The Washington times., 1911-01-19
Subsidiary Corporation.

Tic anu dlSO upon
public service corporation-the Wash
ington Gas Light Company.
Subsidiary Corporation.
The Potomac Electric Power Company
Is subsidiary corporation of the Wash
lngton Railway and Electric Company.
The Great Falls Power Company, which
holds large share of the water rights
at Great Falls, is controlled by the
Washington Railway and Electric Com
pany.
In the same bill the House Appro-
priations Committee seeks justice for
the people of the District of Columbia
at the hands of their transportation,
light, and power company, and denies
them justice at the hands of the same
corporation.
To appreciate the full extent of the
Inconsistency of the House Appropria-
dons Committee, It is necessary TO con-
slider the two items side by side.
The item concerning arc lamps author
ICES the District Commissioners to settle
with the Potomac Electric Power Com
pany, paying the company an amount
which, in the opinion of the Commits
sioners, is fair, considering that ZOO
candlepower lamps instead of 1,OOO-
candlepower lamps have been used.
Period of 0vercharge.
The period of overcharge extended
from the fall of 1901 to November !, 1910,
but the Commissioners are directed to
go back only as far as the date of the
present contract, July l, 1909. The light
Company'S bills have not been paid since
November I AhNnt S1S n0 iS dino fhnuo
under the contract.
The Commissioners will, substantially,
exact a rebate fON< the period from July
!. 1909, to November l, 1910. There is
serious question whether even that will
make up for the OverCharge of ten
years, although a credit will be allowed
the company because the inClOsed arc
adopted in 1901 was, in some respects
before that date, despite the fact that
the inclosed arc did not meet the re-
Quirements of the law.
This item the committee was de-
termined should go in the bill, in order
that at least partial reparation should
be made by the light company for
charging for 1,0OO-candlepower and fur
niShing only 700,
Item to Prepare Plans.
But the item for the Great Falls
project was stricken out, although it
provided experts Should be employed to
prepare complete plans. maps, specif-
cations. and estimates for the produc-
ton, distribution, and utilization of the
maximum electrical power that can be
economically created and employed for
public purposes, including street light
ing in the District of Columbia" The
the basis for contract or contracts for
the execution of the work
This provision for possible benefits
for the Government, the District, and
the people of Washington, is denied by
the House Appropriations Committee.
In other words, in the face of the rec
UmmenGatiOn of the Commissioners,
that the development of Great Falls
power seems feasible, the House APP
1ropriatiOnS Committee refuses to con-
sent to an expenditure of $4,000 to de-
termine positively whether the project
is feasible.
Chairman Tawney of the committee
explains the failure of the committee
10 incorporate the Great Falls item in
the District appropriation bill on the |
ground that if would be subject to OBJ |
lection by a single member on a point |
of order and might be thrown out be- |
cause it was new legislation. He says
It would have been useless to put the |
item in, as it would have been certain |
TO have met death on the floor.
This consideration did not deter the |
committee from Il6
bill a number of other |
items of new legislation. The provision |
for $4,000 for municipal asphalt plant /!
ts new legislation; so is the change In |
the method of control of the refOrma- |
tory and workhouse. the conversion of |
Willow Tree alley into an interior park, |
the new schedule of gas and electric |
light rates, and numerous other items.
All these are subject to the same |
point of order that threatened the
Great Falls appropriation, but the COM
mittee did not omit them for this rea-
son. On the contrary, the committee
put them in and, presumably, will make
4 fight for them If objection is made 10
them on the floor.
Another advantage in leaving the item
in would be that the people of the
and of the District would have
known just who it was who objected
to the investigation of a project op-
posed to the interests of the Washing
ton Railway and Electric Company and
the Washington Gas Light Company, If
any objection were made. AS it is,
the interests Of these corporations are
without the wholesome effect
that would be produced if any member
nf the House publicly defended them
and publicly proclaimed himself antag
onistic to a proposal calculated to ad-
vance the interests of the citizens of
Washington.
Only Hope This Session.
The only hope for an appropriation at
this session now lies in the House it.
self or in the Senate. It is extremely
unlikely that the item could be inserted
IN the House bill on the floor over the
protest, especially as the
number of members who are particu-
arly active in the Districts interests
are mighty few, and as the amendment
would be subject to point of order and
could be thrown out if a single objec-
ion were made.
1t is possible the Senate Appropria-
ions Committee might be, induced to
insert the item when it considers the
District appropriation bill.
The decision of the House committee
was reached, it is understood, before the
leighton report on the Great Falls pow
ar scheme had been made. This report
IS so much more encouraging than any
heretofore made, and points a method
If power development so much more
practicable than any hitherto suggested,
hat it is considered possible the Senate
committee may see the advantage of an
of $4,000 for further in
1IIirV