Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-01-16
To RETIRE TEACHERS|DRAFT|NG A NEW BILL
COLLEGE Womens Club Dis Regulating Distribution of Gas
cusses the Proposition. in the District.
PLAN TO ESTABLISH FUND LEAST PRESSURE AN INCH
Gives Luncheon at Thomas Work
Mckinley School. ing Requirements.
ADDRESSES ON ANNUITIES LETTER TO CHAIRMAN SMITH
Restricting Allowable Proportion
OF carbon mohoAloe-~u0''A
~. Subject m.++.r Of Municipal Ownership
Regulating Distribution of Gas
in the District.
LEAST PRESSURE AN INCH
Corporation Counsel Thomas Work
ing on Requirements.
LETTER TO CHAIRMAN SMITH
Restricting Allowable Proportion
of Carbon Monoxide-Question
Of Municipal Ownership.

Corporation Counsel Thomas began to-
day the preparation Of the draft OF the
second bill regulating the Distribution OF
gas throughout the District. which VIII
aim to require q minimum pressure in the
gas mains Of one inch. AS soon as the
draft is prepared and approved by the
District Commissioners it will be forward
ed to Congress with request for its I'M
mediate enactment.
The first gas bill, which limits the
amount of carbon monoxide in gas dis
tributed to local consumers to 10 per cent,
was forwarded to Congress late yesterday
afternoon. the draft prepared by the cor
poration counsel being unchanged.
The suggestion made by Engineer Com
missioner Cosby yesterday afternoon that
the bill be modified to allow the gas COM
panies a reasonable time In which to COM
ply with its provisions was embodied In
the letter transmitting the bill to Chair
man Smith OF the House District commit
tee. The Commissioners say they are en-
tirely willing that the bill should be made
to take effect within reasonable time.
This action followed conference between
Engineer Commissioner Cosby and Com
missioner Macfarland. and was afterward
agreed to by Commissioner West.
1ue CaCOOu mOuOX1O0 Dill.
The letter transmitting the carbon
monoxide bill was addressed to Chairman
Smith Of the House District committee
and was as follows:
"The Commissioners of the District of
Columbia, in response to your communi-
cation of January IA instant, requesting
that they prepare such a bill as in their
judgment will best subserve the interests
Of the public in relation to Carbon monox-
ide in the heating and Illuminating gas
manufactured and distributed in the Dis
trict Of Columbia, have the honor to
transmit the accompanying BILL drafted
by the corporation counsel, prohibiting an
excess of 10 per cent carbon monoxide In
such gas. and for inspection. examination
and analysis of the gas manufactured and
supplied. The reason for the reconlnen-
dalton Of this measure is to be found in
| the letter from DR.. III. w. Wiley, chief OF
| the bureau Of chemistry. Department of
| periments made for the Attorney General
at the request Of the President, copy of
which is herewith inclosed.
THE Commissioners also invite the at
| tention Of the committee to the special
message of the President and the accom-
panying documents on this subject.
| 1.-THE Commissioners would be entirely
willing to have the bill made to take eff
| feet at reasonable time in the future. II
| it appears to the committee that this
/ should be done. The Commissioners have
no means of ascertaining definitely wheth-
| er such a period OF time, or If so, what
ington Gas Light Company for compliance
with the terms OF the BILL
Minimum Pressure of Gas.
| Commissioner Cosby also agreed that
the matter of the minimum pressure In
the gas mains should be carried in sep
arate bill, which the corporation counsel
/ \ ton,
Of Commissioner mcfarland, based on
the statements OF DIR. Wiley and In
spector Runyan, that not less than one
| inch pressure should be maintained. which
| has been approved by Commissioner West
| Commissioner Mcfarland did not wish
| to delay the carbon monoxide bill, which
was ready, for the time 1t might take to
| require to have the minimum pressure bill
prepared
Proposed District Ownership.
District Commissioner mcfarland re-
| ceived this morning from the House Dis
trict committee the Jenkins bill providing
for the acquisition and operation by the
District government of the gas and cleo
trio lighting plants, with a request for a
| report from the Commissioners as to their
| views on the measure. Commissioners
| Mcfarland will at once prepare the draft
of a report to be submitted to the Com
| missiOners. In view Of the request for a
| report from the House District commit
tee, he said he preferred not to make any
comment on the bill in advance Of the
statement to be made to the committee.
This question of municipal ownership
of public utilities is not a new one to
Commissioner Mcfarland. He was a
member of the committee of twenty-one
appointed by the National Civic Fedora
ton, in 1905, to Investigate the public
and private operation of public utilities,
of which Melville E. ingalls, of Cincin-
natl was chairman. and whose subcom-
mittees visited every municipal owner
ship plant in the United States and Eu-
rope and obtained the views of all ex-
perts at home and abroad respecting the
subject, the facts and opinions being pub
lished in 1907, In three large volumes
which were on Mr. Macfarlands desk
this morning.
Commissioner Macfarland's Views.
Mr.. Mcfarland was one of the nineteen
members who signed the report of the
committee. the conclusions of which were
! as follows:
"First-Public utilities, whether in pub.
lie or In private hands, are best conducted
under a system of legalized and regulated
monopoly.
"Second-Public utilities in which the
sanitary motive largely enters should be
} operated by the public.
"Third-The success of municipal oper-
alton OF public utilities depends upon the
existence in the city Of high capacity
for municipal government
, "Fourth-Franchise grants to private
corporations should be terminable after
!. a fixed period and meanwhile subject to
purchase at fair value.
"Fifth-Municipalities should have pow
err to enter the field of municipal owner
Z ship upon popular vote under reasonable
J regulation.
"Sixth-Private companies operating
public utilities should be subject to pub
lie regulation and examination under a
system of uniform records and accounts
: and Of full publicity.
"Seventh-The committee takes no po-
sition on the question Of the general eX-
pediency of either private or public own