The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-08-01

The continuation of the hearing upon
the petition OF the Georgetown Gaslight
Company for an appraisement of its as
sets, preliminary to permission to increase
its capital stock, at 10 o'clock to-day, be-
fore Referee Payne. bids fair to be in
teresting.
Just before the adjournment Tuesday
afternoon, Corporation Counsel Thomas
In behalf Of the Commissioners of the
District sought to elicit certain informa-
ton from the gas company, which was
in part shut out by ruling Of the referee,
and in part left unanswered by officials
and attorneys OF the gas company. 1t
is understood that at the hearing to-
day Attorney Thomas will again apply
the question probe, in the hope Of getting
at some of the facts underlying the ac-
ton Of the company in invoking the
courts for authority to increase its capital
stock.
Yesterday Mr.. Thomas placed before
Commissioner West at the District build
ing the testimony given toward the close
of the hearing the day before, which
showed Mr.. Thomas efforts to get at the
truth. Attorney Thomas and the Com
missioner discussed the matter at some
length, and his instructions are that he
shall proceed along the line started, and
make an effort to bring to the record
some OF the facts about the operations
Of the company, its receipts and earnings
for the past five or six years.
ARoyrs Kant narIx
Commissioner West said last night
that it was the intention of the municipal
authorities TO get all the information
possible upon these points. He said the
Commissioners had never been permitted
to know much about the affairs Of the
Georgetown company. and that they had
been much in the dark when seeking to
make recommendations to Congress re-
specting legislation looking toward
proper control Of this corporation.
He said. acting upon such information
as they could obtain, the Commissioners
last year had recommended to Congress
that the price Of gas be decreased TO a
point that would leave the company a
fair profit. Mr.. West said such q recon-
mendation was far from satisfactory 10
the Commissioners, but was all they
could make without further insight into
the affairs Of the company. respecting its
receipts, the cost Of the manufacture Of
gas, its fixed charges, &c.
These items, Mr.. West contends. should
be known by the public, or at least by
the municipal authorities, so that the
constant pressure brought to bear by
the public for reduction in the cost OF
% he gr,~a
Mr.. West said the Commissioners had IN
structed their attorney to continue the
line Of inquiry mapped out. and TO pur-
sue it as far as the form Of procedure
would allow.
stubborn Fight Expected.
1t is thought probable that the effort
viii be stubbornly fought by the attor-
neys Of the company, and 1t may be that
the narrow limits Of the inquiry will
preclude getting down TO the basic facts,
as Attorney Thomas and the Commits
sioners hope. However, this viii not be
for lack OF effort on the part OF the munich
pal authorities, and it is possible that
light may be truned upon the affairs OF
the Georgetown Gaslight Company in
way that will be Illuminating. so far as
b-iC ASAAtAJit btlNGcl the earning power
of the corporation and its legitimate ex-
penditures are concerned.
In his remarks 10 the referee. in press
Ing motion 10 dismiss the petition, At
torney Thomas declared that no reason
had been shown for the necessity OF an
increase IN the capital stock He de-
claTed the charter Of the company for
babe it. and the law of 1896. under which
the present action was brought. con-
templated an extension Of the plant as
a condition preliminary to an increase Of
the stock.
Records to Be Demanded.
It is understood that the District au-
thorities will demand that the company
produce its records and papers in court
or before the referee to show whether
action to this end has been taken.
With these possibilities in view. the
hearing may develop into a general ex-
Of the gas company's affairs.
which viii make public facts upon which
to base more correct views as to the
price Of the product and the earning. ca
pacity Of the plant-facts toward which
the law enacted at the last session of
Congress, requiring sworn reports 10 be
made TO Congress upon the assets. cost
Of plant, stock issues, bonds, fixed
charges and general revenue, was di- |
rected.
LOCAL MENTION.