The morning times., 1896-01-07

The most comforting interview with
any lawmaker for years was that published
in yesterdays Evening Times with Senator
Mcmillan on The subject Of cheaper gas,
cheaper telephone service, and a gradual
extension of city improvements into the
Interior OF the District
I II is quite likely that early next week,
when the subcommittces of the Senate
| Committee on the District shall have been
appointed, there will be interesting hear
lngs On all these much-talked of aud much
written ofmatters of public convenience and
comfort.
Speaking about cheaper gas, the dollar
gas, Mr.. Mcmillan said:
GAS COMPANY's SIDE.
II think the District VIII get Illuminating
gas at dollar ard gas for heating pur-
poses at "a still cheaper rate The bill in
troduced in the Senate The other day will
be turned over 10 the proper subcommittee.
But, as l understand it, he continued,
The gas company is willing and ready To
| reduce prices. The dollar gas bill IN the
last Congress fell by the wayside. The gas
company had been making extensions and
improvements, and agreed to reduce prices
| If they We're given i little time. but the
subcommittee viii take IL up all the sane
These expressions OF Senator Mcmillan
contain the statement of fact that the
gas Company had agreed To reduce prices
| II they were given a little time" The
alleged objection to n reduction las, year
was the great expense about That time
incurred by the company. These state
ments OF MIR. Mcmillan refer evidently to
condition OF things which existed at
and before the meeting OF the last Con-
gress.
An effort was accordingly made by The
Times 10 ascertain, IN the light of Mr..
McMlllan's positive statements of the iu-
tentiUn of the company, whai the company
itself was doing To realize the hopes of
the Senator.
supI Leech, Of The Washington Gaslisht
Company, was called on at the office
subsequent 10 the appearance or the in-
terview with Mr.. Mcmillan in The Times
aud was asked for statement He
SAID that he knew nothing OF the matter
except what appeared from time To- time
In the papers. He did not care 10 discuss
the question in the absence of any positive
Information on the subject, but left The
Times under the impression that what was
said referred 10 matters discussed at the
last Congress.
Nevertheless the true inwardness OF the
negotiations to which Mr.. Mcmillan referred
VIII doubtless come out in due time. Mr..
Leech did say that thelcompany would ap-
pear before the committee when called there
and 1t would make its statements frankly
as heretofore.
INCREAsEDIN.E EXPENSES.
tits known that the gas company far from
reducing its expenses has actually increased
them 10 the extent or about one hundred
and twenty thousand dollars since the 4th
OF March last. in n new tank and other inn
provements. IL is therefore evident that
the company will not admit that IL is in
position to reduce prices on the score
OF reduction OF operating expenses and that
the reduction must be sought in other di-
rections.
The company, il is claimed, has also had
to contend with the fact that the Commits
sioners have ignored their contra ct express
or implied, with the gas company by the
putting in OF many hundred naphtlia lamps
which has considerably reduced its revenues.
The company also complains that from the
uncertainty or its contracts with the COM
misstoners it has never been in position to
regulate its prices 1t is even contended
by tie Commissioners that the company has
at present no contract with them, which is
apparently evidenced by the discontinue
anoe of lamps whenever they see fit and the
replacing or them by naphtha.
II is believed that the negotiations looking
to a reduction OF price will be on the line
sloners. One OF the men high in the gas
business said yesterday that Senator Nc
MILAN was an expert in the gas business.
LONG TERN CONTRACTS.
1t has been argued, he said, tina, the
example OF Detroit. which has now dollar
gas. formerly having dollar and half gas,
is con elusive, but there cheap gas was made
possible by the nature OF The contract In
that city. The company has n contract for
n practically indefinite period, say twenty
or thirty years. This official limited that
If such a proposition were made to the
local gas company that there could be an
accommodation and solution of the
agitation. This probably Is the pivot on
which the investigation will turn.
As intimated the company has not reduced
expenses but on the contrary has spent
more than a hundred thousand dollars. as
it is asserted, for the public benefit so that
this may be eliminated as a basis of ne
gotiation. The only suggestion yet made
by which the price can be reduced is the
action OF Congress reducing 1T on its own
authority, having investigated the price of
manufacture and running expenses Or If
that course be not followed, that the coni-
pany will reduce 1t under a contract
positive in terms and which will make II
secure for n term Of years at the proposed
cheaper rate to the consumer.
A bill to reduce the price to dollar was
defeated last year. 1t is, of course. not
known what fate such bill would have
this year except that a new impulse has
been given to the agitation by the apparent
intention OF Senator Mcmillan to bring
matters to a focus at the present term of
Congress. There is, however, good reasons
to believe that the solution will be had
by the gas company retaining control at u
reduced figure and a long term contract.