Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-01-23
BOTH EXPRESS OPPOSITION
Presidents of Gas Companies Ask Adverse
Action on House Measure.
Provisions of Bill Reduce Price OF
Gas-Niews of Messrs. Mclean
and Winship,

In answer to their invitation for an ex-
preston OF o2inion on House bill 50t5 10
amend the charter OF the Washington and
Georgetown Gas Light Companies. and
providing other things for a reduc-
tlon IN the price of gas to a. cents per loon
cubic feet the presidents of the two COM
panies. Mr.. John r. Mclean and Mr.. Henry,
{. Winship, respectively, have addressed
the District Commissioners on the subject.
Each is opposed to the bill. and each urges
the Commissioners TO recommend unfavor-
able action unon if
The proposed measure has been published
in full in The Star
In his letter Mr.. Mclean said:
Kermit me TO call the attention of the
Commissioners to the conditions under
whlch the Washington Gas Light Company
Is now operating. After a most crucial in
Vestlgauon by both houses of Congress ,,s
to the resources Of this ,nmpany and itI
ability to furnish to the citizens and Ia tho
government illuminating gas at q less ,rir,
.lsn then charged, namely 81 - net per
l,"n cubic feet. Congress did on The an
day OF June. 1N!6 pass an act and ala -,
yer INTO an agreement or, rather a con-
tract win the gas company that from anl
after the LIST day of July, lSa6 the pri,.
Tor Illuminating gas 10 private consumes
should be Sllo net per loo cubic feet iu-
stead OF $40, as then charged: and to Inc
nlted States government and the DislrI,t
government. 81 per LOCO cubic fest, instead
OF Sl2S' as charged prior 10 this act, this
agreement TO continue for fiv., ,.aar, ~
until the LIST day OF July 1901 afi.r whit
date the rrice was to be reduced TO 81 nar
l'"oo CUBIC feet to both public ard priyat,
consumers. f
To Meet Reduction.
To meet this large reduction in the
price of gas, and very serious reduction IN
the revenues OF this company, II became
necessary Tor the officers OF the gas COM
pahS 10 consider and decide upon measures
TO enable 1t to carry out the above n,p.a
agreement, entered into by act Of Con-
gress. To this end and with an rnd.a,,I- =,
reduce the cost of production. it was de-.
termined to build an entire new Low. XyaG,.r
gas plant at our west station works v,bisb
10 dlas peeh uone, at an expense Of over SIJn-
wv since the passage by Congress of tba
above named act this company has faitb
anu we oeileNe, to the satisfaction of
ehe honorable Commissioners carried ,,,t
us part OF the contract thus entered I'M,
poth 10 private and public consumes -
gas, the latter includiny ~. -. =. u
ing: 9''ee' "sht-
The problem which is now p-os.,,,,
10 TIE future management of m. 80
company Is a serious one. Ii is MOI b,u,
70 reduce the price Of gas. but rather how
II may De able to meet its obligations mn
Ger the agreement entered into aS r,,,1..a
ABOVE during the uneNpired time ar MIMI
July l, 1901. There has 9een an unex,a,tI
ca ana extraordinary increase in the price
OF every Kind OF material needed and ussd
In the production and distribution Of yns
an increase Of from 81 per cent 10 ~, n.,
cent; this includes all kinds of pines 5ni
nttlngS, coal and oil. Coal has Iare,oI,.
advanced in price from what il has BON
for two years past Naphtha of winch
We use nearly JooOO0o gallons annually
mas increased in price SO much as to make
IL a serious question with us as To nur
apllty TO carry out our obligations under
the above named agreement and al the
price named, without serious loss to the
company. Taking all of the above facts,
Oh which the honorable Commissioners have
tull knowledge as to prices. into considera-
ton, L think that l am justified in the
belief that it is only necessary to call the
attention of the Commissioners to the said
bill 5045.''
President Winship's Views
Mr.. Winship, in his letter to the Com
missioners, says that the passage of th,. bill
would act as confscation of the property
OF the owners Of the Georgetown company
and he urges the Commissioners to with
hold approval Of the pill; that for his COM
pany to comply with the requirements of
the bill would be a financial impossibility
and would only result in the Suspension Of
the company IN bankruptcy and that the
cost of raw materials and labor alone ex-
coed the price named to be charged for
gas to consumers.
Mr.. Leonidas K. Coyle of Bridgeton n
j., who explains that he spoke from the
standpoint of small stakeholder has also
written the Commissioners relative to the
kill, saying:
The legislation proposed touching the
gas company seems to be the most drastic
that has yet appeared in the long-contin-
ued and periodically recurring measures
that have been suggested for the limiting
not to say suppression, of this industry
We fear that the charter is in danger of
being altogether amended of its element
of protection to the industry that has thus
far thriven by reason of able argument
and tireless labor, and that would seem
to be as well and truly entitled to the fruits
OF its enterprise as any other business in
the District of Columbia or the Union To
the District Commissioners those who are
interested will look for their effort in favor
Of a continuance of charter that pro-
tects, and against the protection that
vultures give to lambs-covering and de-
vouring Them