Evening star., 1933-02-24
D0UBLE-BARRELED
FIGHT IS LAUNCHED
FOR GAS RATE SLASH
Maryland Body Orders Probe
in Montgomery as Arlington
Maps Campaign.
FAR-REACHING INQUIRY
INSPIRED BY COMPLAINTS
Gen. Patrick of D. C.. Commission
Promises Cooperation in
Virginia Case.

With the Arlington County Public
Utility Commission preparing to fight
for a reduction in gas rates in that
county, word came from Baltimore to-
day that the Maryland Public Service
Commission had ordered an inveStiga-
| t1on OF gas rates and service in Mont
gomery County, Md
The double -barreled attack on the gas
company from both sides of the Poto-
mac was followed with an announce
ment by Maj Gen. Mason M. Patrick,
| chairman of the District Public Utilities
Commission, he will cooperate with the
Maryland and Virginia commissions in
furnishing any data that may be neces-
sary to aid in the fight. Since the
companies which furnish gas to Airing
ton and Montgomery Counties are sub
sidiaries of the Washington company,
the District commission Is in possession
Of cost data and other information val
liable In any rate case.
Probe to Be Far Reaching.
The Maryland Public Service Com
mission ordered its investigation fol-
lowing the receipt of number of COM
plants from consumers in Montgomery
County served by the Washington and
Georgetown Gas Light. Companies of
Montgomery County. The inquiry will
be far reaching in its scope, covering
rates, charges, services, properties and
affairs" 1t will be conducted by engi-
neers of the commission.
Over in Arlington County, the newly
created commission Is completing plans
for vigorous prosecution Of the Ross
lyn Gas case, which has been pending
for two years before the State Corpora
ton Commission. This case is to be
reopened in Richmond March 3.
Chairman Patrick Of the District
commission said the records Of his body
relative to the Rosslyn company would
be available for the Richmond hearing
and turned over as soon as an official
request is made by Chairman Edmund
D. Campbell of the Arlington commits
sion. Mr. Campbell presented re-
quest today In conference with Gen.
Patrick.
Hearing Opens Monday.
The Rosslyn company is a subsidiary
of the Washington Gas Light Co., which
Is under Jurisdiction of the District
commission The local commission Is
to meet next Monday to open hearings
on valuation of the Washington and
Georgetown Gas Light Cos. The hear
adjourned for one month to permit
completion of valuation studies.
The Arlington commission, 1t is re-
ported, desires information from the
Washington commission relating to cost
of production of gas as well as Ger
tain data regarding the value of prop
critics involved in the case Of the Ross
lyn company which obtains the gas 1t
serves it's consumers from the George
town company.
The Virginia State Corporation Com
missin, in ordering reopentng Of the
| dence should be submitted, other than
that fled about two years ago when
the case was first started.
Directed to Give Facts.
The Rosslyn company was directed to
| submit complete inventory and ap-
praisal of its property, in addition to
other data, and that it should furnish
the commission definite evidence as to
the cost of manufacture and delivery
of wholesale gas to the RosSlyn COM
pany by the Washington company.
Since the 1881 hearings the Virginia
commission has had the matter under
advisement Just prior to the order for
a reopening of the case the Arlington
County board announced its intention
of forming a new public utilities COM
mission to seek a reduction in the gas
rates and other utility charges there.
Members of the new body emphasize
that consumers in the county now are
paying wartime gas rates, whereas
consumers In the District have received
the benefit of two reductions.