The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-12-25
4 Valuable Report.

.at report made subsequent legislation
-.e easier Of accomplishment 1t has
saved many millions 70 the gas c0usum-
ers of the city il was mace the basis
OF contests by the citizens Of nearly all
1.-THE large cities Of the country 10 force
gas robbers everywhere 20 reduce their
ill-gotten prices. The analysis by Sen
ator SpoOner of the evidence taken by
the committee amounts 90 a demonstra-
uon OF the charges made at the time. as
1 they are made now, that the Washington
/ Gaslight Company, the creature Of the
general government. and maintained in a
monopoly by law, systematically evades
its responsibility To report It's earnings
and expenses, and EFFORTS from its pa
irons immense reveuues-revenues 50
/ large that they have been concealed even
T on the books OF the company
The success Of the investigation depend
ed mainly on getting witnesses outside
+ OF the Washington Gaslight Company.
/ one of the most important Witnesses was
SIR. " r. NJ. McCarty. an old and ex-
/ perienced gas engineer. Mr., McCarty
was a splendid specimen Of "a man. stand
ing six feet TALL and as erect and com
handing as "a soldier. After the investi.
( cation he was boyCotted by gas com
panies and directors everywhere auc
had 20 seek employment En- Europe
AIr. Mcuhanuy, the president O. tn,
Washington Gaslight Company. anC
Col Enoch T0tten. the counsel Of IN,
company, were present but they did no
seek 20 crOss-examine McCarty, WIN,
proved TO be a complete mine of exper
information on gas making He SHOWED
that the Washington company was mix
ing water gas with coal gas, producing
an unhealthy product. and charging 70
IL a price which gave practically 100 pc
cent profit, The cost of distribution b.
put at IS cents per 1000 feet But it Wa
the practice Of gas companies 70 charg
labor about three times, first on the worl
OF getting in the coal and getting tn
ashes out as a distribution account, the
as a manufacturing account and later Il
the repairs account. Water gas, by tn
process then used in Washington, shoul
cost. he said, but 10 cents per LOO feet
. and coal gas. under Ike conditions
should cost but 20 cents per LOCO feet.
Rebates on Gas Coal.
do you know of any combination whic
regulates the price of coal for gas com
panies2'' asked Senator SpOoner.
Il have understood there was a ga
ring controlling certain coal mines" re
] piled McCarty.
- A few days later the committee had Nj
p Henry c. Winship. of the coal firm of Gil
S more, Meredith & Co. before them. II
{ testified that he shipped about 10000 ton
D of coal a year over the Baltimore an
t Ohio Railroad and the Chesapeake an
7 Ohio Canal
b DO you get advantages over small shiI
i pers?' asked one of the spectators pre-;
j ent.
j You must not ask me a question {
, that kind" said Mr. Winship.
n Gould the Washington Gaslight Con
1 pany ship as Cheaply as you do?
n Il don't think they could was the n
2, ply.
e Mr.. Mcuhenny in his testimony sal
2 the company paid $40 per ton for il
+ coal Senator SpOoner sent 10 the Seer
tary of the Interior for a statement mao
by an officer of the gas company 20 ths
department and found that another priC
+ for coal had been used in that statemen
:, 1.-THE statement you made TO your stool
: holders was Incorrect asked Senate
y Spooner
It yes. by the difference between 81.
A and S4g." admitted the president of Il
IS gas company.
e The impression was strong with Il
l. committee that they never really got
= the actual price Of coal to the gas cor
$ pany Mr.. McCarty made the followiI
e statement: II cannot get at that 1t
/ all done so secretly that one cannot g
IS at the inside. They get coal at a certa
price which is carried on their book
and then they get a rebate from the ia
road companies. which is credited up
49, the dividend account"
The Senator Caught Him.
# Senator Spooner pursued the matt
n with Mr.. McIlhenny. He read to him
h letter from the Osceoia Mining Coz
10 pany that the Washington Gaslight Coz