Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-03-05
A HEARING ABOUT GAS
The National Heat, Light and Power
Oompany's Proposition and Promise
Will Furnish Gas to Private Con-
sumers for 70 Cents and to the
Government for 90 Cents.

The Senate District committee this after
noon granted hearing to the advocates
of the bill Incorporating the National Heat.
Light and Power Company and the repre-
sentatives Of the Washington Gas Light
Company. OF the committee there were
present Senators Harris, Gallinger, Faux
ner, Hansbrough, Gibson, Pritchard, Ba-
con and Martin. There were fifteen or
twenty other persons present, representing
the various gas interests, both actual and
prospective Of the District. At the begin
ming Senator Harris announced that the
hearing would be devoted to the general
subject of the generation and distribution
of Illuminating gas.
The committee, he said, desired to obtain
the fullest possible information on the sub
ject. Mr.. F. p. B. Sands, representing the
National Capital Company, submitted GER
tain amendments to the pending bill Great
ing that corporation, one of which placed
the price Of gas for power purposes at 60
cents per 1000, and another prohibits the
sale of the franchise by the company, ex-
Cept to the government He then intro
duced Major James l.. Hastings, one of
the incorporators of the company, and an
expert in the manufacture of gas, who ex-
planned the processes of gas manufacture
and particularly that employed by the Ma
tional Capital Company, of which he is one
of the inventors.
What the New Company Proposes.
He declared that the new company will
Install full plant capable of producing
any desired quantity of gas of high IL
Eliminating power and great purity. The
gas, he says, will be purified thoroughly
before delivery. for the impurities taken
out have a distinct market value, and
thus it Is profitable to cleanse the gas.
He claimed, too, that this company would
be able to distribute the gas cheaper than
the old company. by reason of the newness
of the mains, the leakage being reduced to
a minimum. He said that plants had been
established by Winchester Pa, and
Eikhart Ind, using the processes he
advocated, and had been running success
fully since their installation.
In answer to a question by Mr.. Harris,
Mr, Hastings said that the gas produced at
Elkhart was of 22la candle-Iewer. aud that
at WestGhester from % to IS candle power.
AL Elkhart the gas in the holder cost tvyen
ty-siX and seven-tenths cents a thousand
1eet, ana the cost of distribution was about
hfteen cents additional. Senator Harris
asked as to the cost Of production in Wash
ngton, and Maj. Hastings said that it
would probably cost about forty-fye cents
70 make and deliver the gas here. The bill
proposes That the company shall suDply gas
10 private consumers for seyenty-five &c nts
ard to the governniaa for sixty cents a
thousand. - -"
rs 10 LHyfnS the Mains.
Senator Faulkner was interested in the
matter of laying the mains. Maj Hastings
told him that it would take about nine
months to establish the plant. Mr., EauIt-
mel. wanted to know whether the company's
mains would occupy the center or the sides
OF the streets, and the company's repre-
sentative said that of course the center of
the street was preferable, but that they
would lay the mains on the sides if re-
quired to do so. He thought it would take
about 400 miles of mains and service pipes
to equip the city. Mr.: Gibson wanted to
know how, many miles of mains there
would be, and he was told that probably
2.iO miles would cover this item.
Mr.. Gibson wanted to know If the pres
ence of the gas mains owned by the
Washington company, the sewers and the
electric wire conduitS did not add to the
difficulties. Maj. Hastings admitted that
of course it "tould be very difficult to lay
a new set of mains without Interfering
with the already existing pipes and con-
Quits. but that the company will, of
course, guarantee to protect the property
already under the surface of the streets
The hearing was in progress when The
Stars report closed.