THE DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC
UTILITIES

PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION.
Munsey Building, Baltimore, Md.

Harold E West . 1929 . Severna Park
J Frank Harper . 1931. . . . . . Centreville
Steuart Purcell 1933 . . . Baltimore
Frank Harper, Executive Secretary Baltimore
H. Carl Wolf, Chief Engineer Baltimore
Thomas J. Tingley, People's Counsel . ... Baltimore

The Public Service Commission of Maiyland was created by Chapter
180 of the Acts of 1910, effective April 5, 1910.

The Governor appoints the three members of the Commission, one
of whom he designates as Chairman. The term of office is six years,
and the term of one Commissioner expires every two years.

The Commission has jurisdiction over steam and electric railroads,
street railways, common carriers generally, including all railroad cor-
porations, express companies, sleeping car companies, steamboat, power
boat and ferry companies, and also motor vehicles engaged in the pub-
lic transportation of passengers and freight. The Commission also has
jurisdiction over gas companies, electric companies, telephone com-
panies, telegraph companies, water companies and heating and refriger-
ating companies. The jurisdiction of the Commission is limited to
operations within the State of Maryland.

By Chapter 272 of the Acts of 1916, jurisdiction was conferred over
toll bridges erected over any stream or river dividing two counties in
the State or between Maryland and another State.

The supervision and jurisdiction of the Commission covers the serv-
ice furnished, the rates charged, the capitalization, the issue of stocks,
bonds, and other securities, the right to exercise franchise granted by
the counties and by the cities, the right to fix rates for service and to
fix standards for service, and general supervisory and regulatory powers
over the utilities subject to its jurisdiction. In the exercise of this
supervision and jurisdiction, it is the purpose of the Commission to
insure and maintain to the public safe and adequate service, at just
and reasonable rates, without unjust discrimination.

The Commission is given power to investigate and ascertain the fair
value of the property of corporations subject to its jurisdiction.

An annual report showing the financial conditions and operations of
each utility under its jurisdiction is required to be filed with the Com-
mission. Tables showing the results of the operations of the utilities
are compiled and included in the Commission's annual report, which
report also contains all opinions and final orders entered by the Com-
mission during the year covered thereby.

By legislation enacted, subsequent to the original Act, the Commis-
sion has been given power to fix minimum as well as maximum rates,
to suspend schedules of rates pending the determination of the reason-
ableness of the rates proposed, and utilities are forbidden to abandon
or discontinue the exercise of franchises without the permission and
approval of the Commission.