The morning times., 1896-03-18
HEARD MUCH ABOUT GAS
Continued from Third Page.
.f- - -


been satisfactory in West Chester, Pa, as
being TOO expensive, and the gas was sold
for 81 80 while it was in use. AT Elkhart,
Ind, thr only other place l have ever
heard OF their process for making Hum
mating gas, il is sold, as per Browns
directory for 1894, at 81. to $1.90
per thousand.
If this process were as valuable as its
advocates before yoo claim it to he, they
would have TO Keep tner office open all
night to accommodate the applicants for
rights. They xoala rot e1me to washing
ton trying to get into fight with N OLD
aud strong company, for be il remem-
beTed, while a new company would divide
and spoil THE business or I he existing COM
pany, the new one must lose money and
would socn be clanoring for consolidation.
PLAIN PROPOSITION.
"Dou't every business man know that
II this process can make gas in Washington
and SCH ft-at 10 cents that every gas COM
pany in the country would want it? Il
would truly have millions in il. They
claim 100. mnch. towever. But then this
is an easily fooled age.
IN regard TO the, quality OF the gas
furnished 10 this city. / VIII say, as q
gas engineer. and as Il maker OF standard
instruments for testing the Illuminating
power Of light, that the Washington gas is
DB AilG az tsO)l liS any
III this country. We use the same process,
machinery and methods that produce the
highest candle power in New York city.
This conveys a W ide mea ming, for since
t;ie introduction or oil as a gas making
element the United States has attained
the highest candle power in the world. l
would also beg TO impress on your honorable
comEittee. that the Washington Gas Com
pany does not consider the cost in trying
10 ma ke ilse hest article possible. The ques-
ton IS not. how much does the coal and oil
cost?-Aat how can the best gas be made?
And | assert that there is no better ma
ciIinery or process known than that ROW
employed by this company for producing
the best results both in purity and quality.
-'If a So-calied competing company be al
lowed, who Will or can say when corr
petition VIII end? When the first two
combine as has been the case in every in
stance before, there viii be parties in
sisting that competition to them would be
the right thing. Is it not better to take a
lesson from those who have had the most
experience with rival companies and hold
on 10 one that is able and willing 10 supply
more than the public requires? And es-
pecany as we concede that YOU can regu-
late within the bounds OF reason the price
aud quality"
QUESTIONED BY GALLINGER.
10 say tiIat there is no city in the country
where Ibere is actual competition in the
manufacture OF gas?
Mr.. AcIlhenny-Yes; / say that without
hesitation.
Senator Gallinger-I am jBquirIng for
Information. i had supposed that the wo
great companies OF Boston were entirely
dIstiEct-the Bay State and the Brookline
CompaHy.
air. McIlhenny-Tb charge the same
price.
Senator Gallinger-But is not the price
lower than IL was before the Brookiine
Company was chartered?
Mr.. McIlhenny-Yes, sir; the rule is that
they alUays reduce the price, and then
when il gets TOO low tozsuit them they
agree upon another price.
Senator Galiinger-My point is that there
WAS 10 actual consolidation OF those two
companies, was there?
Mr.. McIlhenny-No. j did not say that
they had been consolidated; said the :
had all agreed upon the price.
Senator Gaiiinger-l can understand that
that would be so Of course.
kr. McIlheHny-Ihe rule has been that
an opposition company has always been
willing to make a low price in order 30
get ia. and after wards trust TO luck To get
the price raised.
in Philadelphia?
Mr.. McIlhenny-It (. one dollar per thou
sand feet, believe.
PRICES IN OTHER CITIES.
The Chairman-And what in New York?
Mr.. McIlhenny-one dollar twenty-five.
The chaiFman-And Sl.25 in Baltimore?
Mr.. Mc1lhcnny-one dollar twenty yfive.
Senator Gibson-Do you state from per
Sonal knowledge that in all the gas plants
in the-United States there is no gas manu-
faciwed Chez per gas than 81 per l 600?
Mr. McTlhenny-There are very few gas
companies selling gas as low as 81.
Senator Gibson-Is not the percentage
very small?
MIR McIlhenny--I do not think it is 10
per cent; no, it is nothing like it.
TIE chaiFman--It is 81 IN Cleveland?
Mr.. Mellbenny-One dollar.
The C7iaiTTnan-And in Detroit?
Mr.. McIihenDy-one dollar IN Detroit.
1t is also 81 in Pit;sburg. Boston and
Philadelphia. Really, ] am at a loss
now 10 say where else the price is 81.
] DO not know OF any other place. l
think the price is 81 at ST. Louis. No
fl is Si.l0 in st. Louis. There are about
a thousand gas companies, in round num-
bcTs, in the United States, but very few
sell gas as,Iow as 81. ana where they do so
II is under stress of this competition, or
where the materials for producing 1t are
very cheap. ] have no idea that the pGo-
pie in Boston are satisfied themselves
with 81 gas, and in fact we know they
are not making money out OF 1t. little
over two years ago they had the price Of
gas reduced in Brooklyn to 80 cents, butyery
soon the thecompetiHgcompan came together
again ana set the price at Sl.2 The
price is often reduced for awhile, but the
competing companies get together and
put The price up again some how or other.
IL sou should put the price OF gas down
here I'm Washington you would soon have
the people clGmoring here at your doors
every day worse than we are fighting for
our rights. They would want the price
put back because they would say, we
are not getting anything on the capital
we have invested. ana are not making a
sufficient profit out OF the business.
WHAT WOULD RESULT.
Senator Gibsen-As matter of iHforma-
ton, let me ask: If this proposed new COM
pany should be authorized TO begin business
IA the city of Washington, woeid it be
necessary 10 put the mains of the new
company wherever the mains of the old
company are located?
Mr. McImenny-Yes; that would appear to
be so; but they would not do it. They would
gradually lay their own pipes, suppose,
and before they consolidated there would
D.. some understanding with the old COM
panies.
Senator Gallinger-In your statement you
made the observation that a very smai
proportion OF the companies in this couu-
try are furnishing gas at 81 per GOO
Have you made an estimate as to what
percentage of The total number OF COM
panies, win an output equal TO that of
Washington or Georgetown, furnish gas
AT 81 per 600?