The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1909-01-17
WORKS ON GAS BILL
Corporation Counsel Wants
Minimum Pressure.
PROBABLY READY TOMORROW
Putting the Measure in shape for
Presentation TO the Board of Dis
triet Commissioners for Their
AR3rovaI-Prosranm OF Gas leg
izIsfion Is About Complete.

TIE additional gas bin requiring a mini
mum pressure Of one inch in the distri-
button OF gas through the District is now
being prepared BY Corporation Counsel
Thomas. It VIII probably be in shape to-
morrow. for approval By the Commits
sioners and consequent submission 10
Congress.
The carbon monoxide. bin. also prepared
by the corporation counsel was sent TO
Chairman Smith, Of the House District
Committee. on Friday. and these bills
VIII together complete the programme Of
legislation instigated by the recent ex-
posures made in the investigation OF the
Bremerman tragedy and by the nu-
merous complaints received regarding the
pressure furnished by the Washington
Gaslight Comrany
Macfariand Receives Bill.
Commissioner Mcfarland received from
the House Committee on the District Of
Columbia the Jenkins bin. providing for
the acquisition and operation by the Dis
trict government II the gas and electric
plants, and viii prepare the draft Of a
report 10 be submitted 10 the Commission
ers. In view of the fact that the report
had been asked by the House. District
Committee. he said, he preferred not 10
make any comment on the bill apart from
the report that F-5uld be made 20 the
committee.
Commissioner Mcfarland was a mem
Der OF the committee Of twenty-one ap-
pointed by the National Civic Federation
IN 1896. 10 investigate the public and pTi-
vste operation Of public utilities. Of which
Melville z ingalls,. Of Cincinnati. was
chairman. and whose subcommittee Wis
tied every municipal ownership plant in
the United States and Europe. and OBJ
tsined views Of all experts AT home and
abroad respecting the subject, the facts
and opinions being published in 1857. IN
three large volumes.
Committees Report.
8Ir- Mcfarland was one Of the nineteen
members who signed the report Of the
committee. whose conclusions we're:
First-Pu5ie utilities whether IN pubic o. n r7i-
vsts hands. are best conducted under a system Of
lsEaiized ard regulated monopoly
Seeona-Pubic utilities IN which he sanIfary no
tve lsrsely enfeFs sotild BE- operated by she rbie
FhiFd-The s1ecess q Municipal operation Of r'fh-
lic utilities depends uTIl the existence in the city
Of Z nlCh capacity fCr municI5al government
FO-ITth-tranchise grants 20 private corporations
should b termiBahle after a hxed Tenuid and
meanwhile subject 70 purchase at fair value.
municipalities sh5llds have power % enter
the heid q HuI3eiTal ownership uran popular vote
uadsr reasonable regulation.
sixth-PriFafe companies Operating Istiic utilities
should BE- sgbiect 20 public regulation and eIamus-
tinn under system of uniform rccoTds and accounts
and II flIl Ts1biicity
sereu1h-The committee takes DO position on the
question Of the general eEpeiencJ 0f either private
or r1ibic ownership The question must be solved
hy each municipality in the light Of local coHdi-
tons What mas be possible in one locality may
not be IN another. II some cities the companies
nay 80 serTe the public as 10 create 10 dssatisfac-
ton and nothing might be gained by experimening
with munieirsl ownership Again. the government
q one city nay be good and capable Of taking
chsrse Of these Pablo utilities while N another II
nsE be the IN either case the DeoTse mist
remember that II requires large class q able men
ss city officials u look after Thee matters. They
must also remember that municipal Ownership Uii
create large class q employees who may have more
OF less political Iufuence