Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-01-07
BY JAMES E. CHINN.

| the 1882 fiscal year, now under con-
sideration by the House Subcommittee
on Appropriations, provides funds to
enlarge the permanent valuation staff
| of the Public Utilities Commission,
which was created within the last six
months.
/ The commission is seeking $102, ZOO,
an increase of 1850 over the appro-
priation for the current fiscal year.
The additional funds are wanted chiefly
for the creation Of two new positions
valuation engineer and a valuation
accountant. Funds also are asked to
employ valuation experts by contract.
Salaries Set at $500.
Salaries of $4,000 a year each are
proposed for the valuation accountant
and the engineer. The engineer would
have supervision of all engineering fea-
lures of valuation work. His duties
would consist primarily of making
physical inspections to determine de-
probation and verify reported addi-
tions and bettermentS to the property
of the utility corporations. The duties
Of the valuation accountant would be
to verify reported additions and better
ments, supervise maintenance, repairs
and operating expense accounts and
maintain a perpetual cost inventory Of
property of all utilities in collabora-
ton with the valuation engineer.
The commission points out that it
is essential in its routine work to have
more recent valuation data upon which
to rely without constant revaluationS.
This need, the commission contends, is
very pressing" in connection with sew
eral matters now before it.
Larger Force Held Necessary.
The commission also declares it is
essential to enlarge the accounting
force to make it possible effectively to
carry out the valuation and deprecia-
ticn provisions of the public utilities
act. An increased force, it claims, will
make it possible to rewrite the invest
ment accounts of the carriers, and thus
make available accurate investment and
original cost figures, as well as more
thorough account investigation OF the
reports of the utility corporations con-
corning additions and bettermentS TO
their property. 1t is important too, the
commission says, that further investi-
CATION be made of many OF the charges
to operating expenses.
OF the Increased funds requested
81 900 would be used, If necessary, to
employ experts for short periods by
contract and without reference to the
classification act to assist the commits
sion in connection with cases before the
courts. These experts would appear as
commission witnesses IN rebuttal to teS-
timony of the witnesses Of the utility
concerns.
Six Added Last Year.
Steps to reorganize and enlarge the
Commission personnel were taken soon
after the appointment Of Maj. Gen.
Mason M. Patrick and Harleigh H.
Hartman as members Of the commits
sicn. Six additional employees, consist
ing Of accountants, engineers and clerks,
were added to the stan iast ysS[, Inc
new employees sought in the 1882 appro-
priation bill will virtually complete the
reorganization. -,
Gen. Patrick and Mr.. Hartman dis
covered soon after their appointment
that there were several mandates con-
tanned in the laws under which tne
commission operates that could not De
reasonably carried out with 1tS exlstlng
organization and force Of employees. AT
that time they pointed out the I'M
perative and immediate necessity OF
augmenting the engineering and ac-
counting STATS so that the commission
would have before 1t current inventories
and appraisalS OF each OF the seVeral
utilities; data which would enable 1t TO
establish depreciation rates as required
by law; cost indiceS; data on methoos
and cost of manufacture, transmission
and distribution. and information to be
used in connection with the establish
ment of uniform systems OF accounting.
Only by and through this means, the
commission GoaSehaed, could IL De cur
ren.ly informed on all vital questions
relating to the public service corpora
tons under its Jurisdiction.
$3s,sOO for Repair Shop.
Flollowinp close behind the items of
the utilities commission, the appropria-
ton bill contains a recommendation Of
the District repair shop for $4,000
with which to make extensive altera- |
tons and Improvements in its make |
shift quarters in the old Bryant street |
water pumping station. These changes
the repair shop regards as urgent in the !
interest of efficiency because of the |
marked increase in its work due to in
creased appropriations for repair work |
to the public schools ana other NUM- |
cipal buildings.
The carpenter, metal and machine
shops are now quartered in the old |
pumping station building. These shops |
are poorly lighted, and the storage |
space and ONCE arrangement are con- |
sidered inadequate.
With the $50, 900 it IS proposed to |
erect a new building on District-owned !
property in the vicinity of the pumping |
station to house all of the shops. The |
pumping station building would then |
be utilized for the storage Of materials.
Would Replace Old Horses.
These alterations, according to District /
officials, will make it possible properly |
to control the valuable storage property |
and arrange the shops to develop |
greater efficiency in the manufacture of |
the various articles incidental to the |
repair of municipality owned buildings.
A. portion of the funds also would be /
used to purchase several new motor |
trucks to replace IL worn-out horses |
formerly in the service of the District /
Fire Department. Repair shop officials |
claim these horses are in such bad
shape they cannot give efficient service, |
and as q result much time is lost be-
cause of the inability of the animals to |
work more than three or four days a
week.
In addition to the motor trucks, the /
repair shop also wants variety of new /
equipment for its different shops. Spe-
ciflcally, 1t has asked for a motor
driven saw for cutting iron, motor
driven tool grinder and motor -driyen
drills. This equipment, 1t was said, viii
enable the shop to do work now turned l
over to private concerns because OF the
lack Of proper equipment.