The Washington herald., 1907-01-09
Moro Publicity Needcd.

The proposition embodied in Senator Ia
FolIettes resolution concerning reports Of
the Washington Gaslight Company is
one that will meet with very general ap-
provaI All the other Quasi-pubnc corpo-
rations are required by law 10 make an
nual reports to Congress. There is no
reason why the gas company should be
an exception TO the rule. on the con-
trary, this company. from the very nature
Of things, ought to have been the first
from which reports should have been OBJ
tanned and it is a matter of surprise
that its affairs should have been con-
Quoted in secrecy for so many years.
Senator La Follette's resolution is by
no means drastic. It simply provides
that the gas company shall submit to
Congress annually a statement OF its re-
ceipts and expenditures. its dividends.
salaries, and surplus, the cost of ma
terials, and similar essential details.
There certainly can be no objection on
the part Of the gas company. If 1t is an
honestly conducted corporation. to sub
mitting these facts to Congress. The
railroad companies make similar reports
as a matter Of course.
The publicity now suggested ought TO
have been required long ago. Why it
was not, We do not know. The com
munity is entitled to identified TO it
without delay.
So far as We know. the only report
the Washington Gaslight Company is
required by law to make is that which is
annually rendered to the Secretary Of
the Interior. under the provisions Of the
act regulating gas works, adopted in 1874
That act has a clause permitting an in
crease in the price Of gas OF 10 cents a
thousand feet whenever the price Of gas
Goals shall advance TO $3.50 ton. and an
additional increase in the price Of gas
Of 10 cents a thousand for each addi-
uonal dollar a ton that gas Goals may
advance IN price, and in like manner for
reduction in the price of gas of 10
cents a thousand for each dollar a ton
that gas Goals may fall in price. below
s. a ton. To carry out this purpose the
act provided that the gas company should
furnish the Secretary Of the Interior an
nually with a statement of its coal pur-
chases. The last statement made by the
company gave the prices Of coal at its
works as follows.
Gas coal alongside wharf west station. Twenty
sixth and G streets northwest, 5O000 tons at $685.
IS cents PER ton additional for dischargng and hand
ling; l5.oo0 tons at east station, Twelfth and "
streets southeast S3O5. 3 cents per ton additional
for discharging and handling % 900 tons white ash
broken coal at west station Sis5 per ton Is cents
per ton dischaTging and handling; 5000 tons Of
same at east station. at S per ton. cents per
ton dischargng and handling"
As the price OF gas is fixed by the
statute from which we have quoted at
$2.75 a thousand less . cents discount-a
provision that IS. of course. obsolete-the
report Of the gas company on the price
Of coal is more or less an annual joke We
are not surprised that Secretary Hitch
cock recommends that the farce Of re-
ceiving and filing this valuable report be
transferred TO the District Commission
ers or to Congress. Senator La Fol
lette's amendment includes the cost OF
materials used among the items of the
annual report to be- required of the gas
company, 50 that nothing will be lost if