The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1910-04-06
Gas Hearing Before
District Committee Of the House.
GAS COMPANY HEARING ON THE
COUDREY BILL.
Committee on District OF Columbia
House of Representatives,
AuriI 4 1910

assets. because that is the only thing
which can be representative OF the outlay
in money
Mr.. Humphreys-The outlay IN money!
Mr.. Goldsborough-Oh. no.
Mr.. Cox-Exclusive OF working capital.
Mr.. Goldsborough-The working capita.
is an asset TO be included. of course.
Mr.. Cox-Is II your Judgment Mr..
Humphreys, that the physical assets
would make it about 100000?
Mr.. Humphreys want to correct my
self or course the outlay covers a good
deal Of expenditure for working up of
business, If you are going TO value the
plant. there are a great many things that
you cannot find for which money has been
spent; in other words, a man never lived,
and no company ever existed-not this
company-that established It's business
without loss. and the companies should be
allowed to capitalize such necessary losses
under average quality of management
Mr.. Cox-That would be legitimate ex-
pense OF course. But my inquiry is di-
reoted 20 the ascertainment Of the value
Of the actual physical assets. Just give
them approximately, II you please.
Mr.. Humphreys-Up to July, 1909. can
give It 10 you pretty accurately-no.
cannot give that with perfect accuracy,
for the reason that just gave, because
the way 1t appears in the papers at hand
does not show the working capital sepa-
rately. But can state It in this way, that
upon that date the physical assets. such
as the plant. buildings. real estate, and
working capital land if you want 10 diff
ferentiate, as some of the witnesses did
the other day. as TO the meaning of
plant I mean by plant a manufac-
turing plant and distributing plant, in
Guiding meters).D then ! would make 1t at
that date. S9.2TS,7S0.
Mr. Cox-Then the only thing in the
5000. 900 which should be excluded in order
TO get at the actual cost Of the physical
assets would be your working capital?
Mr.. Humphreys-Yes, sir.
Mr.. Cox-And you don't know how much
that IS?
Mr.. Humphreys-No, but If 7 had a
little time I could give it, must have
that in some OF my papers.
Mr.. Cox-Is it your judgment that the
physical assets would make it about
100000?
Mr.. Humphreys-AboUt 100000; yes.
should say fully so. at this time
The Chairman-Nir. Aiken asked you
while ago TO state the prices of gas in
some OF the different cities, and as
remember it you got as far as New York
City. and were then interrupted I would
like TO have you complete the answer, II
you will.
Nh Humphreys-There has not been
very much change In the United States
during the last two years The most
accurate statement. because it takes in
all conditions, is a carefully compiled
statement made by Mr.. Glass. vice pres
ident OF the Milwaukee company. which /
have in hand. I can, however, give you
. little more recent statement from the
Browns Gas Directory, but it does not !
give you the complete analysis that this ,
statement OF Mr.. Glass does I will
give you the prices from Mr.. Glass
statement. and if I have any reason 10
think that there have been changes made,
l viii refer TO Browns Gas Directory.
There Is no use, Of course, in going into
the small companies. In Brooklyn they
are charging 50 cents under protest.
which is still in litigation-not actually IN
litigation, but it is open to litigation.
under the decision Of the Supreme Court
of the United States that they can re-
open the case if they can prove after a
years working, that the price is not
legitimate one.
Mr.. Rothermel-Are you sure Of that?
Mr. Humphreys-Oh, yes. I am deeply
concerned in that in connection with the
Buffalo plant
Mr. Cox-What is the rate there?
Mr.. Humphreys-One dollar.
Mr.. CoX-Gross or net?
Mr.. Humphreys-Th is net. II Is s.1O
with 10 cents Off for prompt payment
There has been a great deal of litigation
In regard TO New York State. For in
stance If you are referring 20 a previous
commission which was legislated out of
office on constitutional grounds. then thew
old make a number OF specific reductions.
but they were all wiped out by that body
being declared unconstitutional For in |
stance, at Buffalo they reduced the rate
to % cents. Cleveland is 70 cents hut. Of
course, the opportunity there to make q |
the low coal rate, but 1t is a low candle
power gas. and it is in competition with
natural gas. Cincinnati, for instance r.
is stated, has 5-cent gas. It IS 70 cents
to 50 cents, according TO the amount
burned, and that IS in competition with
natural gas. The amount OF gas sold
there for Illuminating gas now is COM
paratiyely small. It is rs to 80 cents. ac- |
cording TO what it is used for. and the |
amount OF sale.
Mr.. Goldsborough-I would Ike to ask |
with the permission OF the committee. |
with reference 20 Milwaukee.
Mr. Humphreys am coming 10 thar
in moment.
Mr. Goldsborough-I wanted YOU tn ex-
plain about the prices there.
The Chairman-You stated that there
was low candlepower al Cleveland.
What Is the candlepower?
Mr.. Humphreys think I can state
that in a moment. It used to b, about
l6 II was always a low eandle-pow.r
town. It is stated here as Is candle
nower
The ehairman.-What Is the candle
power in Washington?
Nj. H .mphreys.-For the last year it
has been little over 29h1k-23.g.
Mr. Aiken-What is the rate in Balti-
more? That would be a fair comparison
with Washington, It seems to me.
Mr.. Humphreys-The Baltimore rate is
81.
Mr.. Pearre.-Net?
Mr. Humphreys.-For The first 10000
feet per month il is 81.
Mr.. Rothermel-Is there a scale after