Evening star., 1933-11-08
ROBERTS ATTACKS
OWN GAS WITNESS
Questions Experts State
ment Regarding Valuation
of Company Property.

William A. Roberts. counsel for the
Public Utilities Commission. declared to-
day at the valuation hearing of the
Washington and Georgetown Gas Light
Cos that he was surprised at an an
swer read into the record of his own
witness E. Catesby Rowzee. His an
nouncement was expected to pave the
way for him later to cross examine his
own witness.
Rowzee, expert on land values, en-
ployed by the commission, was being
cross-examined by Stoddard M. Stew
ems. jr., counsel for the companies. He
was asked if he agreed with the testi-
mony of the gas companies land ex-
pertS that its west station property in
Georgetown would be more valuable If
used as a site for an apartment house,
instead of gas works.
Accused OF Hiding Facts.
Roberts objected and Stevens accused
him of trying to hide from the COM
mission facts which the commission
should have There was a lively de-
bate. but the outcome was that the
commission ruled against Roberts and
instructed Rowzee to answer the ques-
ton.
Rowzee said If the land were used
for some purpose other than a gas
works, he had no doubt it would be
more valuable At this point Roberts
announced the witness had taken MIN
by surprise but Stevens would not let
him proceed, and insisted on contin-
uing with the cross-examination.
At the hearings yesterday it developed
that, as to the property which all three
appraisers included in their valuations,
the figures were: RowZee, $2,342, ,445:
c. A. Jones, s2,8l0,3o4; H. E. Doyle,
s2,S38,447
The difference between the final fig
ures of the three witnesses is more
striking because, under instruction of
the commission, Mr.. Rowzee did not
include large proprietary interests
claimed by the companies but disputed
by the commission. The addition of
these valuations brought the Jones and
Doyle figures up to $3,289,000, an in
crease Of approximately S947 900 above
the Rowzee figure.
Another development was the show
ing that conferences between the valu-
alton experts. authorized to take place
IL private by the commission before the
public hearings started, had resulted in
a net deduction of $l05,663 from the
figures which Mr.. Rowzee originally
placed on the parcels valued.
Only One Sum Increased.
| In only one case did Mr. Rowzee in
crease his valuation after listening to
I the arguments of the companies wit
nesSeS. This was in the value placed
on the Blair road property of the Wash
ington company, which Mr.. Rowzee in
! creased by $1,960. The other decreases
yielded net figure of $l05,663.
Up to the close of the testimony last
night the stenographic transcript had
run to 832 pages, all of it dealing with
real estate. The real estate holdings of
! the companies form about one-tenth of
| their claimed valuation. In addition
/ to the transcript, there are several
/ bushels of exhibits on file, including
maps of the District and the various
! properties and summaries of the ap-
praisals Of the different lots of real
| estate.
Mr. Roberts has moved to strike out
| all of the companies testimony, and
William NICK. Clayton. representing
the Federation of Citizens Associations,
| has given notice that he intends to
/ strike out all testimony thus far intro
duced by both sides.