Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1935-07-28
'TAKE-OR-LEAVE4T'
PLAN TO CUT GAS
RATE IS DUE SOON
Roberts, Spurning Private
ParIeys, to Submit His
Proposal Saturday.
MAY ASK TO DOUBLE
PRESENT 81a0o SLASH
Peoples Counsel Seeks to End
Protracted and Costly Hear.
ings on Subject.

ECOHlC NOu44cCl AAA0Ah IA AbOb-
erts plans to submit to the Public
Utilities Commission Saturday his
proposal for agreement on the amount
of reductions in gas rates as means
of ending the three-year valuation
case, now facing a court battle.
Roberts declined yesterday to state
the figure he will propose to be ap-
piled in permanent rate cuts. How
ever, on the basis Of the stand he has
taken in the past, he is expected to
suggest an agreement on reductions
amounting to approximately $1,000,-
900 annually In consumers bills.
This would be about twice the total
of the present 8.5 per cent temporary
discount which the company has &C
cepted since the valuation case started
in the Summer of 1882. His exact
proposal may run Somewat higher or
lower than this figure.
Refuses Negotiations.
Roberts insisted again yesterday he
would not engage in any negotiations
or private conferences with company
officials regarding an agreement on
rate cut, and said he would offer
fair" figure on "take-it-or- leave
it basis" He added that If the COM
mission or the companies offered a
lower figure, he would hold himself
free to fight it before the commission
or in court.
His purpose, he explained, Is to bring
to an end the protracted and costly
hearings on rates Of the company, now
in progress, as a sequel to the lengthy
valuation case.
He said he would not disclose his
calculations in arriving at his figures
Of Justified" reductions and would
ieave it up TO the companies to make
their own calculations.
Marcy L. Sperry, president Of the
washington and Georgetown Gas
companies, stated recently he was will
ing to consider Roberts proposed offer
and that this was not changed by the
fact the companies have appealed to
District Supreme Court from the de-
cision of the commission fixing the
values Of the combined companies at
SIC, 1898 900.
Discount Now Held Too Low.
The temporary 8.5 per cent discount,
Roberts argues, is considerably less
than the public should have been get
ting. During 1884, the S.5 per cent
discount is calculated to have given
gas consumers rate cuts totaling more
than 100000. Several experts close
to the commission have been expecting
the rate reduction at least would
amount to twice the present temper
airy cut.
Meanwhile, the gas rate hearings
are to be continued and will be re-
opened tomorrow before the commits
sion. August c. Klein, engineer and
accountant of the Stone & Webster
Engineering Corp, will be subjected to
further examination by Human D.
Folsom, commission counsel. Roberts
also will participate in the hearings.
During the last week the companies
have taken a new tack in their fight
for acceptance of higher valuation
figure. Earlier in the rate case they
started to trend" the costs of gas
properties on the basis of the COM
missions valuation. The valuation
was as of June 80, 1882. This was
to be brought up to date to December
| 81, 1884.
The companies last week offered evi-
dence to trend" up to current figures
costs of properties on the basis of its
own original valuation claims as en-
tered in the past valuation case.
Experts interpret this as a shelly
ing by the gas company of considera-
ton of the commissions valuation de-
cision and determination to use its
court appeal on that valuation in an
expected contest against the ultimate
commission rate decision.