Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-22
HEARING POSTPONED
GAS COMPANY'S APPLICATION
FOR INCREASE OF STOCK.

When the case of the Georgetown Gas
| Light Company, which has applied for the
privilege to increase its capital stock from
S150,OO0 to 5000 or so much thereof as
| the court may allow, was called for a hear
! ing in Equity Court No. 2, this morning.
Justice Gould presiding, the hearing was
postponed until next Monday at 10 o'clock.
This action was taken upon the request of
counsel for the gas light company, who ex-
planned to the court that this delay is nee
essary to afford the counsel and auditors
of the company sufficient time to properly
prepare the testimony in a detailed and ac-
curate manner, and thereby insure the
quick termination of the case.
Mr.. r. Ross Perry, counsel for the
company. in asking for this postponement,
stated that everything has been done SO far
i to make the testimony as brief and to the
point as possible, and when the case finally
opens he does not believe it will take more
than three days to dispose of it. Asso-
ciated with Mr.. Perry, counsel for the
gas company, are r. II. Goldsborough and
r. Ross Perry, jr.
f. II. Thomas, corporation counsel for
the District. was present as representative
of the District Commissioners. and Stuart
Mcnamara, assistant district attorney, rep
resented the Department of Justice. At the
conclusion of Mr.. Perry's outline of the
gas companys testimony, Mr.. Thomas
stated that the Commissioners had no evil
dence to offer. but that their interest in the
matter was based simply upon the fact that
their board is the only representative OF
the citizens of the community. The Com
misSioners. he said. are also representatives
of the people in the interest of their efforts
to secure cheaper gas for the District. for
which, he declared, there is general de-
sire.
Mr. Thomas informed the court that at
the last session of the last Congress the
Commissioners recommended that law be
enacted requiring the local gas companies
to reduce the price of gas to figure which
would not deprive the company of rea-
Sonabe profit, and that their interest in the
Georgetown Gas Light Companys applica-
ton for an increased capital stock was to
inform the court that they desire that no
action be taken in this case which would
hurt the chances of legislation for reduced
gas, which the Commissioners will make an
effort to secure from the next Congress.
Justice Gould said that the law of 1886,
under which this case is to be heard,
makes no provision for the representation
partment of Justice and as the case, in his
opinion, is to only ascertain the actual cash
value of the gas company equipment, ana
to determine the legality in permitting the
increase In the capital. he could not see
where the price of gas or Its possible re-
duction is concerned. Corporation Counsel
Thomas and Assistant District Attorney
Mcnamara will nevertheless be present at
the hearing of the case when 1t is con-
vened next week, to that the testimony
offered by the counsel for the gas company
is fair, and they have been granted the
privilege of ross-eXamination.
The law of 1896 provides that no capital
ization. shall be issued beyond the actual
cash value and the needs of the company
for expenses and improvements. In their
application for increase the Georgetown
company stated that the increase is for the
purpose of extension and Improvement of
the companys plant.