The Washington times., 1909-03-22
SPOTLIGHT TURNED
UPON GAS MONOPOLY
Districts Suit Over Alleged
Shortage in Candlepower
Called.

The Gas Monopoly was shown up In
court again this morning.
James s. BIcIIhenny. who was for
merly superintendent Of the Washing
ton Gas Light Company, ackney'edged
that he. the active head OF the concern,
did not know whether or not it was
purifying gas as It should, In accord
ance with the law McUhenny did not
know whether or not his company was
producing 100000 feet OF gas through
four purff srs or not
Eis Information seemed TO be meager.
and Assistant Corporation Counsel
Stevens expressed great surr rise that
McIlhenny. a high official. shn9ld not
know how many purifiers or how many
feet OF gas his company was producing.
This startling testimony came out
when the case Of the District Of Colum-
bia against the Washington Gas Light
Company, for alleged shortage in can
dlepower and alleged impurities in the
companys product two years ago, was
called in Justice Clabaugh's Court this
morning.
A ruling adverse to the defendant
companies was made by Justice Cla-
baugh at the conclusion OF the tes,i-
mOny this morning, when he stated
that tests for candlepower and purify,
II made between noon and midnight, as
prescribed IN the law passed by Con
gress, must be the official tests.
The ruling means that the companies
Will have TO drop their contention that
one test is not sufficient, but that GO
average should be taken In order TO as
I certain whether or not the law regar1-
ing candIepower and purity is being
complied with.
Witness Statement.
The examination was brought up
{ through a statement made by the wit
ness to the effect that the four puri-
/ hers. used by the company. IN the sum-
mer Of 1907 were sufficient to handle
I the amount Of gas which passed
/ through the company's pipes at that
/ time.
How much gas was being manufac-
/ tured at the time only four purifiers
were used?" asked AS sistant Corpora
! ton Counsel Stevens.
/ About 100000 feet a Say. McIU-
/ heny responded.
witness then corrected himself Il think
Z IL was 900, 900 feet a day"
/ IF you do not know how much gas
| was passing through the pipes at that
/ time, how do you know that four puri-
/ fiers were sufficient 20 handle it2'
/ snapped Attorney Stevens
"It is my recollection that four were
/ sufficient"
Then you do not absolu,e.y know
| that four purifiers were enough 70 han
] die the gas that was being rnanufac-
! tured in the summer OF 1902
! 1T is only recollection that four were
! enough" the witness replied again
Candlepower Feature.
! The first part of the testimony taken
i this morning dealt with the candle
/ power feature, which formed a pTOmi-
! nent part Of the case The witness
admitted that the reports OF the d =
/ ferent testing stations did not show the
! average required. but said that he had
I discussed the discrepancy with the OF
/ fCials OF the company, and that both
I their and his interpretations Of the law
I was that the required CandlepOWeT and
/ purity should be shown by the average
/ Of the three stations and n~t each sta
! tlOn alone He also said J-at he had
never known the candlepOwer OF the
northwest, southeast. and central sta
tious TO be the same.
rs not the ave. age OF the central
7 station usually less than that OF the
other two2" Attorney Stevens asked on
CrOss-examinatiOn.
Il don't think Il is uniformly So
rs It not a fact that the candlepower
. Of the central station is less than the
. average Of the other twO7
1 Sometimes II Is higher than the
other stations. The averages viii show
whether IL is higher or lower. 1 can
not answer that"
Cross Examined
Following the testimony given upon
the candlepower feature, Mr.. McTll-
heny was subjected to a rigid cross-ex-
Continued on second Page)