Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1931-03-11
GAS MANAGEMENT
TRANSFER WILL BE
SUBJECT OF PROBE
Commission Wants to Know
if Laws Were Violated in
Making Change.
CORPORATION AT CHICAGO
TAKES OVER LOCAL FIRM
Bride Told to Ascertain All That
Has Been Done in Washing
ton Utility Case.

The scope Of the Public Utilities Com
missions investigation into the gas sit
uation was broadened today to take in
the latest Of a series of Development
the transfer of the management of the
washington Gas Light Co. and its SUBJ
salaries to the Central Public Service
Corporation of Chicago, gigantic pub
lie utility holding concern.
Announcement that the Central Pub
lie Service Corporation had extended it,
gas interests to washington followed
closely the shift in the control of the
Washington gas properties from the
5eaboard Investment Trust to the Wash
ington and suburban companies. The
rapidity of the changes and their sig
nificance have puzzled the commission
Mai. Gen. Mason M. Patrick, chair
commission would 60 to the very bot
tom of the situation to develop the
underlying reasons for the changes to
determine whether there Is any basis for
action under the provisions Of the La
Toilette anti-merger act, and the Public
Utilities Commission act.
Situation Is Confused.
Confusion was added to the situation
this afternoon, when Wilton j. Lambert
counsel for the Washington Gas Light
Co, announced he had received tele-
gram from Donald Mcpherson, general
counsel of the Central Public Service
Corporation, declaring that the corpora
ton had no management contract with
any of the companies controlled by the
Washington Suburban Companies.
The message read:
The Central Public Service Corpor-
alton desires to correct an inaccurate
statement, which today appeared In
various newspapers concerning the re-
lationship supposed to be existing be-
tween that company and the. Wash
ington Gas Light Co., the Ale1andris
Gas Co., and the washington Subur-
ban Gas Co, which distributes gas
in the District Of Columbia, and in
neighboring communities in the States
Of Maryland and Virginia, and that
between the Central Public Service
CORPORATION and the New York q
Richmond Gas Co. which distributes
gas In q portion Of the City Of Greater
New York.
"The Central Public Service Corpora
ton has no management contract with
any Of the companies referred to and
not now, either directly or indirectly,
own any stock in any OF these
companies"
Bride to Make Inquiry.
Corporation Counsel William w.
Bride, the commissions general coun-
sci, who had previously been directed
L., W9AA~ ,40 - A. d. 3w@kA -
change in control of the gas properties
and the new $500, 900 bond issue float
ed by the Washington 81 Suburban
Companies, was instructed to look also
into the management acquisition OF the
properties by the Chicago concern.
IT told Mr.. Bride to envision all of
the changes and see what has been
DONE" said Gen. Patrick. His investi-
cation viii show whether there is any
basis for action by the commission"
In the meantime, w. II. Wildes, ex-
ecutive vice president Of the Central
Public Service Corporation, in long
representative of The Star, said that
no changes in the management OF the
Washington Gas Light Co. are contem-
plated "at the moment"
VIII Direct Policies.
MIR. Wildes said that George A. q.
Wood would continue as president of
the Washington Gas Light Co. and ex-
planned that the principal difference In
the method of operation would be the
injection of the Central systems poll
cies as to engineering and accounting.
I'VE will direct the policies of the
gas company and supervise all en-
cheering which in the past has been
done by miscellaneous concerns" he
declared. In an Associated Press dis
patch Mr. Wildes was quoted as saying:
I'VE viii be able to supply talent which
the companies are not in a position to
buy. Large savings will accrue to Wash
ington and the allied companies be-
cause OF the huge buying power of the
Central system and the fact that it
supplies its own insurance"
Albert Pierce, president of the Cen
trail system, pointed out, according to
Associated Press dispatches, that no
ownership was involved and the Gen.
trail system would merely manage the
Eastern utilities. He said the Central
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