Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-04-05
advert isement.)
GAS COMPANY HEARING ON
THE COUDREY BILL.
Committee on District of Columbia,
House of Representatives,
April 4, 1910.

Aprll 4, 1Jl"
The Chairman-The committee Will
come to order. and. as l understand IT,
Mr.. Hazelton will address the committee
first.
Mr.. Goldsborough-I want to say. if
the committee please, that we have some
testimony that we would like to intro
duce, and perhaps it would be adVanta-
geous all around if the testimony should
be concluded before Mr.. Hazelton opens
his argument And l would like to say,
further, to the committee, that this course
is for us a vitality important proposition,
involving. as 1t does, | understand 1t,
the constitutional rights of the COM
pany When we get through with the
testimony, l shall probably ask the COM
mittee to indulge me in an argument for
the company, to be male al subsequent
day, so that | may have an opportu
to fully present our side OF the case 10
the committee.
Mr. Pearre-It seems to me that the
suggestion of Mr.. Goldsborough is rea-
sonable one. and that the testimony
should be concluded before the argument
is made. i" =
Mr.. Goldsborough-I would like to say,
If the committee pleases. on behalf of
the company, that l think that this reso-
luton goes to the whole root of the con-
troversy that has been blooming here
for quite a number of years, and which
blooms perpetually. like the flowers in the
Spring, in reference to the general char
acter of the Gas Company and its general
attitude toward the public as a faithful
public servant. If the company is doing
its duty fairly, shall endeavor to
show that 1t has done, and is doing, of
course there is no reason to penaiize it.
This is an indictment practicaly-it is
more than Indictment: it is d judg-
ment against the company. in effect, in
case in which il is charged with no
offense.
The Chairman-Who is it that desires 20
be. heard upon this?
STATEMENT OF MR.. COTTER T.
BRIDE,
of Washington, D. c.
The Chairman-Please give your name
and your business
Mr.-Bride-My name is Cotter T. Bride,
and am in the real estate business now
/ own a. house on Pennsylvania avenue
which was occupied by a man by the
name of Sam Swain. He sold out, and
notified the gas company that he had
sold out. But they sent the bills to Sam
Swain only, but he had moved. They
found out that they could not get the
money from the man himself, so then
they sent the bill to me. and would not
turn on the gas until the bill was paid.
me. The bill was for S31.G0. They would
not turn on the gas.
Mr. Pearre-You say you went to court
What court did you go to?
Mr.. Bride-The Municipal Court
Mr.. Pearre-What was the decision OF
the court?
Mr.. Bride-The decision was against me,
but tine Judge told me: You carry it up
to the other court, and it will be all right !;
and with jury you will win. He de-
cided for the gas company. however. You
cannot get ahead of the gas company, and
what is the use of trying?
Mr.. Cary-Now, Mr.. Chairman, l would
like to have the clerk of the committee
read these letters to the committee.
have four letters here that / would like
TO have put in the record. two of them
being in answer to letters of mine. The
senators claim that we are now having an
investigation. and they say: why have
another?
The Chairman-The clerk will read the
letters.
The clerk read Mr.. Cary's letters and
the following replies to them:
April 2, 1910.
Hon. William J. Cary. House of Repre-
sentatives, Washington. D. c.
M Dear Sir: l am in receipt of your
letter of the LIST instant. in which you
state that Chairman Smith of the commit
tee on the District of Columbia of the
House CT Representative has appointed
you chairman of a subcommittee to in
vestigate the gas company here in Wash
ington, and in reply you are advised that
according 10 my information the chairman
of the committee on the District of CO.
lumbia is not authorized to take up the
joint invest cation without direct author
iy from the Senate. and | am not aware
that sjIcf authority has been granted.
observe from the public prints that the
gas company is now being investigated
by your committee, and ] hardly think
the Senate would feel justified in intrud-
ing upon that committee in attempt
ing to duplicate its work Very truly
yours,
tSigned) THOS. H. CARTER.
April l. 1910.
Hon. William j. Cary NJ c., House of
Representatives:
My Dear Mr.. Cary: amp in receipt of
your favor of yesterday. in witch YOU say
that Chairman Smith of the fouse COM
mittee on the District of Columbia has
appointed you chairman of subcommit-
tee To sit with the Senate subcommittee
to investigate the Gas Company in Wash
ington. and you ask me to tell you what
arrangements have been made for the
proposed investigation. In reply | beg to
say that l have been laboring under the
impression heretofore that the Senate
could manage such matters on its own
account. and | have also thought that
the House OF Representatives was equally
competent TO manage its affairs. | no.
ticed that in a recent discussion i'll the
House committee you suggested that
nothing but dynamite would start the
Senate committee in the matter OF an in
Vestigation of the gas company. and
now wonder whether or not you and your
subcommittee are to supply the dynamite
II we should conclude to act jointly
beg further to add that the Senate has
not as yet directed an investigation. II
that action shall be taken il will be per-
formed by the Senate committee without
any assistance
Permit me. very respectfully yours.
(Signed) ]. H.GALLINGER. Chairman
Mr.. Cary-Now you see how near we
are to an investigation in the Senate.
Mr. Rothermel-I wish to ask you a
question Mr.. Cary. You wrote the letter
on your own responsibility. and withou,
having called a meeting of the Subcom-
mttee. did you not?
Mr. Cary-I intended to call the sub
committee together. but in the meantime
Mr. Smith had tried to make some kline
of an arrangement previously. but ht
could get no satisfaction, so / thought
would write a letter TO see what salts
faction | could get and this is what
got.
STATEMENT Of MIR. ALEXANDER C
HUMPHREYS.
President of the Stevens Institute o
Technology.
The Chairman-.E.. HJC-aToy5 pAeas
state YOUR name and your business.
Mr. Observation-Disclosures c. Humph
reys president of the Stevens Insttut
of Technology, and in the gas business
Mr.. Pearre-You are a gas expert,
that it?
Mr. Humphreys am an operating ga
manager; president of the Buffalo Ga
Company I have been in charge of no
less than fifty gas companies during m
life.
Mr.. Coudrey-Are you a resident Q