The Washington herald., 1907-01-17
Is Made that n
Thorough Inquiry BE Made Into the
Cost of sInnufacture-Distr OFF,
ciaIs HIVE Neither Authority Nor
Technical knowledge Necessary.

u
Madden gas bill 10 Representative J. W
Babcock chairman of the House Com
mittee on the District OF Columbia.
That the report of the gas company
OF their receipts and expenditures, tend
ing TO show that the actual price Of man
uGacturing gas Is 67.S6 cents per 1000 feet
is not accepted by the Commissioners as
conclusive is shown by their statement
that neither they nor any one in the
service of the District OF Columbia has
technical knowledge on the subject, nor
have they authority or means of max
ing an investigation by disinterested eX-
perts. so as TO inform themselves as 10
the elements of cost in an entirely salts
factory manner. Such inquiries, they
say. have been made heretofore by Con
gress.
Congress is strongly urged to require
the gas companies TO submit annual
sworn detailed statement of their re-
ceipts and expenditures, and also the
specific elements in the cost Of the manu-
facture of gas.
Text OF the Report.
The following is the text of the Com
missiOners' report;
THE Commissioners of the District Of
Columbia have the honor 10 make the
following report upon II. r. Bill 231I0, Of.
the present session. entitled a bill fixing
the price OF gas in the District of Co
lumbia which was referred to them at
your instance on the 4th instance FOR their
examination and report
The bin was received by the Commis-
sioners on january Z, and on January 70
they held a public hearing upon II, after
notifying the Board of Trade. the Busi-
ness Mems Association. the Jobbers and
shippers Association. the various Cit-
zens' associations, the Washington Gas
light Company, and the Georgetown Gas
light Company that such a hearing would
be held ON that day. The organizations
Of citizens were generally represented on
that occasion. and the general expression
was in favor of a reduction in the price
Of gas 10 a. cents. provided that price
would afford q fair profit TO the gas
light companies. Most Of those who
spoke stated that until the elements OF
cost in the manufacture and distribution
of gas in the District of Columbia were
ascertained authorit2tively and accu-
rateiy. chey would not be rcaGy 20 eX-
press an opinion.
THE president of the Georgctowa Gas
Light Company, who WAS present stated
in response TO direct question from the
Commissioners that he had nothing 20 say
Il may be stated, however, that the
Georgetown Gas Light Company has nc
tided its customers thar there viii be %
reduction in the price of its gas from
February ! next of > cents per 1000 feet
or from E1.25 to 81 net per 1900 feet
Statement of Company.
The representatives. Of the Washington
Gas Light Company, ut the hearing. made
certain general statements as to the re-
ceipts and expenditures. the stock and in
debtedness. aad the cost OF making gas on
the part cf their company. and promised
a detailed statement, which the Commis-
sioners received on yesterday. and copy
Of which is herewith transmitted.
''The Commissioners. after due consider
alton, believe that the price of gas in the
District Of Columbia should be decreased
90 the lowest possible point consistent
with @ fair profit to the gas light com
panies- Tney are in favor of making that
price - cents, IL that will afford a fair
return. This they understand 10 be the
position generally taken by the com
muuity. as expressed at the public hear
ing which they gave, by correspondents,
and through jhe press.
But The Commissioners are not able
to advise your committee as to what is
a fair price for gas in the District of
Columbia. since neither they nor any one
( in the service of the District Of Columbia
nor have the Commissioners authority OF
means for making an investigation by dis
+ Interested experts. so IS to inform them
selves as to the elements of cost in an
entirely satisfactory manner. Such in
quiTieS have been made her tOfOTc by
committees Of Congress
Recommend an Inquiry.
the Commissioners strongly recon-
mend that Congress require the com
panies manufacturing gas in the District
OF Columbia to make annually a sworn
detailed report of their receipts and eX-
/ penditures, and also the specific elements
Of cost in the manufacture and distribu-
( ton Of gas, and that It take such other
steps as may be necessary to enable Con-
/ gress to determine what is the fair price
for gas in the District of Columbia"
The Commissioners declined TO make
any statement relative TO their recon-
mcndations to Congress.
Attorney GoldsboTough and General
Manager William Hart yesterday called
upon Commissioner Macfarland for the
purpose of inqUiring whether the report
. of the gas company of receipts and eX-
pendituTes and the cost of making gas
was clear to the Commissioners. They
we're informed that il was. From he DO
sition assumed by the Commissioners,
however. il is evidently not regarded 10y
them as as valuable rs the statements of
"disinterested experts"
Mr.. GOIdsbOrOuEh's Views.
IN reply 90 a question as to whether the
report of the Commissioners Is satisfac-
tory to the gas company. Mr.. GoIdsbor-
ough said:
I have only made a casual examina-
ton of the report and am, therefore, not
prepared 10 state. X appears 70 be sim
ply putting the matter up 70 the Congress
SIGNAL committees as has been done in for
mer instances. The Commissioners have
recommended that a sworn statement be
submitted by the company, and this has
already been done They recommend that
the price be governed by fair profit 10
the manufacturers. and this is also re-
questcd 10y the gas company"
Mr. Hart declined to make statement.
saying his visit to Commissioner Macfar-
land did rsot relate TO the Commissioners
report on the Madden bill. but TO a diff
I f.-r-ar-t