Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-12
The New Gas bill,

The bill introduced In the House the other
day by Representative Peafre authorizing
the Washington Gas Light Company to ac-
quire other illuminating concerns and to
extend its plant and increase it's capital
stock, requires very careful consideration
in view of the relations of that corpora ton
with the public of Washington If it is in
tended merely that the Washington Gas
Light Company merge formally with the
Georgetown Company, with which it is now
closely allied and with which it is not in
rivalry, there will be no public objection
But such merger should be specifically
provided for in the bill, whereas the meas
ure now grants the right to consolidate
with ANY other Illuminating company"
which would embrace the electric lighting
companies. 1t is not believed to be to the
public interest to allow such consultations
There is a sufficient possibility of competi-
ton between these two lines of illumina-
ton to make it desirable that they be kept
apart. The trend of public opinion now is
that the gas company should. under proper
restrictions. be maintained as a monopoly,
and the prevailing law. passed in 1896 regu-
lated the price of gas on the assumption
tia. the monopoly should be preserved 1t
is not desired however. that the monopoly
be extended to the whole business of iium-
iration, and the bill now pending should
be so amended to authorize consolida-
ton only with other gas companies.
The bill likewise provides a much broader
system of increasing the capital stock of the
gas company than now prevails. There is
already authorized method of stock en-
largement, provided by the act of 1886. If
the gas company feels that this system i'm
poses excessive and unreasonable restrc-
II ,Iar
innate enterprise, it should make such a
showing of the necessities as will enable
the public and Congress to judge of the
requirement. The privilege of unlimited
stock additions must be carefully guarded
in the case of corporation of this charac-
ter. occupying SO intimate a relationship to
the public.
The bill is commendabie in that it
strengthens the authority of the Commits
siCners TO compel the gas company to lay
new mains and thus to give service to the
residents of outlying regions. The present
law enables the Commissioners only to COM
pei the establishment of house connections
with existing mains, but when the streets
now being extended are opened it WILL in
| the absence of new authority, be imposs-
ble save with the company's consent, to
| cause the Illuminating service to be extend
| ed to meet the requirements Of habitation.
| There is a slight ambiguity in the para
| graph of the bill relating to the laying Of
| new mains which should be cleared by an
amendment definitely placing in the hands
| of the Commissioners the power to deter
| mine when such mains are necessary.
| With these exceptions there appears to be
| no reason why the bill should not become
| law. The District is willing that the gas
| company should expand itself as the growth
| of business suggests, and that this expan-
| sion and the present actual value Of its
| plant should be represented by a reasonable
| increase of the stock. But it Is not willing
that the stock be 'watered,' or that the
| company should absorb all possible rivals
| in the ilumina ting field.