Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-16
KEECH WILL SEEK
TO PROBE PROTESTS
Peoples Counsel Stirred by
Complaints of Increases
Despite New Rates.
Continued From First Page.)

Continued From First Page.)
January were approximately rs per cent
higher because of the extended billing
period coupled with the fact that the
January bills covered both Christmas
| and New Year, days on which gas con-
sumption is usually heaviest.
Adoption by the gas companies of a
uniform billing period, it was explained
at the commission, probably would cut
down the complaints from consumers
who fail to observe the periods covered
| on the bills. Indications are that the
commission will take some steps to have
this plan adopted, which is the general
practice, 1t was said, in most cities.
Periods Not Uniform.
The lack of uniformity in the meter
reading period, it was pointed out,
makes it difficult for some consumers
to understand the fluctuations in their
bills.
For instance, the December bill
! covered a period of % days, the Janu-
| airy bill, "a days and in some cases IS
days, and for February the company
has arranged billing period of 20 days
| though the month contains % days.
| This will be done, it was said, to
The most vehement complaints re-
| ceived by the commission came from
persons who purchased automatic gas
! heating equipment, and claimed that
| their bills appeared to be running in
excess Of estimates given them for the
so-call.d heating season by representa-
| tiveS of the gas companies.
Investigation of these complaints, 1t
was said, showed that in a number of
| instances IIndoP Tho
| impression that gas for house heating
| purposes was to cost them 60 cents
| a thousand cubic feet, which is the
| basic rate, but they failed to take into
consideration the additional demand
charge, which runs the actual rate
higher than this amount.
Burner Cost Increases.
One of the most recent complaints
came from Amy G. Weech of 1888
Eighth street, who purchased a CONVEX
sion burner last Fall and said an esti-
mate was given her that the bill for
the heating season would not exceed
The first bill received, she said.
covered a period of "a days and was
slightly in excess of $23. IT was very
well satisfied" she declared. THE
next bill for December was $63.66. L
wrote vigorous letter of protest to
President Wood of the gas company,
but got no reply. The January bill was
S54.98. I cannot and will not pay it,"
She also declared that she had kept
the temperature of the house regulated
to 10 degrees in conformity with con-
dition on which the estimate for the
heating season was based. In this tenn
perature, she declared she had been
cold all month and used an oil stove
in addition to the furnace to keep
warm.
please do what you can and do it
quickly" she told the commission, for
my checking account will not stand
such bills nor will my morale"
Protests Furnace Burner Cost.
Leon A. LeBuffe, who also purchased
a conversion gas burner for his fur
mace, complained to the commission
that while the rate is supposed to be
60 cents a thousand cubic feet, the adj
dltional demand charge has run his bill
up to IA cents thousand cubic feet.
In reply, the commission advised Mr..
LeBuffe that If any agent Of the gas
companies had informed or led him or
any consumers to believe that the total
cost Of house heating would be covered
by a charge of so cents a thousand
cubic feet of gas consumed, this was
manifestly wrong, unjusti1ed and not
in accord with the rates fixed by this
commission"
when the commission fixed this
space heating rate, including the maxi
mum use charge" 1t said. sit did not
nor does it now regard this charge as
being merely for the privilege of using
gas, nor as a royalty or penalty i'm
posed on large consumers. Any utility
furnishing its product to consumers
should endeavor to base the charge to
- fI4nv1 4IA nf
plying his needs. This cost Is made up
of several itemS-(D commodity cost,
in other words, so much per 1000
cubic feet; CD customer cost, so much,
for example, for reading meters: CD a
demand cost, covering the expense to
the company by reason of the fact that
that it must at all times be ready to
supply to any customer the demand
which he makes. Naturally the COM
modify cost will increase with the
amount of gas used, and likewise the
demand cost will be determined by the
amount Of gas which at any time the
customer may desire to USE
Objects to SaIesman's Claim.
J. c. Massey of 3714 r street COM
planned to the commission that a sales
man for the gas companies. used the
60-cent rate as an argument in selling
and discovered that it did not include
all charges, when the actual bill may
figure at any rate between 81 and rs
cents. or perhaps higher.
THE Washington Gas Light Co., hav-
ing failed properly to explain the de-
mand charge at the proper time" Mr..
Massey declared 1.-The customer having
had the experience referred to, he feels
that something was put over on him"
George B. Fraser Of the gas company.
in response to this complaint, said he
was sorry that there had been some
misunderstanding with the represent
alive of his company which would lead
the customer to believe something had
been put over" on him.
Mrs. c. j. Schaeffer of sol Quack-
enbos street, another conversion burner
purchaser. said she was given an esti-
mate Of SLAB for her heating bill over
seven-month period, but the apparatus
feet of gas between November II and
December 90 This surely does not
agree with their estimate" she de-
clsred
The commission referred Mrs. Schaef-
fer's complaint to the gas company, and
George A. c. Wood, president. replied
that her consumption was running
somewhat in excess of the estimate,
but this was due TO difficulties expert
enced in adjusting her vapor system to
automatic heat"
Threatens TO Remove Furnace.
Mrs. Robert O'NeTl of 1905 Thir-
tenth street wrote to the commission
and said she could not understand why