Evening star., 1932-02-02
GAS CONSUMERS
TO SAVE S211,0[O
Company Submits Schedule
of Reductions to Public
Utilities Board.
Continued From First Page J


for the next $4,000 feet and 80 cents
per thousand for all over 100000 cubic
feet per month.
The new rates for schedule ID" for
large commercial users. is 92l2 cents
per thousand cubic feet for the first SO
feet used in one month, per foot of
maximum hourly use, then TIP cents
per thousand cubic feet for all in eX-
cess of that, up to 400 900 cubic feet
total monthly use. Then 65 cents per
thousand cubic feet for all above 400
900, up to 100000 cubic feet per
month. Then so cents per thousand
cubic feet for the next 1000 900 cubic
feet, and 40 cents per thousand cubic
feet for all above 100000 feet per
month
Schedule "E" is a new departure
called seasonal of-peak" schedule
In this schedule there is a maximum
use charge of 81 in December and Jan
uary and SO in November and Febru-
airy. The rate is IS cents per thou
sand cubic feet for the first $4,000 feet
per month and 40 cents per thousand
for all over $4,000 cubic feet pei
month
Schedule IF" is a new schedule for
apartment buildings, which furnish
tenants with gas for cooking and re-
frigeration and include this in the
charge for rent.
Wood Explains.
The rate proposed is 80 cents per
thousand cubic feet for the first 5000
cubic feet per month, 80 cents per
thousand for the next 10000 cubic feet
per month and rs cents per thousand
for all over 25,000 cubic feet per month
President George A G. Wood of the
company transmitted with the new pro-
posed rates a letter explaining the new
schedules in some detail. The letter
read in part:
In September, 1880, the Washington
Gas Light Co. and the Georgetown
Gas Light Co. applied to your honorable
commission for a reduction in rates
which it was estimated would save their
customers 100000 year. The COM
mission approved this reduction, and as
a result the annual saving to consumers
of gas in Washington reached approx
mately S43l l44 during the year 1881.
Due to considerable money spent by
the gas companies in undermining plant
and equipment and to more modern
methods of manufacture and distribu-
tion substantial economies were made
during the past year. Because OF these
and other economies, and because OF
the success Of our new business activl-
ties which have popularized the use OF
gas, particularly for refrigeration and
heating homes we have been enabled
to more than offset the loss in revenues
to the companies during 1881.
The success Of our operations during
the past II months has encouraged us
to continue our policy Of serving our
customers with gas at the lowest pos
sibe rates consistent with sound bust
ness judgment.
AT this time we are offering for your
approval new rate schedules which, on
the basis of the gas sales for the Wash
ington and Georgetown Gas Light
Companies for the u months ended No
vember 80, 1881, it is estimated will
mean a yearly saving Of Spills SOB. This
will bring about total yearly saving
of about $642 600 when compared with
the rates in effect prior to October,
1880, when the commission approved
the rates now in effect"
The letter goes on to explain the new
schedules in detail The explanation
for the new schedule E is as follows:
In addition We have constructed an
off-peak rate through which we hope
to be able to develop considerable busi-
ness for such purposes as volume water
heating. Due to the popularity Of au-
tomato gas heating, we have con-
siderable Winter peak. For this reason
We can afford to make special off,
peak seasonal rate to use up our ex-
cess Summer capacity. We believe that
this rate will enable us to gain some
new business for heating water in
apartment houses because of the OBJ
vious advantage which gas has as
clean automatic fuel"
Cut to Be Extended.
Although the proposed new rates
will not affect gas consumers in nearby
Maryland and Virginia. there are in
dications that the company in the near
future, may take steps to bring about
a corresponding reduction in these COM
munities.
officials of the company, however,
declined to comment on any plans they
might have for reducing rates in Mary
land and Virginia, but pointed out it
has been the policy to make the rates
in these sections correspond as nearly
as possible with the District rates.
The reduction proposed in the Dis
trict domestic rates, it was said, wiz
make the average Washington bill 22.8
per cent lower than the average bill
in 20 other cities.
In arriving at comparative bill, the
gas company translated the rate sched-
ules in other cities to a basis of 600
B. T. U. British thermal units, the
standard of heating value required in
the District, and found that in Wash
ington the average domestic bill under
the proposed new rates, would be 1925,
and In other larger cities, as follows:
New York. S4.49; Rochester, 1891;
Brooklyn, $3.50; Chicago, 1881; st.
Paul, S343; Minneapolis, 1882; Mil
waukec, 1922; Newark, $458; Boston,
S4.48; Baltimore. s352; Philadelphia,
S3.76; st. Louis, 1919, and Detroit,
1913.