Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-05-22

u. u Il 4
THE PRICE OF GAS.
Hearing Before the Senate Sub-Com.
mittee To-day.
THE QUESTION OF REDUCED PRICES AND
HIGHER BILLS AND OTHER MATTERS OF IN
TEREsT TO GAS CONSUMERS.
senators Spooner and Blackburn as the sub
District committee of the Senate, this morning
resumed the inquiry into the price of gas in
| washington. President McIlhenny and Score
tary bailey, of the Washington Gas company;
| MI. W. T. Dodge, Mr.. James Crutchett, Senator
van Wyck and several others were present.
Messrs. McIlhenny and Bailey said they had
not oeen able to prepare the exhibit of expend-
lures asked for; that it would be ready Mon
day.
MI. Spooner said he wanted the aggregate and
the average yearly expenditures for extensions
| ana improvements since 1872; that ought not
70 take so much time to prepare.
=, Neither Mr.. Bailey nor MI. McIlhenny could
year the company paid out S375. 900 for i'm.
provements; that was in 1876, when the works
were IN part duplicated: Mr.. Bailey offered to
return TO the office and get a statement from
the books of expenditures since 1872, and that
| was agreed to.
PRESIDENT M'ILHENNY REPLIES TO MR.. DODGE.
AS to the statements made by Mr.. Dodge last
| Tuesday, Mr.. McIlhenny said that many of
them were not correct; that he said gas was sold
In Wilkesbarre for S1.OO, when its price is
| $1.SO, and in ST. Louis it is sold at 81 so.
| Mr.. McIlhenny said Mr. Dodge was not a gas
| expert aRd knew nothing ABOUT the subject.
MIR. BLACKBURN SCORES A POINT.
Mr.. Blackburn replied that nobody except
| gas men knew, and they would not tell. "If
you would only tell u.s." he added, "we could
know"
| Mr.; Mcllhenny protested a willingness to give
aIl the Information wanted. He submitted a
report OF the proceedings of the gas investiga-
ZION In New York, and said the officers of gas
companies testified that gas cost them from
$1O3 10 $1.2o a thousand cubic feet.
MIR. Dodge remarked that of course the presi-
dents of the companies there testified as the
president did here, that it cost them high fig
REDUCED PRICES AND HIGHER BILLS
MIR. Spooner said that many consumers here
had complained that the reduction of the price
OF gas was not followed with a decrease in their
DIS; that In fact their bills increased. He asked
| If that were true false.
Mr.. McIlhenny replied that it was false,
MIR. blackburn said he did not want to take
any advantage of the company, but he had
bills, accompanied by sworn statements to the
effect that their bills had increased since the
price of gas was lowered. He added that these
were Me reputable Mc9ihennpr people too o,.
Mr. Blackburn said he didn't care anything
about the books; that the receipted gas bills
senator Van Wyck said he had a statement
from reputable citizen OF this city to the effect
mat he does not burn any more gas now than
formerly. yet his bills amount to as much as
sand.
Mr.. Totten suggested that these citizens he
brought before the committee,
Mr.. Blackburn said: "All in good time. They
VII! come before the committee and verify all
that have stated"
GEN. wH1TrAKER's TESTIMONY
Gen. Il. w, Whitaker of this city ballad
He submitted a bill of $S.O5 for 4,6OO feet of
gas alleged to have been consumed in his res
ldence, NO. 2315 NJ street northwest That bill
was Tor gas alleged to have been consumed in
burned that much gas, and he went to the gas
once and protested. He was told that his
meier mel r., ana not register, and it was taken out
Gen. w hittaker went to the gas inspector and
found that different meter from that by which
ne was charged was labeled with his name.
he went back to the office, and a clerk was
about to give him corrected bill when the
chief clerk interposed and tore up the corrected
Dill, saying he made out the original and it was
correct. ~
Gen. Whitaker went to the inspectors again
fact was numbered 135, 3S4 while the meter
by which he was charged numbered
1868 He confronted the office with this
proof and got corrected bill for 1900 feet OF
gas; Gen. Whitaker presented the original
and corrected bill, and they were put in evil
Mr.. Mcllhenny, referring to the division of
100000 among the stock holders, said it was
approved by the congressional committee
which then had charge of the gas question.
MI. blackburn wanted to know what he
Mr.. Mcllhenny replied that the committee
knew of the division.
NJ Mr; blackburn Si :t wanted to know who ap-
proved IT, what members of Congress.
MIR. Mcllhenny could not give the names az
1t was too far back.
MR.. BLACKBURN PROTESTED
against his saddling any such charge upon
congress unless he could give the names and
details.
authorizing the enlargement of stock and re-
curing 1t to be paid in cash. showing that Con-
gress did not intend that the extension should
be done by means of donations from earnings.
WHAT SENATOR VAN WICK PROPOSES TO
PROVE.
Senator Van Wyck got permission to ask
some questions. He said Mr.. McIlhenny last
Monday stated that the stockholders paid in, in
cash, 81 100000 Of the stock. Senator Van
Wyck said he had stated that the increased
to prove it. He took up the sworn reports of
the company to Congress, and read from the
Tons In repy tn oues,ons Ma anS dbu
admitted ! that within two years the company
paid 1e two in addition
the stock to $1,000. 900, and then a forty Der
cent dividend on S2,OOO,0OO, amounting to
100000. These dividends, which were al.
lotted to stockholders, were In addition to regu-
lar dividends, as was shown in u sworn state
ment made to Congress, addressed to Hon
John sherman. president of the Senate and
dated March 16 1856.
Mr.. Van Wyck asked Mr.. McIlhenny If he
was willing TO say, in view of these dividends
If the price OF gas could not be reduced.
Mr.. Mcllhenny preferred not to answer that
question. He said that most of the stock hold
ers who were in the company at the time of
these dividends now out of the conn
pany, many of them dead, and he did not think
the present company should be held for past
deeds any more than present government Off
Gals should be held for the acts of their prede-
cessors. lie said those distributions represented
the accumulations from the sale of gas at high
figures.
TO MIR. Totten he said that so far as he knew
the surplus was the proceeds OF the sale of gas:
that some OF the surplus was probably invested
IN w. s. bonds. but that no great profit resulted
from any such Investment.
PROFITS AT 81 PER THOUSAND.
Mr.. McIlhenny estimated the average cost of
gas at 80 cents per 81 900, and at the price of
81 per 1000, the annual profits would be $50.
OOO
Mr.. Spooner thought that by Mr.. MeIlhenny,s
own figures, given last Monday, that estimate
was too high; that its cost was about S5 cents
per 900, and that would yield profit of
$685. 900 a year.
Mr.. Mcllhenny said he would like to see
Congress adopt the English system, to allow 10
per cent profit and require semi-annuaI re-
ports