LETTERS OF TRANSMITTAL STATE OF NEW YORK ALBANY, January 14, 1924. HONORABLE GEORGE R. LUNN, Lieutenant Governor, Albany, N. Y. DEAR SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith the Annual Report of the Public Service Commission for the year 1923. Very respectfully, WM. A. PRENDERGAST, STATE OF NEW YORK Chairman. PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ALBANY, January 14, 1924. HONORABLE H. EDMUND MACHOLD, Speaker of the Assembly, Albany, N. Y. DEAR SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith the Annual Report of the Public Service Commission for the year 1923. Very respectfully, WM. A. PRENDERGAST, Chairman. STATE OF NEW YORK PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION ALBANY, January 14, 1924. HONORABLE ALFRED E. SMITH, Governor, Albany, N. Y. DEAR SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith the Annual Report of the Public Service Commission for the year 1923. STATE OF NEW YORK PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION To the Legislature: The Public Service Commission law provides that this Commission shall make an annual report to the Legislature "which shall contain any information in the possession of the Commission which it shall deem of value to the Legislature and the people of the State." In accordance with such requirement, this Commission submits herewith its third annual report, covering the year 1923. AMENDMENTS TO THE LAW The Public Service Commission Law so far as it affects the jurisdiction of this Commission was amended in a number of particulars by the Legislature of 1923. The chapters of the session laws. of 1923 making amendments and the subjects embraced within such amendments are as follows: Chapter 15. This chapter amended section 13 by providing that the compensation of all officers and employees of the Commission paid by the State shall be within the amounts appropriated by the Legislature. This chapter became effective February 27, 1923. Chapter 784. This chapter amended sections 46, 66, 80 and 95 in relation to the verification and filing of annual reports by corporations engaged in public service operations. The new law provides that such annual reports may be verified by either the vicepresident or secretary as well as by the president, treasurer and general manager as the law formerly provided. A further amendment to section 46 provides that annual reports of railroad corporations shall be filed within the time prescribed by the Commission and this provision conforms to the requirements as to other corporations and also to the present practice of the Commission. This chapter became effective May 24, 1923. Chapter 891. This chapter amended subdivision 1 of section 49, the evident intention being to take from the Commission the power to fix railroad rates higher than such as may be fixed by statute, contract or franchise condition. This chapter became effective on June 1, 1923. Chapter 898. This chapter added subdivision 6 to section 65 in relation to charges by gas corporations. The new subdivision provides that" Every gas corporation shall charge for gas supplied a fair and reasonable price. No such corporation shall make or impose an additional charge or fee for service or for the installation of apparatus or the use of apparatus installed." This chapter became effective on June 1, 1923. Chapter 899. This chapter added a new section 67-a in relation to the charges for and standards of illuminating gas in cities of one million inhabitants or over. The new section fixes a price of $1.00 per one thousand cubic feet as a maximum in such cities and a minimum standard of 650 British thermal units per cubic foot. The section provides that "The public service commission, notwithstanding any other provision of this chapter, shall not allow a rate or charge in the case of such cities in excess of such sum. This chapter became effective on June 2, 1923. Chapter 901. This chapter added a new section 53-a in relation to requiring the electrification of railroads in cities having a population of one million or over. The new section provides that after January 1, 1926, no motive power shall be used for railroad operation within the limits of such cities" except electricity to be generated, transmitted and used in said operation in a manner to be approved by the public service commission." The section also provides as follows: The commission shall have power to prescribe the location, elevation, size, kind and construction of poles, wires, safety devices, conduits, and all erections, buildings, fixtures, appurtenances, and equipment used or found by the commission desirable, to be used in the electrification, maintenance or operation of such railroad or part thereof within the limits of such city." This chapter became effective on June 2, 1923. APPROPRIATIONS, EXPENDITURES AND REVENUES The total expenditures by the Commission for the year ended June 30, 1923, including outstanding requisitions, amounted to $721,298.06. This amount covered the disbursements from the regular appropriation for the Commission, and special appropriations for investigating the rates of the New York Telephone Company and for investigating the rates and standards of purity of gas served by companies in the Metropolitan district. The total amount available under these three appropriations on July 1, 1922, was $810,268.48. The balance on hand at the close of business on June 30, 1923, was $88,970.42. Revenues from miscellaneous receipts for the year amounted to $6,911.14 as against $9,119.91 for 1922. This amount has been paid to the State Treasurer. There was appropriated for the regular operation of the Commission for the year July 1, 1922, to June 30, 1923, inclusive, $700,000. There has been turned back into the State Treasury in unexpended balances $49,545.66, making the total regular expenditures for the year $650,454.34. The amount of money appropriated for personal service and not used was $47,797.18; and for maintenance and operation $1,748.48. The appropriation bill carried $550,000 for personal service and $150,000 for maintenance and operation. The Commission was able to function for the year and lapse into the State Treasury an unexpended balance of $1,748.48, allowed for maintenance and operation, because of the fact that it was allowed a lump sum for maintenance and operation, segregated as the needs of the Commission required, upon the approval of |