The morning times., 1896-03-18
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP.

AL "
Mr.. White-Largely SO. There are a
few German and a few French cities
| where it is owned by the municipality.
In Paris the plant Is practically owned
by the municipality; That is, the city Is
large partner ia Tue enterprise.
senator Ga llinger-Do you adyoca te
the idea that u gas plant should be taken
| out OF Tue usuaI llst oi investments ana pro-
-ected by statute, as they do lii England,
for instance?
Mr. Snte-I do, sir: because the ex-
perIence or Europe, which, OF course, is
better than ours on that subject, has ar
rived al mat point. In other words, tine
British act OF Parliament puts an end TO
All TINS competition business. There
were thirteen companies in London. and
they got taem consolidated INTO Two. They
gave them ali sorts OF Inducements in order
they could pay 10 per cent on their capital,
and that they could lay aside 1-2 or
per cent iof deterioration. / might say
that Germany recognizes by law that the
very best apparatus in gas works detertor-
ateS certain percentage every year, and
they are allowed TO lay aside something
Tor that purpose, IN ADDITION 10 the IL per
cent. Or course, they must still give the
standard quality OF gas at the price which
the government fixes; but the government
fixes II without any resort 10 political
methods. Ii simply sits down ana caIIs
in expert men, and then arrives at con-
CiusIOI 10 what is lair and Just.
Senator Gallinger- In addition TO the
CI3TSe LOT the ttlprlHTut10n IN the Hppd-
ratuS, do they allow as high as 10 per
cent Tor dividends?
Mr. White-Yes. sir: 10 per cent divi-
dends ali through; and that is done for
this reason, as / said q little while ago
in my talk bout 1t, the gas business is oneOf
peculiarly great risk. Anexpiosion or u lire
! may occur IN The works at aay time. We
cannot control the worknlen They will
go in there, although they possibly know
The danger, just as a man will go into
powder anil, and light his pipe. and your
gas works will disappear.
Senator (ialliuSer-Gan You call the at
tentloA of the coIamluee TO many instances
where these accidents have occurred?
Mr. While-There was one right in this
city. 4 ne washington Gas Company blew
up one of their large boilers at their west
station very recently. / very fortunately
had just gotten out of the Metropolitan
Gas Company's works when they blew up
their purifying house.
Senator Gailinger-It is not a common
thing?
Nj whlie-No: It is not common thing;
put II Is regular thing. sa
Senator ACAilianf~Is il not true that
the gas companies have so much interest
in this matter that if new process is
discovered wHichlS good and cheapenS the
cost OF the manufacture OF gas, or gives
better quality, they Will be the first
ones TO buy it; is not that natural?
Mr. WhiIe-Certainly. l was just about
to refer 10 tnat The fact is simply this
The process mentioned by our frieI ds here
has been before gas ensincersforSo some seven
or eight years Hr. Love. VINO has Just
spoken to you, made an analysis OF this
gas in the earlyiSUs or in 1891. | went to
various places TO examine il I'm its en-
bryonic state; and l will frankly say
here that II these gentlemen had anything
which the gas engineers OF this country.
believed was worth u moment 5 considera-
tion they would not be here before YOU
asking to get into the city OF Washington
They would be so busy at their main Of
flee selling their rights TO us gas men that
they would rave no time TO come here and
ask for anything.