Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-12-11
PROBING THE UTIL|T|ES
Civic Federation Men Inspect
Philadelphia Plants.
QUESTIONS OF OWNERSHIP
Committee to Report Observations Of
Public Enterprises.
HAVE VISITED SEVERAL CITIES
Cleveland and Detroit Have Eeen
visited-Report on Private and
Public Enterprise.
QUESTIONS OF OWNERSHIP
HAVE VISITED SEVERAL CITIES


Philadelphia was visited yesterday by the
Investigating committee of the National
Civic Federation's commission on owner
ship and operation Of public utilities. Its
labors were restricted solely to an tnvesti-
CATION of the plants and system of the
United Gas Improvement Company.
The questions of street railways. water
supply, electric lighting and other public
utilities, which also have come within the
scope of the committees Investigations In
other cities in this country and in Great
Britain and Ireland, were not made the
subject of inquiry SO far as they relate TO
Philadelphia. To facilitate the commit
tees work automobiles were provided by
the United Gas Improvement Company to
convey the members to the gas plants.
Officers of the company gave dinner to
the committee last night at the offices of
the corporation on North Broad street Fol-
lowing its established practice, the COM
mittee declined to give expression to what
ever conclusions might have been reached
regarding the gas lighting service in this
would be made public until after it had
been submitted to the public ownership
commission at meeting to be held in New
York next February.
Public Ownership.
"The conclusions or the final report of
the committee said Edward A. Moffett
secretary of the public ownership COM
mission will be simply a statement of
the facts relative to the two systems of
public and private ownership and opera
ton Of public utilities. as impartially and
scientifically determined. without recon-
mendations of any kind
That the commissions labors will result
in the most comprehensive and complete
report on the subject of administration and
management of public utilities ever COM
piled Mr.. Moffet believed was beyond ques-
ton. Because OF Its International character
also, the report, he said, would be of as
great public interest in Great Britain and
Ireland. and possibly European countries,
as in the United States.
Last winter and spring the committees
Investigations, Mr.. Moffett said, were car
ried on among the larger cities, in Pitts
burg. Wheeling, Richmond. Atlanta, Nor
folk, Chicago, Indianapolis and Toledo. Last
May the committee visited the united king
dom. where six months were spent in in
vestigations In Glasgow, Dublin, London.
Manchester, Birmingham, Newcastle, Liv-
erpool and other leading cities of the Brit
ish Isles.
Franchises and Graft.
Since returning to this country the COM
mittee has visited Cleveland and Detroit
and Is nearing the completion of its direct
inquiries. After the Christmas holidays,
Mr. Moffett said. the committee would go
to Hot Springs, Va, to go over the compiled
reports of the scientific and technical ex-
perts and those submitted by the political
economists. Among the economists, all of
whom are members of the committee. Prof.
John H. Gray of the Northwestern Univer-
sity, Eyanstown, ILL.,, will report the result
of his special investigations of the manner
of granting franchises to private corpora
tons. and also of his observations regard
ing graft in the conduct of municipality
owned utilities. Prof. John r. Commons of
the University of Wisconsin will treat of
the labor side of the question, with partic-
ular regard as to which system affords the
better opportunities and advantages to la
Dor.
Following is the list of the members of
the committee who conducted the investiga-
ton of the gas works here yesterday:
William }. Clark, general manager for
eign department, General Electric Com
pany, New York city.
Talcott Williams. editorial writer, the
Press, Philadelphia.
Walton Clark. third vice president the
United Gas Improvement Company, Phila-
delphia.
Edward w. Bemis. superintendent water
works. Cleveland. Ohio.
John H. Gray, Northwestern University
Evanston. Ill.
Timothy Healy president International
Brotherhood Stationary Firemen, New York
city.
Frank Parsons. president National Public
Ownership League, Boston Mass.
John r. Commons, University of Wiscon-
SIM Madison, Wis.
j. w. Sullivan. editor Clothing Trades
Bulletin, New York city.
Charles L. Edgar. president of the Edison
Electric and Illuminating Company, Boston,
Mass.
Edward A Moffett. secretary, former edi-
tor Bricklayer and Mason, indianapolis.