Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-14
DISTRICT BILLS PASS
House Acts on Several Street
Improvement Measures.
GAS LEGISLATION SCORED
Badly Drawn Up, Declares Repre-.
sentative Mann.
NOT WORTH THE PAPER USED
Objects to Give Power to Penalize
Consumer Who Fails to Pay
Bills on Time.
NOT WORTH THE PAPER USED

After the passage of the pension ap-
! preparation bill yesterday afternoon the
remainder OF the day, until Adjournment
! was devoted to District business.
| Following are the bills that were passed
H. r. 1916. authorizing certain changes
| in the permanent. system Of highways OF
the District of Columbia.
II. r. 226SS for the opening Of 18th
street northwest from Longfellow street
to 14th street or Piney Branch road.
g. 6o10, to provide for the extension OF
Reno road.
H. r. 213s1, for the purchase Of land
for widening Park road.
8. E661. to amend the act incorporating
the Sanitary Housing Company.
II. r. 244te. providing for lighting We
hicles in the District.
Gas Bills Objected To.
Both the Cary bill, to reduce the price
Of gas in the District of Columbia to 50
cents a thousand cubic feet. and the Cou-
drey resolution, to prohibit the Washing
ton Gas Light Company from increasing
its existing Indebtedness. were called UP
| by Chairman Smith o. the District of CO.
lulnbia committee. Representative Mann
OF Illinois. severely criticising the meas
ures as mot worth the paper written on, -
objected to their consideration.
Referring to the Cary price-reduction
bill. Mr.. Mann said:
81 would like to ask the gentleman in
! charge Of the bill in reference to one
. reduction Of 10 cents thousand Or
more where gas bills are paid promptly.
and that is contemplated by this bill. The
ordinary practice is to take the rate that
is permitted and make a reduction from
that rate. This bill fixes the rate at 80
authorize the gas company to add on 10
per cent as a penalty. What authority
Is there for us to enact legislation au-
thorizing one man to assess penalty
against another and collect it?''
"Oh, that does not worry u.s." Repre-
sentative Fitzgerald Of New York com
mented.
mo" replied Mr. Mann. '.but It ma,
worry Mr.. Cary to furnish US the infor
nation
"AIy bill'' said Mr.. Cary, was origi
nally for SO-cent gas. In order to ge,
the bill before the House I was satisfied
to let It go that way"
II have seen some gas legislation here
that was ineffective" declared Mr.. Mann
although do not think 1t was the design
Of the committee to make 1t SO. ! am in
clined to think this bill is not worth the
paper that It is written on, and for that
reason. for the present, object
Flaws in Coudrey Bill.
When the Coudrey resolution. was
called up. Immediately afterward, Mr.
Mann said:
II would like to ask whether, under
this resolution, it would be possible for
the gas company to borrow any money
without having the express consent Of
Congress, which might mean anything
spent for current Indebtedness or current
EXPENSES" ,.-...s.
TT was claimed by their attorney that
they could not" Chairman Smith replied.
WELL" said Mr.. Mann, III q gas COM
pany could enter into q contract for the
purchase Of supplies, it could not give
any evidence OF Indebtedness for that or
for any other purposes under this bill.
What possesses the committee to report a
bill like that to the House, with any ex-
pectation OF passing 1t by unanimous con-
sent? Let us have an explanation why
you want it passed at all.
II take it the committee wants the gov
eminent to properly guard the issuance
Of stocks and bonds by the gas COM
panies or any other public utility com
panies in the District of Columbia, which
is q matter that may be properly resu-
there for saying that q gas company
shall give no kind Of paper or contract or
anything that Is an evidence Of indebt-
edness?"
Mr.. Smith. ut makes but little difference
about the passage Of this legislation, that
the gas company would be able to collect
dividends upon the value Of the prop
erty."
Street Improvement Debated.