Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-06-07
Reimbursement of Consum-
ers Also Urged Because of
High Pressures.
FORMER COMMISSIONS
ARE SCORED BY CITIZENS
Past Officials Are Accused of Fail
ing to Act in Code
Violations.

PROSECUTION OF the washington ana
Georgetown Gas Light Companies for
past violations of the gas pressure regu-
Iations of the Public Utilities Commits
sion and the reimbursement of gas con-
sumers whose bills were abnormally
high because of excessive pressures were
urged last night by the Federation Of
Citizens Associations at its final meet
ing of the season.
The federation also criticized former
Public Utilities Commissions for failure
to exercise supervision over gas pressure
in the past and recommended that steps
be taken to reduce the existing allow.
able variation in pressures. The pres
ent allowable variation. ranging from
two-inch minimum to a temporary
eight-inch maximum. was held to be
unreasonable from the standpoint OF
justice and fairness to consumers whose
appliances cannot be adjusted so they
will operate efficiently on such a wide
range.
Has Ample Authority.
The Public Utilities Commission, the
federation pointed out, has ample
authority to prosecute the gas COM
panies by invoking paragraph IS of the
Public Utilities act, which prescribeS q
penalty of 5000 for every violation of
the commission regulations. No esti-
number of violations that can be
charged against the companies or the
probable total amount of the assess
ments that could be levied.
These penalties, the federation de-
clared, should be levied and refunds
made to consumers whose bills went up
because of the increased pressures Gin
the interest of justice and fair dealing
to the public
The federation's action was recon-
mended by it's Committee on Public
Utilities, which submitted 1900 word
report analyzing the pressure situation
and stressing the importance of a sub
Stantial uniform pressure to prevent q
possible waste of gas by consumer APP
planes. The report was written for
the. committee by George E. Sullivan
and was read by william NICK. Clayton,
chairman. One dissenting vote pre-.
vented its unanimous adoption.
The report declared that the gas COM
panies had been consistently guilty OF
long standing and continuing violations
Of the gas pressure regulations ana
made no apparent effort to comply with
the requirements in any wise until
January %.
Opposed Part of Report.
It also was pointed out in the report
that the consumption of gas IN January
this year increased Alb per cent over
the corresponding month of 1880. How
much Of such increase represents wasted
gas at the expense of the consumers
due to excessive pressures for which
their appliances were not adjusted" the
report said, your committee has no
means of ascertaining."
An effort was made by DR.. George c.
Havenner, president of the federation,
to have a portion of the report criti-
Ching former commissions stricken out.
He contended it is not the policy of the
federation to censure or criticize indi-
viduals or commissions unless it is sure
they neglected their duty. He then Of
fered an amendment to strike out the
criticism, but the amendment was de-
feated
Sullivan and Clayton both strongly
defended the portion of the report criti-
cizing the former commissions Clayton
argued that the language used was In
offensive.
Later, the federation on motion of
Charles l. Stengle, commended the
committee for its report.
Text Of Report.
The text of the gas report follows:
Your Committee on Public Utilities
is glad to report that it has completed
its study on gas pressure conditions in
the District of Columbia, with the fol-
lowing findings:
Il. The importance to the gas con-
sumner of the maintenance of a sustain
TALLY uniform gas pressure cannot be
overestimated. for the reason that his
gas appliances must be adjusted to the
particular gas pressure supplied thereto
in order to obtain the efficiency TO
which the consumer is entitled. After
his appliances have been adjusted for
particular gas pressure, the substitution
of substantially higher or lower pres
sure, without ieadjustment of the ap-
plianceS, will necessarily result in inefi-
cheney, causing an unnecessary waste of
gas for which the consumer Is required
to pay, either, in the case of the higher
pressure, because of the increased
amount of gas consumed during the
same period of time without correspond
| ing, if any benefit to the consumer. or,
in the case of lower pressure, because
of the increased quantity of gas used
| as the result of a greater period of time
being required, without corresponding,
If any. benefit to the consumer.
30 At this late day. it is hardly in
order Tor any one, least OF all the gas
company. to attempt to minimize or
| disregard the situation by asserting
that the consequences to the gas con-
sumner are necessarily inconsequential.
No expert worthy of the name can
| withstand cross examination in at
tempting to support any such propo-
sition.
Recognized by Congress.
80 The Importance of regulating gas
pressure in order to deal fairly with
| the consumer was expressly recognized
when passing the public utility act Of
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