Evening star., 1932-02-17
LOWER GAS RATE
FOR SMALL USERS
URGED BY KEECH.
Counsel Suggests ST Per
1000 Cubic Feet for First
1000, Then IS Cents.
RUSSELL DEFENDS
SCHEDULE AT HEARING
Chief Engineer Says Smaller Bills
Are Profitable to
Companies.

The hearings before the Public Utili
ties Commission today on the reduction
in gas rates proposed by the washington
and Georgetown Gas Light Co.'S. de-
veloped into fight by Peoples Counsel
Richmond B. Keech. to secure more of
concession for small consumers than is
available under the schedules submitted
by the companies.
Mr.. KeeCh suggested new domestic
schedule of 81 per 1000 cubic feet for
the first 1900 feet and 35 cents per
force calls for 81 per 1000 cubic feet
for the first 1900 cubic feet and 90
cents per 1000 cubic feet thereafter
Under the companies proposed do
mestic schedule. there is no reduction
for those using 1000 cubic feet of gas
month or less. and the reduction for the
customer using the average consumption
of 900 cubic feet is cents per month
There are comparatively larger re-
ductiors for customers using above the
average in the domestic schedules and
substantial reductions in the CONNER
cial schedules.
Defense of Schedules.
The companies schedules were de-
Tended by Walter NJ Russell, chief en-
gineer He said the small customers
were relatively the least profitable and
that the schedule had been drafted to
make the greatest concessions to the
most profitable customers. He said the
customers paving only the 75-cent
monthly minimum bill were getting
their gas below cost. which is min
imum of approximately SO cents per
month per customer.
He also defended the rates as pro
motional" or designed to increase the
sale of gas in certain fields, which would
make possible further rate reductions.
One such schedule referred to was
a "Seasorable off-peak rate" offered
fer the Summer months. designed to
encourage the use of gas house cooling
devices about to be put on the market,
and the large-scale use of hot-Water
heating BY apartment houses during the
Summer months. when the company
normally is selling gas far below the
caparity ct which it does business dur
ing the Winter months.
New System of Rates.
The entire new rates system as Of
fered by the company, is as follows:
Schedule A. for all domestic pur-
poses except house heating, 81 for the
first 900 cubic feet, 80 cents per thou
sand cubic feet for the 1000 feet. 85
cents per thousand cubic feet for the
next $4,000 feet and 80 cents per thou
sand cubic feet for all above $4,000
feet.
Schedule 3, for house heating pur-
poses: Maximum use charge 81 per
1000 cubic feet per 100 cubic feet of
maximum hourly rate of use. October
to April inclusive. Consumption charge
of 60 cents per 1000 feet thereafter.
Minimum bill, october to April, 81 per
month. No minimum bill, May to
September.
Schedule C. commercial and indus
trial: For the first $4,000 cubic feet,
80 cents per 1000 feet; for the next
$4,000 85 cents per 1000 cubic feet, and
for all in excess of 100000 cubic feet,
80 cents per 1000 cubic feet. Minimum
bill, 81.
Rate for Manufactures.
Scheuule D. for bakeries, manufac-
tories, etc.: For the first so cubuc feet
used in any month, per foot of
maximum hourly rate of use. 9212
cents per 1000 cubic feet; for the
amount of gas used in excess of the
first block. and up to 100000 cubic feet,
7712 cents. Thereafter, for all up to
100000 cubic feet, 65 cents per 1000
feet. For the next 100000 cubic feet,
SO cents, and for all over 100000,
40 cents per 1000 cubic feet. Minimum
bill, SIS.
Schedule E, seasonal off-peak rate:
For the first 25,000 cubic feet, IS cents
per thousand feet and for all in ex-
cess, 40 cents per thousand cubic feet.
Minimum bill, December and January,
81; November and February, So.
Schedule F, wholesale apartment
house schedule: For the first 5000 feet,
80 cents per thousand: for the next
10000 feet. 80 cents per thousand, and
for all in excess of $4,000 feet, rs cents
per thousand This schedule is de-
signed for apartment houses where gas
is included in the amount charged for
rent minimum bill of IS cents per
apartment is charged.
No mention was made at the hearing
of the resignation of Col. Albert E.
Peirce as a member of the board of di-
rectors of the Washington & George
town Gas Light Co. yesterday. 1t was
learned, however, that the Public Utili-
ties Commission will not abandon its
plans to compel the Central Public
Service Corporation and Col. Peirce, its
president, to divest themselves Of any
stock interest in the local companies
they may have under the terms of the
Iafollette anti-merger act, prohibiting
oo1,,icitiop nf local Dl1h1jc utility com -