The Washington herald., 1907-02-14

Senator GalIinger called I'D the Ulstric-
appropriation bill yesterday afternoon
aud within fifteen minutes Senator la
Toilette succeeded in fastening on it an
amendment requiring the Washington
Gasligh- Company 10 make full annual
reports to Congress Of all details of the
business of the company affecting the
cost CT making gas.
'rhe amendment is rs follows:
provided, That the Washington Gas
Hght Company, through its president
shall make full report TO Congress an
nually on the first day Of January, stat
ing in detail the gross receipts and ex-
pendttuTes, the cost Of materials used in
making gas, the amount used and con
summed, the dividends declared. the eX-
tensions and improvements made in the
plant, the surplus and cash on hand. and
how TIE surplus funds of the company
are invested
The amendment was offered when the
clerk in reading had reached the para
graph in regard 10 the electric and gas
street lighting.
Mr.. La Toilette in Offering the amend
ment said that similar one had in 1856
been proposed, and the committee had
accepted It as proper one TO be placed
on the bill In some way, he remarked,
the amendment had been lost between
the two Houses.
The Wisconsin Senator was about 10
pracead 10 indicate reasons why such re-
ports as those required by the amendment
were necessary. when Senator Gallinger
arose and said that he thought such re-
ports ougnt TO be made by the gas COM
pany. and he had no objection 20 the
amendment and would not make the
point OF order against it.
Amendment VIII stay In.
The experience ten years ago, when a
similar amendment was placed on the
District BILL is not likely to occur now.
The conferees on part of the House are
members who have themselves taken up
for the people Of the District the burden
of the struggle for better service from the
public utilities corporations of the city.
and they can be relied on 10 see that the
amendment remains in the bill
II is the generally accepted opinion that
the La Toilette amendment is the enter
ing wedge which will ultimately solve the
whole gas problem in the District.
Senator La Toilette, in speaking Of his
amendment last night, said. The adop-
ton of such an amendment recognizes
the right Of the people to know the az
fairs of public service corporations.
When the people of the District of Co
lumbia know what should be known as
10 the cost OF the manufacture Of gas it
viii follow that they have the right to
have just and reasonable rates fixed for
the service rendered ! shall be mistaken
If this step is not a most important one
in the problem that exists here in the
District 1t viii doubtless lead 10 the
ultimate establishment Of the principle of
strict control of al the public service cor
porations doing business here.
Washington Avenue.
A number Of interesting and unexpected
amendments in other respects were made
to the bill Sixteenth street was re-
christened Washington avenue. Bright
wood avenue was renamed Georgia ave
nue., and Georgia avenue was renamed
Naval Yard avenue whatever that may
mean.
Senator Burkett offered an amendment
whi-a was adopted, as follows: "That the
school day shall begin at o'clock a. m.
and close at + o'clock p. m."
Explaining the purpose of this amend
menL Senator Burkett said that Ii was
his information that there was great ir-
regularity throughout the schools Of
Washington in the matter of the school
day, and complaint had reached him from
many parents that their children were
sent home at various hours from 1870 TO
8 o'clock, with the requirement that they
should study at home He believed that
II would be wise 20 have a uniform school
day, and that pupils remain in the
schools and there perform the work re-
quired Of them.
Street Improvements.
The following street Improvements. ad-
ditional 10 those recommended by the
committee, were authorized:
Twenty-third street northwest, from Q street to
sheridan Circle So
For paving South Carolina avenue southeast. from
Thirteenth street % Fifteenth street 5000
For completing the paving Of Florida avenue. from
Eighteenth street 10 Connecticut avenue $500
Chesapeake street, Rrookville road % Grant road
northwest grade and improve $1,000
For the improvement Of NJ street from Bladens-
burg road eastHaTdly TO Tweny-eghth street north
east. s. 1000.
The following limitation was placed on
the work of paving Pennsylvania avenue
and other street improvements.
said rcsurfaCinE work shah BE- completed before
December !. 1907. and all repairs upon the main
thoroughiares u Washington made under approlria-
tons provided for I'm this act, shall be completed
previous % December J. 1907.
The uneXpeuded balances of the appro-
pTiaJion OF $4,000 for lighting, and Of the
appropriation Of $4,000 for electric arc
lighting, provided in the District appro-
priation act for the fiscal year 1907. were
continued and made available for the
services Of the fiscal year ending June 80.
1875, for the lighting purposes designated