The Washington times., 1910-03-09
More Thorough Probe Than
First Intended Now
Expected.
SENATE AND HOUSE
MAY JOIN FORCES
Combined inquiry Would Pesult
In Marked Changes, Is
General Belief.

The investigation OF the Washington
Gas Light Company, provided for in
a resolution ado oted by the Senate Com
mittee on Corporations Organized IN the
District OF Columbia, today. gives prom
ise OF being more sweeping and thorough
than originally expected.
The House District Committee this
morning decided 20 confer with the
Senate comittee. with the view OF hold
ing a joint investigation Into the gen
eral gas problem by both houses Of
Congress
II the Senate committee decides i'm IA
vor OF point investigation II means
that out OF the inquiry not only Will
Grow model legislation FOR the control
OF capitalization Of public service cor
poraucns IN the District, but that a fur
ther reduction in the price OF gas fur
nlshed 10 residents of the District. very
likely Will be the result
Price of Gas.
The decision OF the House District
Committee was made in connection with
bill now before that committee which
provides that the price OF gas sold in
the District shall not exceed so cents
a thousand cubic feet. The bill was
reported by the subcommittee on edu-
cation, labor, and charities. with the
recommendation that il be made the
subject Of a series OF hearings. and that
IL be otherwise eNhaustively investI-
gated.
When the bill was brought I'D AT the
meeting Of the full committee this
morning. the suggestion was made chat
IN view OF the Senate committee having
determined 20 conduct a general gas In
vestigatiOn, now would be q splendid
opportunity for the House committee to
Join forces with it and specialize on the
feature or gas shares. II was pointed
out that By working together in this
. manner the two committees could go
over the entire gas situation in the Dis
trlct and conduct a more thorough in
vestigatiOn than would be possible -
( the work be done independently
This suggestion seemed 10 impress the
members OF the committee so fayOraby
that the recommenda1ou of the subcorn-
In..tee lll... pro vlolHf tor P7.ate inquiry
was instructed to confer with the Sen
ate committee and ascertain If the uTO-
posed joint investigation could be made.
In the event Of a decision 10 this effect
being reached, Chairman Smith viii ap-
point a subcommittee of five members
10 represent the House In the investiga-
tiOu.
House Wants Action.
Should the proposed joint investigation
fail to materialize. il is regarded as
practically certain that the House COM
mittee viii conduct an inquiry Of its
own into the specific problem OF gas
prices. However. the two bills which
would be considered BY a joint inquiry
cover the whole sItua ton so thorough
ly that there IS little doubt that tue
SenSts committee viii not readily favor
the JOINT investi cation.
The House District Committee this
morning reported hve measures and
tabled an equal number. The bills re-
ported are the following
II. X. 1902, eua bling the TelepSst Com
pany 70 transact a general business IN
The District OF Columbia
Il. r 2-350 requiring telegraph COM
paniCs in the LIstrCt 10 pay "a tax on
gross receipts.
"a. r. 1886, authorizing the extension
Of Princeton place northwest from
Georgia avenue 10 ROCK Creek Church
road.
H. r 1854. authorizing the extension
OF Van RUren street from its present
eastern terminus west of Fifth street
10 It's presen western terminus east OF
Third street. with a width Of ninety
feet.
Ii. r. 1882 authorizing the extension
OF Underwood street from its present
western terminus east OF Piney Branch
road 10 Piney Branch road with q width
Of ninety feet
The following measures were tabled:
r. r. 1873, providing Tor a superIu-
tendent Of buildings and supplies unSer
the Board Of Education I'm the District.
II. r. 1870. making it unlawful TO fly
kites or send up balloons upon or over
any street or avenue
H. r 220l providing that medical in
SpeCtOrs shall not reply upon principals
or teachers to select the children In The
public schools who are I'm need Of med
ical inspection.
II. r. 1920 requiring the paying Of
tax Of so a week on baseball grounds
r. h 2l2A, authorizing the purcha
Of lands for widening Park road.
The committee held over for future
consideration : So, authorizing the
closing of a park on FOrty-first street
northwest, between Warren and Yuma
streets.