Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-06
GAS FOR SIXTY CENTS
What the New Company Will Do if
Chartered.
BY THE house COMMITTEE
Representative Livingstone Warmly
Advocates the Bill.
OTHER LOCAL MEASURES

The House District committee gave
hearing this morning upon the bill to in
corporate the National Capital Gas Light,
Heat and Power Company of the District
of Columbia. The incorporators of this
company named in the bill are Charles D.
Hank, Francis p. B. Sands. Park Agnew,
Anthony Pollok, Rensselaer, Stone, c. C.
Bryan and j. L. Hastings. The bill au-
! thorizes capital stock of 100000.
Inc company, according to the terms of
the Dill, proposes to make twenty-two-can-
dle-poWer gas to be sold to the public at
40 cents per thousand feet and to the city
government at 60 cents per thousand, the
company to enter into a bond of 500 600 to
carry out it's contract
Inc commissioners have reported ad-
Verseiy upon the bill, on the ground that it
Is not advisable to authorize tearing I'D the
streets Tor new gas plant, when Congress
possesses the power, if it cares to exert it,
~ REQUIRE the existing company to furnish
cheaper and better gas.
MIR. Livingston Advocates the Bill,
Representative Livingston of Georgia
advocated the reporting of the bill by the
committee. He said it is the same bill that
was reported favorably at the last Con-
gress, but did not come up for action in the
House. He said this bill was not introduced
pany, but its purpose is to give better and
cheaper gas to the people of the District
ana the government He hoped the COM
mittee would carefully analyze the Com
nlssloners adverse report. He regretted
mat they gave the reasons they did for OPP
toslhs the Dill; The streets Of the city GER
talniy should be available for any purpose
conducive TO the welfare of the citizens. If
the tearing up of the streets outWeighs the
auVantases onered by the bill, the Commits
hoyra u
the case, said Mr.. Livingston.
Ihis bill will save S65O,UOO annually to the
cit1zens and $65,OOO to the government. said
UT M: livingston The new company will
also increase the quality of the gas These
considerations, he held, should remove the
commissioners objections. The plea of the
commissioners that Congress shall control
Inc price to be paid the existing company.
ne helo, Is not valid one, Congress cam
lot force that company to furnish the gas
at a price which they declare is Improbable
he said this bill is not a Matchmaking
process, or he would have washed his hands
OF 1t long ago. He had examined into the
personnel of the bill and could vouch for all
OF the men named in it. He said it is pro-
posed to add an amendment to the bill offer
Ing gas for heating and power at 60 cents n
thousand feet. The new COMPANY would
light the streets better and would furnish
gas that would not ruin the eyes of the peo-
pie who work by gaslight.
Mr.. Hulick asked why 1t would not be bet
ter to adopt an electric light system at once
ana not depend upon gas
Mr.. Livingston said it would not be prac-
ticable to do so, and of this he felt sure, be-
cause his company would not undertake the
great work proposed if it saw the prospect
of electric lighting supplanting gas. He
was in favor of the government owning its
gas plant, and he would be willing for the
government to take the proposed gas plant
by law.
Chairman Babcock asked what kind of
gas the company proposes to furnish to
WI n Ny a-fr
expert, replied that the gas would be made
from bituninous coal, enriched with oil or
naphtha. Enriched gas would not smoke
if the burners were properly arranged so
tnat there would be perfect combustion.
Mr.. Sands Statement.
In answer to a question by Mr.. Richard
son, Mr.. Sands stated that the.process now
proposed to be used by the company is en-
tfrely different from the process which the
company had in view last Congress- and
declined to describe at that time because
the patents were not completed. Mr.. Sands
said the bill is strongly hedged by provis-
ions for the safety of the public, and there
is no question to the good faith of the
company to carry out its promises. He said
the District Commissioners have taken a
position in this matter in conflict with their
stand upon other matters not conflicting
with the interests of the local gas COM
pany- Whenever it was necessary to tear
up the streets to allow a street railway
company to render rapid transit they will
iDgly permitted it. They laid new water
pipes along the entire length cf a street to
enable one line to improve its service.
Mr. Richardson called Mr. Sands atten-
ton to the fact that Congress required the
railway company 70 make the change, and
the Commissioners were compelled to relay
the water pipes.
Mr.. Sands admitted the force of this re-
mark, but construed it as strengthening
INV c6nvx ryofr fI,of
and the Commissioners gladly permit tear
ing UP the streets to benefit the public and
this fact contrasts unfavorably with the
Commissioners action in the pending mat
ter, where the public is to be benefited to
a much larger extent than by the installa-
ton of rapid transit AT this point the
committee took a recess for one hour.
After the Recess.
When the committee reassembled at l
o'clock, Mr.. Sands continued his argument
in behalf Of the bill. He held it to be the
duty of Congress to see that the citizens get
the best advantage from the use of the
streets. which, he said, are primarily for
| the use of the public. He denied in the most
vigorous terms the allegations made against
the good faith Of his company. In answer
to question, Mr.. Sands said he is confident
tits bill would pass the Senate If it passes
the House.
Mr.. Tucker of the Northeast Washington
Citizens Association also favored the BILL
representing his Association. He was not
connected with the proposed corporation
He reviewed the efforts of the citizens to
improve and cheaper the gas and their
inability to accomplish those ends The
citizens have therefore come to the con-
clusion that their only hope lies in securing
competition to bring the existing company
to do what Is right. He thought the citi-
Zens would be willing to have the streets
torn up in order to secure the benefits pro-
posed by this bill. He desired, however, to
propose few amendments, designed to bind
the company more closely to perform it's
contracts.
District Appropriation Bill.
The House committee on appropriations
will not take up the District appropriation
bill again for several days, being now en-
gagged on the legislative bill, and in no par
ticular hurry to resume consideration of
the other one anyhow. 1t is thought that
when the committee does take up the bill
very careful attention will be given 1t, and
the items for the various charities will be
closely scrutiniZed.
1t seems to be the general opinion that 1t
is the desire of the House to have bill re-
ported which will strike out the appropria-
fionS for scotia rian cha rifles hJ1t not Ilo e.