Evening star., 1933-11-09
CONFERENCE IN GAS
VALUATION UPHELD
Acting Head of Utilities Board
OverruIes Motion to Strike
Out Testimony.

The Public Utilities Commission to-
day overruled motion by William
NICK. Clayton of the Federation of
Citizens Associations to strike out all
testimony in the valuation case Of the
Washington and Georgetown Gas Light
companies which had come from wit
nesses participating in conferences au-
thorized by the commission previous to
the public hearing.
In overruling the motion. Acting
Chairman Riley E. Elgen said:
In the proceedings before this COM
mission, it Is interested in the aScer-
tainment of facts relevant to the deter
mination of fair valuation OF these
properties IN accordance with the law,
which requires that before any con-
clusions can be reached we must have
all facts having a bearing upon these
valuations legally In the public record.
We were and are fully cognizant OF the
almost insurmountahIe difficulties at-I
tendant upon the discrimination OF the
reasons back of differences between
experts, particularly as to facts about
which, in many instances, no such dill
ferences ought to exist. In order to
iron these out SO that an understand
able -public record would be available,
we authorized conferences between the
experts.
No Innovation.
"The commission desires to state at
this time that In following the con-
ference plan as outlined in its instruc-
tions to its conferees and OF record IN
this case, 1t was not introducing any
innovation In valuation proceedings, but
was following a well established and
successful procedure used by many
State regulatory bodies IN this country.
as well as the Interstate Commerce
Commission, where the valuation for
rate-making purposes of many billions
Of dollars rsnne 9f SasFieT waE beTe mads to
| numerous l. c. c. reportS.)
| "In these cases regulatory bodies in
/ the States, traversed by properties un-
der valuation, participated IN the con-
ferences; their representatives signed
all stipulations together with the rep
! resentatives of the carriers and the
/ conferees of the Interstate Commerce
| Commission. In our authorization we
/ did not carry the conference method to
cover anything like the extensive field
In those cases and we Specltlcally
stated that we were not bound by any
conclusions reached by the conferees.
It was our hope that by these con-
ferences differences regarding matters
of fact would be reduced to their SIM
plest terms.
"It is our confirmed belief that such
conferences are in the public interest.
BY the subjection of the conferees to
examination in open public hearings,
the public record in this case has and
will clearly establish what took place in
conferences in so far as the ascertain
ment of available facts which the ex-
perts had, both prior to and during these
conferences, as well as during this hear
ing"
After eight days spent on the subject
of land values, the hearing then turned
to consideration of the reproduction cost
of the companies properties other than
land. August G. Klein, chief mechanical
engineer Of Stone 81 Webster Engineer
ing Corporation, was introduced as a
company expert witness.
After giving list of the engineering
projects on which he has been engaged
Mr.. Klein stated since June 16, 1892
Stone g. Webster has been under con-
tract with the Washington Gas Light
Co. to advise 1t on engineering matters
and ON rate structures. He said, how
ever, that his corporation had not FORM
ally passed on the 811 per cent reduc.
tion made by the gas company last
year. He said he was present when
this reduction was discussed informally
Launches Fiery Attack.
Clayton, at yesterdays session
launched a fiery oratorical broadsidt
against the secret sessions between com.
pany and commission witnesses, which
preceded the open hearings. He termed
; them star chamber proceedings, invasion
of the public rights, and violations Of
the spirit Of the public utilities act
: which calls for public hearings and no
: tice to interested parties.
Pointing to the fact that Harold z
Doyle, company land value expert,
the dean Of appraisers In the District
2 he said 1t would be impossible for the
: other witnesses not to have beer
: swayed by the weight Of Doyle's expert.
r ence and wisdom. But whether th'
. suasion was on one side or the other
( he said. he was still opposed to 1t.
:. He asked the commission to considel
A the result If he (Clayton) and Mr.
!, Roberts were sent into conference tt
: agree on q state OF facts When sub
: jected to the influence Of Roberts
e learned alike "in the known and thu
e unknown law" he said, there could b
o but one result. The armament woult
|, blaze with letters Of imperishable fire
J, Roberts, Roberts," and Clayton woult
: be only the little tail Of the comet"
e This thrust at Roberts brought tn
= first genuine burst of laughter in eigh
e days Of proceedings. MIR. Roberts him
i self joined in.
i Clayton warned the commission tina
= ~ tj,sv world mt heed his motion tn