Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-04-15
DOLLAR 4 THOUSAND FEET
REASONABLE GAS RATE AC-
CoRDINa TO BUFFALO EXPERT.
President Humphries Appears Be-
Behalf Of Local Corporation.

At q resumption Of the hearing on The
bill to repeal section 5-the stock irfia'
ton clause-of the local gas act of 1898
before the House District committee this
morning. Alexander c. HUMPHREYS. presi'
dent of the Buffalo Gas Company. anc
recognized in this country and abroad a.
a gas expert and authority. appeared fol-
the Washington Gas Light Company. b.
whom. he sa d. he had been retained.
Mr. HUMPHREYS declared that 81 thou.
sand feet was a reasonable and fair price
for gas to the consumer in the District
Of Columbia. He had come to this con
clusion. he said. after an analysis OF thu
companys own report. Upon this SAINT
report Prof Bemis of Cleveland. ONO
recently told the District committee thai
g. cents a thousand feet should be tnt
maximum rate charged the consumer IL
the District Of Columbia
Mr. HUMPHREYS said that when gas
company got it's price down too low II
was the case now in some cit es. an un
safe in fact. dangerous lack of imam
cial margin resulted He thought an!
sas company should be permitted to make
fair profit upon investment.
Requisite Candle Power.
Chairman Smith of the committee inter
derstood that in some cities the auaiit!
of the gas delivered to the consumer
was as low as II or II candle power. ne
inquired II there was any necessity ioi
such high candle power as was PROVIDED
for by law in the District. me III"
required ~ candle power. but usually a.
he testing station 1t runs somewhere
around %.
In reply Mr.. HUMPHREYS said he could
not recall any city where the CANOE
power was as low as that mentioned by
longer any necessity for hieh canoit
power gas. such as existed eight or Ter
wears ago. Before the perfection or tine
mantle burner MI. HUMPHREYS said tha'
gas Of high candle power was necessary
but now. with the mantle burner IN q
state of practical perfection. the only
things necessary In gas were proper
number of heat units and flame tenn
perature sufhciently high. He thought u
candle power gas in Washington would
give excellent results. and II the candie
power were reduced by law from y to IL
he Thought the company would save
cents Thousand cubic feet on Its prod
uct. which could go to the consumer:
Led by questions from Representative
Sims of Tennessee and other members OF
the committee, Mr.. HUMPHREYS went Into
a highly technical and. to the lay mind
exceedingly involved detailed explanation
of the manufacture of water gas and coal
gas. the process Of enrichment to pro-
duce high candle power and the purpose
of mixing water gas and coal gas to
cheapIy obtain the same results
Exhaustive Inquiry Desired.
Just before the hearing ended. Chair.
man Smith asked the witness If he would
not make an exhaustive investigation OF
local conditions and report to the COM
mittee later.
Mr.. HUMPHREYS smilingiy replied that
he did not know: that he would be glad
to do it If the Washington Gas Light
Company, who had employed him, cared
to instruct him to do 1t.
ut will be expensive remarked Mr.
Humphries. II am a hi8h-priced man
I guess 1 am getting for this hearing ten
times as much as Mr.. Bemis did for his. -
Supt Hart Of the gas company. who
was present. told Chairman Smith that
Mr. HUMPHREYS would be employed tc
make the investigation requested.