The Washington herald., 1909-02-20

Tie Senate District Committee yester-
day reported favorably a bill to reduce
the price Of illuminating gas 10 30 cents.
define The quality Of the product OF the
two companies in Washington. and also
10 regulate the capital stock OF the COM
panies
The bin was substituted as al amend
ment 20 The measure passed by the House
December i. in which the price OF gas
was fixed al $ cents The substitute
originally vas introduced in the Senate
by Senator Gallinger
The bin wiz De called I'D in TIE Senate
within the next few days, and II is be-
heved il VIII find but little opposition.
The action OF the Senate committee in
substituting the Gailinger bill may cause
A complicated situation. as it Is doubtful
= the House viii agree 10 the measure
without offering several amendments At
any rate the House viii disagree 10 the
action Of the Senate, and some joint
action VIII be necessary.
May Go 20 Committee.
The bill is so different from the one
Introduced by Representative Sims. which
covers the price. quality. and capitalize
lion ef the companies. that It is not be-
Eeved il viii be approved II may be
THAI, instead Of referring II 70 Senate
and House conferees, il viii be necessary
20 send II 10 the House District Commit
tee In that event It viii probably be
several days after il comes from the Sen
ate before il can be acted upon
The bill as 1t now stands fixes the price
q gas sold in the District OF Columbia
at 90 cents per 1.ooo cubic feet The date
~ which this price goes into effect is
July J. It also requires the Illuminating
product 70 be Of % candle power and tn
contain not more than % Per cent carbon
monoxide
The bill also provides that within ninety
days after the passage Of the act every
corporation manufacturing gas in the Dis
triet shall begin proceedings in the Su-
prene Court 10 have q valuation OF their
properties. The valuation shall be made
by board Of appraisers appointed by
the court The board shall also report
the amount OF stock bonds and certif-
Gates Of Indebtedness 70 be outstanding
against the corporation petitioning.
Regulates capitalization,
It IS also provided that the total amount
of capital stock Of the Washington Gas
light Company shall not be more than
3, 90 unless the certificates OF indebt-
edness shall first have been converted
INTO capital stocks. nor more than $1,000
90. including the certificates OF indebted
ness. The limit OF the capital stock Of
the Georgetown Gaslight Company is
fixed al $50, DO. including the certificates
Of Indebtedness
The bill also specifies that II either
company desires 10 issue bonds. il cannot
oe done without first petitiOning the
court. and that Il Il is deemed necessary.
the Commissioners may issue the permit
for such issuance
The Sims bin provided that IN the val
uation OF the properties Of the gas com
panies the appraisers should not take
t1tO consideration the value OF the fran
chise OF good viii Il also directed that
the dividends OF s per cent should be
paid and that every time the company re
dUced the price OF gas cent il could
increase the dividends one-ffth Of I per
cent.
VIII Get District Day.
Chairman Smith, Of the House District
Committee. Is confident he can obtain
permission TO have another day set aside
for consideration OF legislation pertaining
10 the District he was in conference
yesterday with Speaker Cannon and told
that Official that II ne is granted this per-
mission he VIII not call UP the Olcott bill
regulation admission to the Government
Hospital for the Insane or the bill Gre
ating a teachers retirement fund. These
rwo measures have been bitterly attacked
by many CT the members OF the House.
and Mr.. Smith believed that BY making
the announcement he would not try TO
pass them, he would stand a better
chance OF having the day set aside for
aim.
Il had been announced that the meas
uTes relating 10 these two questions |
could not pass the S rate, and Mr. /
Smith said yesterday that ne had In
tended bringing up all the other District !
measures before he called them. any
way
The House viii begin consideration OF
the sUndry civil appropriation bill to /
day or Monday, and as soon as that Is /
finished the consideration Of the diplo- /
matte appropriation bill viii be called /
up II is thought these vin be out of the /
way about the middle Of next week. and /
that Thursday or Friday can be given /
up 10 the District Of Columbia.