Evening star., 1947-01-19
Arlington Board
Moves toAppea|
Phone Rate Rise
Asks PUG to Provide
Personnel to Press
Review of Decision
By Robert G. RoIIinas

allowing higher telephone rates 1r
Virginia. The rates were authorized
Thursday after hearings in Rich
mond and are to effective Tuesday
The board voted to direct the
County Public Utilities Commission
to employ personnel "to make the
appeal" The action was taken on
motion Of Daniel A. Dugan who de-
clared the increase will cost the
people of Arlington and vicinity some
100000 a year more by the COM
pasy's own calculation"
Mr.. Dugan said he was not certain
that the increase was unwarranted
but felt that the matter should be
given a more thorough hearing.
Two Methods of Appeal Seen.
Although the board did not specify
how the appeal was to be made
Commonwealth Attorney Lawrence
w. Douglas explained that it could
be taken directly to the sec or to
the courts.
The action was urged by Mrs
Beulah Goss, chairman of the Pub
lie Utilities Committee of the Ar
lington Civic Federation, on behalf
of her committee and of the Fed
eration's Executive Committee.
A resolution presented by Mrs.
Goss stated that requests for con-
tinuance of the hearings by the
sec were "summarily denied" by
the commission. The resolution also
declared that advertisements in
connection with the proposed rate
increase did not reflect either the
percentages or the amounts OF the
proposed rate increase" and, further,
that pertinent company exhibits
were not available for examination
until after the hearing had begun
Claims insufficient Preparation.
The resolution declared that the
sec did not allow adequate time
for Arlington citizens ito prepare
for the croSS-examination OF COM
pany witnesses or to secure and
present evidence supporting the
contention that the rates were
excessive and discriminatory y"
Laurence S. Knappen, who later
In the meeting was named to the
Arlington PUG, and who attended
the sec hearings in Richmond told
the board it was the first case he
had seen where there was such ar
bitrary action" on the part OF a
State Corporation Commission. Mr..
Knappen, former chief economist In
the public utilities branch of the
Office of Price Administration, is
now a. private consultant in public
utilities matters representing mu-
inequalities.
John Henderson, Arlington man
ager of the Chesapeake & Potomac
Telephone Co., declared he had, be-
fore the sec hearings, contacted
"key" persons in Arlington, includ-
ing the president of the civic fedora
ton and the chairman of the PUG.
He said that approximately 10 per
cent of the Arlington subscribers
would not pay more than SO cents a
month additional on their basic
rates.
Delay in Action Asked.
Mr. Henderson then asked that the
PUG be given an opportunity to dis
cuss the matter with the telephone
company before any action was
taken.
j. D. Bond, member of the PUG
Committee of the civil federation,
remarked that the telephone COM
pany objected when consumers asked
for a postponement of the hearings
In Richmond.
In addition to Mr.. Knappen, the
board named Gustave Moe, Fed
eral Government employe, to the
PUG. The two other members will
replace r. c. L. Moncure and Grif-
fin T. Garnett, jr., who have indl-
Gated they did not care to continue
on the commission.
F. Freeland Chew, who was acting
as chairman of the Board when the
appointments were made, explained
that, although the terms of all mem
bers of the PUG expired on Decem-
ber 81, they. would continue in office
until reappointed or replaced. Other
members are Mrs. Ellen H. Young
Clifton G. Stoneburner and William
George Watt. The board deferred
action on a proposal to increase the
PUG to seven members.
Votes on Consultant.
Also on motion of Mr.. Dugan,
the board voted to instruct the PUG
to employ a consultant on gas rates
"as previously authorized, with a
view toward asking the State Cor
poration Commission to hold a public
hearing on the reduction OF rates.
The board adopted proposal by
Mr.. Dugan that a local housing
committee be named to consider the
problem of veterans housing but
deferred naming the members.
A delegation of citizens from the
500 block of North Pollard street
received assurances from the board
that everything possible was being
done to relieve the dangerous con-
dition resulting from gasoline leak
ing into unused wells. Every effort,
the delegation was told, is being
taken to determine the source Of
the gasoline.
Acting on a request of the Federal
Works Administration, the board
agreed to defer for six weeks en-
forcement of an ordance designed
to keep buses off South Orme street.
The FWA said it would take that
long to construct concrete curbing
and pavement to facilitate the
movement of buses over the alter
nate Columbia pike route near the
Navy annex.
Taxi Hearing Continued.
A public hearing on an ordinance
setting meter rates for taxicabs was
continued for two weeks at the re-
quest of number of taxicab opera
tors. The board instructed the
Commonwealth attorney to confer
with committee of the operators.
The board appropriated $500 for
the purchase of right-of-way for
future Strengthening of Wilson bou-
levard between Lexington and
Liberty streets.
A request for street lights in the
Mi.burn Terrace Garden City Sec
ticn, made by Maj. John Doyle. was
referred to County Manager Frank