Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-27
PROPOSED GAS COMPANY
Hearing on the National Light and Fuel
Company.
The Plan for Competition in Furnish
Ing Lfght-Mr. Thompson Attacks
the Present Company.

The National Light and Fuel Company
composed largely of New Jersey people, ap-
peared before the House District committee
this morning in the person of Mr.. g. c.
Thompson, asking the privilege Of furnish
Ing gas and electric light to the city Of
washington in competition with the WASH
ington Gas Light Company. The new COM
pany proposes to charge a maximum price
Of 81 .25 per thousand feet, but gives the re-
assuring information that "the history Of
all competition in this direction proves that
1t rebounds to the advantage of the con-
sumer. In short, 1t Is fair to presume that
for some time to come the price of gas in
Washington would hardly rise above the
dollar mark, and the applicants firmly be-
lieve that they will be able to give the capi-
tai Of the country the best and cheapest
gas in the world"
The bill fixes the capital stock of the COM
pany at $l,OO0OOO, with the power to issue
bonds for 81 100000. Residents of the Dis
rict OF Columbia may have the privilege of
subscribing to 40 per cent more Of the
stock reserved for that purpose, II they
take 1t within five days after the books are
open.
The company is authorized to lay pipes,
mains. conduits and tubes in any and all
of the streets Of Washington, and to erect
suitable buildings and works. Other cor
porations are not excluded from the rights
eIaHleu tnlS company. Be1ore the COM
pany shall exercise any of it's rights 1t
shall file bond with the Commissioners
for 100000 not to sell It's franchise to or
consolidate with any other gas company,
violation of the promise to be forfeiture of
the bond and all rights and privileges. A
bond for $4,000 Is also provided to repair
any injury to roadways or streets in the
District made by extending the mains.
| The company is required to begin the erec-
| tion of its works within six months from
the passage of the bill.
The COmpany's Desires.
Mr.. Thompson read statement of the
aims and purposes of the company begin
ming it with an exhaustive review of the
Washington Gas Light Company. and the
monopoly which it has held of the privilege
of furnishing gas in this city. The new
company. he said, proposes to manufacture
gas by the lime process used by the Equl-
| table Company of New York, and giving an
| average power of thirty-two or thirty-three
| candles. He claimed for the gas made by
this process an almost entire freedom from
sulphur. and but 10 per cent of carboliC
acid. He claimed that the citizens will
be able to obtain from the new company
three and one-half times the light they now
receive, and for less money" He called
attention to the provision preventing the
company combining with any other CON-
pany in the future He claimed that pure
gas of a standard illuminating power could
be furnished at one-half the price Washing
/ ton consumers now pay for the gas fur
nished.
! Mr.. Thompson read from a typewriter
sta tement which was a most vigorous at
| tack upon the Washington Gas Light Com
pany, in which the company Is charged
wath~eeping out competitive companies by
| controlling legislation. The new company
| offers to permit the use of trenches and
conduits to enable telegraph companies to
put their wires underground.