Evening star., 1905-11-07
CITY'S ELECTRIC LIGHT
MUNICIPAL OWNERSHIP ADVo-
GATED BY CITIZENS.

The plan for the municipal ownership of
one or more electric lighting plants to sup
ply the city with electricity was leading
question for discussion last evening at the
November meeting of the Georgetown Cfti-
Zens' Association. G. W. King of the as
sociation championed municipal ownership,
and, after the question had been quite thor
oughly debated by other members present,
the report made by Mr.. King on his inves-
LEGATIONS was adopted.
The feasibility of the city owning its own
electric light plant was dwelt upon largely
by Mr. King, who went on to show what
had been accomplished in other cities along
this line. During the summer months he
had communicated with the authorities in
100 different cities throughout the country,
he said. From the informat ton thus received
he had compiled a report, not quite COM
plete. which he hoped to place before the
members in printed form at the next meet
ing.
To illustrate his point Mr.. King mentioned
Chicago, where, he said, the lighting of the
city by the municipality had been attended
Dy more satisfaction than formerly under
a private corporation. He argued that the
acquisition of the electric plant would, in
the end, through the popularity of electric
fty for illumination purposes, decrease the
value of gas and would finally bring about
municipal control of the plant at a lower
figure than 1t can be obtained at present
time. 1t had been demonstrated. he said,
through analyses by chemists that gas fur
nished the consumer in the District pos
sesses poisonous properties to the extent of
20 per cent. These ingredients, he stated,
were known to chemists as carbon mon
oxide and carbon-oxide.
The speaker declared that the ownership
of an electric plant by the city of Washing
ton was not only feasible but practicable.
He said the government by owning the
q Fall oh in
all the power it needed for electric lighting
for a century more.
The Cost of Gas.
The cost of gas was another question dis
cussed by Mr. King. The latter explained
the process which had gone into vogue for
the manufacture of gas and declared that
the gas used now by consumers In the city
of Washington and Georgetown was far
less effective as an illumlnant than the coal
gas formerly used. There was more
economy, he argued in paying S1.50 per
thousand feet for coal gas of sixteen can
die power than - cents for the modern
illuminant, diluted with carbon mon-oxide
of twenty candle power. He said the diff
ference in meters and pressure now made
up the difference in cost.
DR. George w. Wood said the use of the
modern water gas had a deleterous effect
upon the health of the community The
effect of the CARBON mon oxide upon the
blood corpuscles, he said, showed that
breathing 1t produced a paralysis of the
blood and resulted in aenemia. The intro
duction of this gas into homes had In many
instances impregnated the air of rooms with
% per cent poison.
A vote of thanks was rendered Mr.. King
for his elucidation of the matter before the
association, and the treasurer was instruct
ed to pay the cost Of printing his report In
full.
Arrangements were also made for the
holding of the association banquet at an
early date. The committee in charge of
the affair consists of: Smith Thompson, G.
D. Pennybaker, F. B. Weaver, Thomas
Stanton, J. Barton Miller H. w. Offutt and
J. Doyle.
The members went on record by a unan-
imous vote as indorsing the candidacy of
Judge Charles c. Bundy for reappointment
as justice of the peace. There was also
some discussion with reference to the prob
able location of a branch of the court in
Georgetown.