Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1901-01-16
The Washington GasliEht COmpanys
Bill.


To the Editor of The Evening Star:
1t is to be hoped that the bill giving the
Washington Gas Company the power to in
crease it's stock and to buy or syndicate
the other Illuminating companies will be
we'll looked into by members of Congress,
and especially members of the District COM
mittees in both houses. When such combi-
nations are made they are ostensibly with
the most philanthropic intent and for the
good of the dear public, while in reality 1t
is for the good of the dear stockholders and
principally the larger holders. After such
bill becomes a law the usual experience Is
that the public may go to the devil. we
have had two notable examples IN TINS clty
within the last two years Of the buying out
of competing companies and concentration
under one head. First by syndlcating the
street railroads, 1t was all for the pupiic
good before the combination; since that
time what little rights the public had are
wiped out and the roads do just as they
please utterly ignoring the powers that be.
The second example was the malSamatlon
of the two electric companies. BEFORE the
bill passed two companies were competing
for business, and 1t was possible to get good
service and moderate prices; complaints
and overcharges were granted respectIui
hearing and often favorably. NOW, III we
want electric light we have but one com
pany with very poor service. We can get
no satisfactory hearing of complaints ex-
cept to be told that If we DO not IKE IL we
can lump it and have our light cut or. 1T
will be even worse if this new bill goes
through Several citizens have spoken TO
members Of the present Congress and they
have been promised that their interests Will
be looked after and that this bill and the
company behind it will be well watched.
If they really want to increase their plant
and manufact ure better gas let them issue
bonds-bonds to be actually scotland not
this plan for a free distribution of stock.
If the stock of this company is so valuable
1t must be by reason of its prohts ana large
surplus II this is so the public who pay
these large profits are entitled to cheaper
Gnu ANTI-COMBINE.
The First Federal Troops In Virginia.
To the Editor Of The Evening Star:
Referring to the report in your paper of
the 18th instant of statement by Col.
Charles p Lincoln to a reporter, in which
he says the list Michigan Infantry was
the first regiment to cross the Long bridge
into Virginia at the beginning of the civil
war, l wish to say that, while his COM
mand may have been the first regiment of
state troops In that first advance into the
enemy's country the morning of May "A,
1861, that advance was led by District Of
Columbia troops and under the following
circumstances: In the first place. as the
records of the War Department will show,
the first volunteers mustered into the serv-
Ice were known as Company A, WasnlnS-
ton Light Infantry, on April 10, 1861, five
DAYS before President Lincoln made his
call for $1,000. which was April 10, and my
company, the Metropolitan Rifles. was
mustered in the next morning, April IL.
The District troops were employed IN
guarding the approaches to the city over
a week before q state soldier got here.
Several companies were ordered to Long
bridge each night; the first to arrive would
| 70 onto the bridge as far as the Virginia
| draw, which would be opened, and other
companies would remain about the Wash
| fngton end most Of the men going to sleep
| wherever they could. The night Of May
% my company was at this end of the
| bridge and all went to sleep except myself
and one or two others.
Strange to say, I remember OF no SEN
| tries having been posted on such occa-
sions.
| Late in the evening became aware that
something unusual was going on, as COM
pany after company of District troops
marched down. and, as supposed, over
| the bridge. About o'clock, oath, my COM
| pany was aroused and we marched to the
| southern end of the bridge, and en- route
| were the other companies strung along
| on each side. Before leaving the bridge
| the company was brought to halt and
| front and informed that II any man OBJ
| jected to leaving the District he should
| step to the front. Lieut.. John T. CLANCY
was In command-he was also the highly
esteemed captain of the Metropolitan Hook
and Ladder Company-and the question
was asked what Capt. John was going to
do, and Capt John said hs was going.