The Washington times., 1908-04-30
CARY SEES JOKER,
BINDS GOVERNMENT
TOLIGHT MONOPOLY
Bill Provides u. S. Shall
Buy Electric Current
at High Rate.
Plants Now Operated to
Be Abolished and Ten
Year Contract Made.

Representative cary of Milwaukee has
discovered a Joker in the sundry civil
appropriations bill that. should e go
through. would place the Government
al the mercy OF The United States Elec-
tric Lighting Company and its sub
sldiary. concerns. 1t would do away with
all of the Government generating plants,
ana FOR years to come the Government
would be at the mercy Of the lighting
company, either having to meet it's hg-
ures. or go to the cost OF installing new
plants in place of all Of those now run
Ming in the various public buildings.
Ihis is not all. Mr. Cary believes
that the contract price of current.
named in section of the bill. Is a hold
up, and viii afford the company an
enormous profit. He has Data at hand
showing the cost Of generating elec-
tricItv to be much below the figures
submitted by the company, and claims
that he IS in a position to prove that
the company has not been able 10
compete successfully with many small
private plants. because it demanded 700
large a margin Of profit.
Harries Suggested Section
Cen. George II. Harries, vice president
and general superintendent Of the cleo
tric lighting company, appeared before
the House Appropriations Committee
Saturday. and as a result OF his efforts
a section was tackled on 10 the end Of
the sundry civil appropriations bill
which Mr.. Cary claims, places the Cow
eraueut absolutely in the grasp Of the
company.
General Harries represented 10 the
committee that IL cost the Government
from 20 S cents a lCilowatt hour, and
there would De a great saving should
the committee authorize the obtaining
Of TINS current by contract. General
IIarries. or the committee did not
specify that II should be his company
This was unnecessary in view OF the
fact that his company has monopoly.
Rep-esentafive Cary announced today
his intention If hghJing this section of
the bill 20 the utmost Of his power. He
j. collecting data On the cost OF pfOouc-
ton. and viii lay this before the District
Committee toby 1t is probable the
House viii not reach section of the
sundry civil bin for several days TO
come.
Where the Joker Lies.
THIS section reads as follows:
That the Secretary Of the Treasury
IS authorized to enter into q contract
for furnishing 10 the United States all
electric current used for any purpose
whatsoever. except for the lighting Of
streets, avenues, alleys, or highways
in or in connection with any and all
buildings within or in the vicinity OF the
District Of Columbia owned or occupied
by the United States or owned or OCCu-
pied by the District Of Columbia, eX-
Cepting only such building as may be
occupied by the Congress of the United
States. payment for such current 10 be
at the annual rate OF SIX CENTS per
kilowatt hour for the first million IIiIO-
watt hours and at TWO AND ONE
HALF CENTS per kilOwatt hour for
each or any part OF each succeeding
kilOwatt hour; all current to be metered
in the respective buildings and the pro-
portiOnate cost of the total consumption
10 be charged against each department
of the United States Government and
the government of the District Of Co
lumbla. respectively, and paid monthly
or quarterly. as II may be agreed, in
gross, by the Secretary Of the Treasury
10 the contractor in accordance with the
provisions Of the contract herein author
lied and out Of the appropriations made
by Congress from year TO year there
Tor, of the amounts paid on account Of
the government Of the District OF CO.
lumba cne-half shall be paid out OF the
revenues Of the District Of Columbia
During the fiscal year 1909, payments
Tor electric current under any contract
made hereunder shall be made our OF
appropriations made for the purchase
OF electric current or for purchase. in
stallation, operation, maintenance. or
repair OF electrical apparatus within the
territory covered by said contract, and
for the purpose of such payment said
appropriations are hereby expressly
made available. For the fiscal wear 1910
and annually thereafter, the Secreto ~
for specific appropriations TO meet the
obligations of any contract entered into
hereunder. In consideration of the
rates for current herein specified, the
contract authorized hereunder shall be
for the period OF ten years, conditioned
however, that the same may be termi-
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