Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-02-24
Utilities Body liked at Delay
in Replying to Inquiries
on Adjustments.
ADDITIONAL COMPLAINTS
ARE FILED BY CONSUMERS
Officials Tire After Waiting for
Nearly Two Weeks Without Re-
spouse From Distributors.

1rked by the delay of the gas COM
panies in answering its request for in
formation relative to the existing gas
situation, the Public Utilities Commits
sion today demanded immediate re-
Spouse.
For nearly two weeks the commission
has waited for a report showing what
steps the companies have taken to COM
ply with its orders directing a reduction
in gas presSures to a maximum of 8
inches, and the readjustment Of gas ap-
planes so they will operate efficiently
under the new presSures.
Writes to Companies.
When the morning mail failed to
yield the awaited reply, the following
letter was dispatched to both the Wash
ington and Georgetown companies:
"On February II, we wrote you ask
ing that you state the number Of ad-
justments which have actually been
made under the requirements of the
commission In its letter of January %,
and also the average number of month
ly adjustments made prior thereto
I'VE have not received this informa-
ton to date.
"On the same day we asked you as
follows:
"Will you notify us as soon as pos
Sible as to what measures you have
actually taken to bring pressures to
the S-inch maximum authorized pend
ing any survey Of your system to de-
termine general adjustments thereto
We have not received this infor-
nation.
will you kindly furnish same at
once?"
The information sought from the
companies is regarded as of utmost
importance by the commission in con-
nection with its present investigation
into the cause Of the deluge of COM
plants over high gas bills.
Making Pressure Tests.
Compliance with the 8-inch maxi
mum pressure regulation, it Is believed
at the commission, may bring gas bills
back to the normal average, as the
opinion prevails among its members that
the increased pressures which were
found to be as high as IL and II inches,
coupled with the improper adjustment
OF gas appliances, unquestionably are
responsible for some of the higher gas
bills. The commission, however, is hav-
ing tests made to determine precisely
what effect varying preSsures have on
gas consumption. These tests are be-
ing made by Elmer G. Runyan, the COM
MISSIONS gas engineer.
The commission also is anxious to
ascertain the rate at which adjust
mentS are being made on gas appli-
ances. The last report from the COM
panles, indicated that adjustments were
being made at the rate of 5000 a
month, but unless this work is ex-
peoited, 1t was said, more than two
years will be required for the read
lustment OF the appliances of the
10000 gas consumers in the District.
The action of the commission to
remedy present conditions, has not
served to stem the tide of complaints
from indignant gas consumers. Thirty
nine additional protests over high bills
were added this morning to the bulging
complaint files.
Nineteen of them we're received at
the commission and the other 20 were
acknowledged by Richmond B. Keech,
peoples counsel before the Public
Utilities Commission, who is making an
Independent study to determine the
cause of the unprecedented number of
complaints over gas bills. Two of the
complaints received by Keech, came
from sections in nearby Maryland, but
these will have TO be ignored, he said.
because neither he nor the commission
has jurisdiction beyond the boundaries
OF the District line.
Asks Additional Data.
Aside from an analysis of the COM
plants filed in his Office, Mr. Keech also
Is reviewing the pressure report of Bert
H. Peck, the commissions chief engi-
neer, who disclosed the existence OF the
abnormal pressures.
Mr.. Keech declared he was going over
this report again, hoping it would shed
further light on the cause of the COM
plants. He is not satisfied that the in
creased pressures alone are responsible
for present conditions.
Some Of the complaints sent to his
office, Mr.. Keech said, do not give him
all Of the data he would like to have
in connection with his investigation.
In number of cases, he has written
to the complaintantS asking for addi-
tional information.
To enable fair and impartial study,
Mr.. Keech said he desired consumers
to forward him information showing
the amount of their bills in November
and December, 1929, the entire year of
1880 and January, 1881. If all this
data cannot be furnished, he declared.
he desired as much of it as Is possible.
HE ATIT