also will have to be sworn in
tomorrow as a result of a change
IN the wording of the oath. They
will be sworn at the same time az
the commissioners.
Two members of the new com.
mission, Bell and Brand, are West
Point graduates. Major w. e. r.
Coyell, Assistant Engineer Com.
missioner and executive officer of
the commission, Is also a graduate
OF the military academy.
The new commission enters Of
flee facing difficulties with every
public utility corporation in the
District except the Potomac Electric
Power Company.
1t Is better equipped to face these
impending struggles, however, than
the old commission ever was, as a
result of the recent passage of the
bill giving it authority to assess
the corporations for valuations and
rate-making expenses.
One Of Inc. most important prob,
lens facing the new commission is
| the merger of the local traction
companies. Congress failed to en-
act bill proposed to it by the old
commission which would have forced
this merger within two years.
The gas companies are each seek.
ing higher valuations on which they
can base an appeal for higher rates.
This question has been pending for
more than year.
Phone Company Hearing
Probably the first hearing which
the new commission will hold will
be on lowering the rates of the
telephone company. The way was
cleared for this hearing recently by
the District Supreme Court.
The Washington Rapid Transit
Company's ownership is still held
illegal by the old commission. The
new commission will have to solve
this question and also the com.
pany's appeal for a straight ten.
cent fare.
The Washington Railway and
Electric Company is seeking a
higher valuation. A petition for
this will be filed shortly with the
commission.
Hurried Poll Made
Colonel Brand is a son-inlaw and
law partner of former Senator Por.
ter ]. McCumber of North Dakota
with offices in the Investment
Building. He Is a graduate OF West
Point and has been in Washington
for five wears. being a member of
the Chevy Chase and the Racquet
Clubs. He Is 35 years old and was
a member of the engineer corps
! while in the Army.
Members of the citizens watch"
were given no opportunity to look
into the record and qualifications
| OF Colonel Brand. So far as can
be ascertained. the members of the
Senate District subcommittee had
! little or no time to make an in
vestigation Of the new nominee, but
have taken him largely ION faith. I"
The understanding that the sub
committee report would be made
to the full District committee this
| morning caused the members of the
watch" who have strongly favored
the rejection of all OF the Utilities
nominations. to feel that they were
safe for the night in any event.
The post-midnight executive ses-
sion. however, upset all their cal
culations.