Evening star., 1896-02-12

that it is too rich; that there Is too much
Illuminating power. In the city Of New
York, where they rate the gas at % can
dies, they use a fiat flame burner. 1t has
been stated here and repeated that the
candle power in New York Is % or %.
When Mr.. Love, the expert from the city
OF New York, came here he found that
the gas rated here at 1S candles would be
rated by his standard at about 26 lilo.
He was the gas inspector for the city Of
New York. When you have gas here rated
at 10 candles, which is about the usual
standard of it, the usual quality of 1T, you
will find that the gas, according to the
New York rating. is about p or % candles.
or course there are times when people
complain of gas, and times when they
justly complain. There are times when
the services are stopped up, or when cold
weather comes and produces naphthaline
In the pipes or something of that kind,
when the flow cannot be maintained But
l have seen on one side of a fixture poor
gas light and on the other side a very fine
one.
The Chairman-What kind of coal do you
use here?
Mr.. McIlhenny-we use Pennsylvania and
Virginia btuminous coal, the richest gas
Goals in the country.
Mr.. Richardson-Do you use any anthra-
cite coal here at all?
Mr.. McIlhenny-Anthract Is used in the
process OF making water gas. 1t is the fuel
for producing water gas, but in making
coal gas 1t is the rich bituminous Goals that
are used I would like 10 impress this upon
great deal more here than it is almost any,
where else in the country. Men are paid
larger wages here at the gas works. That
has grown here from time to time Coal
costs more, and above ALL the residuals
are nearly valueless. These residuals have
certain value in England and in Germany
Germany Is the country where the residuals
are best taken care Of.
The Residuals.
Mr.. Richardson-Name them, please
am not an expert and do not know what
they are.
Mr.. Mc1lhenny-The first is COKE then tar,
then ammonacal liquor. Ammoniacal liquor
IS converted into the salts of ammonia, and
becomes the basis of fertilizers, and that is
exhaustively treated all through Europe.
We have not got at 1t yet in this country.
If these residuals were worth as much here
as they are in the west, for instance, any
where west of the Allegheny mountains, we
would gladly reduce the price of gas to 81 ,
and yet we would make fair return.
1t was not the quality of the gas in that
case that was at fault; it was the quality of
the burner. People neglect their burners to
great extent, and suffer for their neglect
In that particular. 1 know, too that any
complaint that Is made by consumer is
diligently and at once attended to by the
gas company here. We are exceedingly anx-
ious to have an opportunity to do something
for the people in that line; but like all peo-
pie who are managing any business. we
want to make little profit out Of it; We
want to make good profit out OF 1t. One
of the troubles in this city is that the value
of the plant far exceeds the value of the
company's capital. The charter confines
| the capital to $2,O00.OOO. but there is great
been twice that amount spent here, l should
think on the plant. If we were allowed to
capitalize this plant up to it's value, as is
done nearly everywhere else
ifS nof 1,,no
Mr.. Mc1lhenny-Yes; the actual cost
there would be no talk about these exces-
sive dividends People would get three or
four or five or six per cent a year. and
upon the actual valuation Of the plant If
| the original money that was put into the
gas company here, say five hundred thou
sand dollars, had been put into lands here
| in Washington, who would have complain
| ed of the man who had soli his land for
| more than he bought it for fifty years ago?
| If these people had put that money into
| land, 1t would have been worth far. more
| than the stock of this company. Is it fair
| to say that the people who hold the stock
or this company shall not reap some benefit
| from the prosperity Of this great city?
| Mr.. Hulick-When is that to endo
| They Want Time.
| Mr.. McIlhenny-It will end by cutting the
price down. The price has been cut down
| from time to time, as l told you, from 81 un-
|
| that 1t has not reached the bottom, but we
| want time to make these improvements tc
! meet it.
Mr.. Hulick-How much time?
| Mr.. McIlhenny-That cannot tell
| Mr. dulick-ThiS Is a practical question
| that we have to meet, whether 1t shall be
done today, or next year, or in ten years.
| Mr. MclIhcnny-It may be done next
| year, but it is not likely, on account OF
| the fact that the prices of materials and
| the cost Of making gas have increased in
the last year very considerably. The price
Of Oil has gone up from about 3 cents a
| gallon to cents a gallon.
Mr.. Huling-HoW about coal? Is not Goa
cheaper that 1t was a year ago?
Mr.. Mcllhenny-I do not know whether
| 1t is buying for less or not. / think it is
| about 81 or S3.9o per ton this year. 1t has
been ranging at about 81 for a great many
years. 1 am glad you asked that question
In places like Pittsburg you can get Goa
! from 90 cents to a dollar. All the lake
ports, like Detroit have great advantage
| over Washington in getting the coal. They
buy coal there at from 81 to s215, and some
coal as low as S195. l got a telegram tho
! other day Informing me that a contra G.
| had been made for coal at $2.17 for &
| western city.
MIR. Leetch's Statement.
Mr. John Leetch, general manager of tn,
Washington Gas Light Company, then said
Mr.. Chairman and gentlemen of the com
mittee, have hastily made short state
ment Of actual facts relative to the bust
ness of the year 1895 of the Washingto,
Gas Light Company.
Mr.. Richardson-What position do yo,
hold?
Mr.. Lsetch--I am the general manager O
the Washington Gas Light Company, an,
have been for the last three years.
Mr.. Richardson-What is the position O
Mr.. McIlhenny; is he president?
Mr.. Leetch-No, Mr.. Mclean is presi
dent.
Mr.. McIlhenny-I am consulting engi
neer Of the company.
Mr.. Leetch-I would refer, before pre-
senting this short statement, to some O
the statements that have been made as t
watered stock. 1t will save time hereafter
AS understand it. Mr.. Chairman and gen
tlemen, out of the profits made from tn
legitimate price of the gas, the none
thus made was passed over to the stock
holders then on record as their legitimat
| right. having been earned from the none