The Washington herald., 1907-02-15
GAS PLEA ANALYZED
Attorney RalStOn Shows Why
Price Can Be Cut.
HOW ITS STOCK HAS SWELLED
Civic Center Meeting at Public LII
brary Hears Interesting Address
on washington's Service Corpora
tiOns-Mr. Macfarland Tells Of Leg
isIatiOn that Is still Desired.

That the contention Of the Washington
Gaslight Company as to the impossIbility
OF a reduction in the price Of gas bears
with it hardly enough conviction to i'm
press the mind of a child was the burden
of a portion of an address on Washing
tons Public Service Corporations, deliv-
cred last night at the meeting of the
Civic Center, at the Public Library, by
Attorney jackson II. Ralston. Mr., Rails
ton dealt only in a general way with the
subject, but held his hearers absorbed by
bis apparent clear grasp of the question.
In referring 10 the gas situation. Mr..
Ralston said, in part:
THE Washington Gasllght Company
was originally incorporated at $4,000.
There is a rumor or tradition that at
one time in its career actual cash was
put up for it's extension and developmen;
by the stockholders 20 the extent OF
5000 Assuming this to be true, We have
the indisputable fact that S500.000 repre-
sents all the actual cash ever invested in
the company
AT the present time the capitalization
Of the company is s., 100000 Therefore, at
the lowest estimate, S2,1OOO0O is the free
and voluntary gift, a charitable gift, ii
you WILL 10 the Washington Gasllght
Company by the citizens Of the District OF
Columbia.
Poverty Plea Hard to Swallow.
THE par value of a single share OF
stock in the company is $40. Its selling
value IS $50 Therefore. the citizens OF
Washington, not content with their free
gift Of over a million dollars. have forced
upon themselves additional value. so that
the stock Of the company is actually worth
at market value 8. SO0.000 In fact. taking
everything into consideration. the reaI
value Of the Washington Gasllght Com
pany'S franchise approximates s., 00O.O00
In ten years It has increased in value over
50 600. Every new hoUsehold-and this
can easily be calculated-every new family
OF five persons that comes to Washingtou
TO live permanently represents an add
tional earning power 10 the company OF
$3.50
THE Washirg ton Gaslight Company
finds that il cannot reduce the price OF
gas-sO it says-but in the face of the
market figures 1 have given you showing
the steady advance In value of that fran
chise ia the face Of that wealth plling
Up To such a tremendous and dangerous
extent, let Us not be told. unless we be
children-and even then it would be hard
10 swallow-that the Washington Gaslight
Company Is not able 20 reap ample profit
with gas al IS cents"
Commissioned MacfarIand Speaks.
Commissioner Mcfarland addressed the
gathering on the legislation recon-
mended by the Board Of Commissioners
He said in part:
This Congress breaks the record for
social legislation for the District Many
Of the measures which the Commissioners
have long recommended have been
passed. So much was done at the first
session that some thought there was lit
tie left TO be done, but much has been
done at this session and We hope for
more before the 4th Of March.
Last session we were given legislation
ana appropriations for dealing with in
sanitary buildings and widening alleys
into minor streets, for reaching nonresi-
dent owners having nuisauces on their
property, regulating employment agencies
providing a new Juvenile Court and pro-
baton system, new poison and phar-
macy Law, an effective compulsory edu-
cation law, and some governmental super
vision OF savings banks, among other
things.
Much still to Accomplish.
This session we have been pressing
chiefly permanent provision for the play
ground project, the child-Iabor bill. the
regulating Of so-calIed assessment life
insurance. the better registration OF
births bill, the registration Of tuber-
culosis cases and other measures dealing
with contagious diseases, additional in
spectors TO enforce the health. sanitary
and food laws. and a meteorological lab
OTatOTy for our Overworked and under
manned health department, better reg
ulatlon Of the milk supply, an extension
OF the savings bank law. and a regulation
Of usurious brokers, and the legal In
vestigation of titles, which is a condi-
ton precedent TO the improvement of thu
Anacosua fats"
DR. George NJ. KOeber, who presided al
the meeting, read a lengthy and thorough
report on the present status of the water
and milk supplies Of Washington, dwell
ing upon the great Improvements accom-
plished in this direction. Other reports
were by G. A. Weber, on the municipal
department; DR.. Henry ], Harris, on the
industrial department, the child-labor bill
and the use of the Consumers League
label IN the city, and ". II. Baldwin, on
the work Of the department of charities.