Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-03-30
Congressional Topics.
GAS IN WASHINGTON.
Views Of the District Commissioners rs
to Proposed Legislation by Congress.

The Commissioners have forwarded To Hon.
John S. Barbour, chairman OF the District COM
mittee of the House of Representative, the fol-
lowing communication:
"SIR: In returning the two bills, III. r. No.
$3.50, regulating gas works, and III. r. No. 6539,
To incorporate the People Gas, Electric Light
and Fuel company, OF this city, the Commits
sioners have TO say that the subjecb is one TO
which they have necessarily given consider
able consideration, and are decidedly of the
opinion that there should be only one gas COM
panv in Washington city, but that one should
supply gas of good quality at reasonable
rates. Such, the Commissioners under
stand, is the rule for cities ia England,
and the wisdom of 1T is proved by experience
under different rule in many OF the cities OF
the United states, where competing companies
have been allowed to occupy the same streets
and in doing TO allow the streets To oc un-
necessarily torn up and cause the investment OF
unnecessary capital. with the invariable result
that there has been subsequent consolidation
or pooling by the competing companies and the
consequent necessity of having much larger
capital on which TO pay interest or dividends
In short the attempts To lower The price of gas
by means of competing companies have usually
resulted in rendering low prices impossible.
The Washington gas company has already
laid its mains and has appliances TO supply
both the public and private citizens with all
the gas that is required. Congress in its char
ter OF July 8, 1S4S, sec. =, reserved the right la
alter, amend and repeal the same, which,
the Commissioners understand, authorizes
Congress to make any regulation in that re-
gard which it might deem necessary or advis-
able. Nearly three years ago the Commission
ers asked OF that company and were granted
the privilege of inquiring into its affairs, To
certain whether the prices then charged tor
gas viz S1.15 per 1000 TO citizens for prompt
payment and $500 per street lamp
burning per a the
then came to, and which the gas company vol
unfairly assented to, was thai if the price 10
private consumers were reduced To Sl.oo per
thousand ieet, and if the street lamps were AL
lowed to burn $500, instead Of 2,2UO, hours
per annum. that such rates, considering the
quality OF gas and the cost of COAL could not be
complained of as unreasonable, which, although
much higher than the average rate ia England,
was lower than the average in the cities along
the Atlantic coast One reason why gas cannot
be furnished SO cheap i'm Washington some
of the manufacturing towns is that there Is no
adequate demand for coke and other residual
products which in many places bring high
prices and form a considerable item in reduc-
ing the net cost OF gas.
Whether by reason of the increasing demand
for gas and reduction In the cost OF coal "A iur-
ther reduction in the price of gas should now
be made, the Commissioners are not sufficiently
well advised 10 speak with certainty, but are
inclined to think that such reduction-say to
$1.25 per thousand-is possible ia the near
future, and would not be unreasonable.
inston CITY. the Commissioners believe judg-
ing from such casual examination as they have
been able to make, that IL compares favorably
Would w.ah e Compare measuring by handle
the same expression in different cities
method used in Washinton, being that pre-
scribed by statute VOL Is. Z. S. Statute, y. 277,
the gas is maintained at an average OF about
process used in New Yor; it would probably
average, as the Commissioners are advised,
Commissioners are advised the regulation pro-
posed by section 6, in bill No. 1882 that gas be
manufactured exclusively from coal is incom-
patible with securing either the highest candle
power, quality or the lowest prices.
The Commissioners think there is no need Of
any further % upon n ane z he f S gas
Just the rates from time to time upon a basis
reasonable both for manufacturers and con-
reasonable the Commissioners are not sufii-
GENTLY advised to cay: TO form fair opinion
.has %is ahe aud Of
[Signedl J. b. EDnoNDs, President"
In the Circuit Court, Judge Hagner, this morn
ing the case OF Edwin Muller against the Dis
trict of Columbia was taken up for trial, Mr..
w r Mattfngly for plaintiff and Mr.. Riddle for
the district Inc suit lis tor damages laid at
10000 for injuries received In January, 1883,
by falling at the corner of 14th and Columbia
been caused by a broken stone in the flag way,
of which detective stone the plaintiff claims
, Inc D MI Muller ia falling injured his knee
cap and ths hgaments OF the leg.
Retveen eight and nine o'clock yesterday
morning the glass show window at the furnish
Inc sfore OF Laws 4 Burch, T43 eth street, was
broken open and robbed OF % worth Of jewelry
aI This sfseTnoona horse, attached to a wagon,
the property OF Mr.. q. q. Cornwell. ran away
from ia front Of his store. ON Pennsylvania ave-
nne between 14th and 18th streets. On 18th
street the wagon collided with q hack and
both vehicles were badly damaged
MAnRIAoR LGCEMsEs Marriage licenses have
been Issued By the clerk Of the court TO Bent
Unfeioer aud ida kosenburg, OF Richmond Va:
Chas H Jenkins and Mary Ella johnson: An.
rev J. Ta6ier, OF Montgomery county, No.
anA Delalah LAWDup. or Frederick COUNTY. Nd