Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1895-01-16
Something of an Explosion at a
Senate Committee Hearing.
ALLEGED PROPOSITION TO SELL OUT
BY Company That is Seeking
Charter.
MIR. LEETCH'S STATEMENT

teTday afternoon at a hearing before. a
subcommittee of the Senate District COM
mittee. Senators Hunton, Faulkner and
Mcmillan sat to hear arguments on the
bill that passed the House at the last ses-
sion. providing that in the future no more
than 81 per 1000 feet shall be charged for
gas in the District, except in case of ar
rears. when S1.2a may be charged. Mr.. +.
p V. Sands appeared to contest the second
section of the bill. which permits a certain
percentage of sulphur and ammonia. but
requires absolute immunity from sulphuret-
ted hydrogen. He argued at some length to
show that this practically permitted two
impurities that are dangerous to health.
He further stated that the section is dell
cient in that it does not make IL sufficiently
plain that the inspector of gas in the Dis
trict is to do more than 10 me ely report
any excess of suiphuretted hydrogen to the
company. The section did, ii Is true. pro-
vide for a penalty being inflicted in all
cases of conviction of this offense, but it
did not require the Inspector to go further
than to make a report of the impur1ty to
the company.
The Inspectors Duty.
Senator Faulkner was inclined to believe
that the inspeC torsS would be required, IN
the general performance of his duties. to
go to the extent of a prosecution. Mr.. John
Leeteh. general superintendent of the
Washington Gaslight Company, who was
present to represent that corporation. said
that under the existing law the inspector
makes daily report to the company, the
Commissioners of the District and the as
sistant secretary of the interior.
Mr.. Sands proceedetN1o present the fea-
the House by Mr.. Grady of North Carolina
some time ago. Mr.. Grady, he explained, is
q practical chemist, and his attention was
directed to the reed of a new law on the
Err tha
lights which affected his eyes when ne
tried to work at night. His bill was given
at some length. and Mr.. Sands urged that
the purity and penalty sections of this
measure should be substituted for section
CT the pending BILL
AbsoiuteIy Pure Gas.
Senator Faulkner asked Mr.. Sands If
there was such thing known as absolute
purity in illuminating gas? Mr.. Sands
said that he believed such thing was not
Only possible, but easily obtainable. Mr.
Faulkner admitted that he had never be-
fore heard of absolutely pure gas, and he
intimated that such would be required II
the sections advocated by MIR. Sands were
enacted into law. Senator Mcmillan re-
marked that absolutely pure gas is not re-
quired In any city of the country.
Then Mr.. Sands came to the front with
q PROPOSE tion He mas for some months
been urging the passage by Congress of a
bill granting a charter to gas company
that proposes to furnish Illuminating ma
teral to the citizens for % cents thou
sand cubic feet, and to the government or
the city for 20 cents.
"Our company" he said, "is prepared to
furnish absolutely pure gas for those fig
ures. We stand ready to give a bond of
100000 for the strict compliance with the
provisions of the bill We are presenting"
An Alleged Offer to Sell Out.
rs it not true, Mr.. Sands" asked Sena-
tor Hunton, that a member of the COM
parry that you are proposing to charter
has recently made an offer to the Wash
trgton Gas Light Company to sell out to
that company as a consideration for not
1urther pressing that bill?'
Mr.. Sands expressed the greatest sur
prise and amaZement. lie asked Senator
Hunton for the name of the man who had
i$uld net tell him. Il have been Informed
~ a Senator who says he saw the docu-
ment," he went on, that that offer is
now in writing, over the signature of the
serted that he. too, understood that such
a written offer is now in existence.
Mr.. Sands amazement appeared to in
crease. He explained that within few
days he had heard there was a movement
or foot among certain of the directors
of the would-be company to drop him as
Its counsel. and he had written at once
to the man who controls the patents under
which the work is to be done. This man
had come to Washington Immediately and
told him (Nlr. Sands) that there was to be
no change. and made the proposition that
any further business to he transacted
about the proposed company should be
done by Mr.. Sands in his office.
Wants the Name of the Man.
II shall be very glad to hear the name of
the man who has made such an offer to
the Washington Gas Light Company" he
continued, warmly. 'If I were convinced
that such scheme were on foot 1 would
be the very first man to drop the whole
business and let the bill slumber. I would
not have anything to do with it,"
''N ell" said Senator Hurtton "the only
interest that this committee has in the ex-
1stence of such an offer is it's desire to
know whether this effort to obtain a new
charter is a bona fide desire to establish a
business or merely a scheme for levying
biackmail upon the existing company"
You know ne. Senator Hunton." return
ed Mr.. Sands warmly, land you know that
i would never be a party to any such
scheme"
Meanwhile Senator Faulkner had been
obliged to retire from the committee room
to catch a train for West Virginia, and
these proceedings were wholly informal.
A further hearing was agreed upon for to-
morrow at 80 o'clock. Mr.. Sands asked
the Senators that they make effort to
&c able TO then furnish him with the name
OF the man who has made this offer.
VIZ. Lcetcb's Statement.
just before the talk ended Mr. Leetch
arose and made a brief statement on be-
half of the Washington Gas Light Company
81 am general superintendent of that COM
pany," he said. "and l have probably as
close an acquaintance with the ideas of
Mr. John X. Mclean, its president in re-
gard TO its concerns as any man living
] feel perfectly authorized to say here, for
Mr. Mclean, that he would at To time
be willing to give a five-ceat piece Tor any
charter that could ever be obtained from
Congress by any rival company or for the
withdrawal of any bill now pending or
that may ever be presented"
Mr.. Leetch said later. while the Senators
were leaving the room. that he had seen
the written offer alluded TO and that he
knew that to be now in existence.
Joined the Associated Press.
The FL Paso Herald has discontinued the
United Press and is now served by the AS
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