Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-08
OK. FOR UTILITY BILL
Senate Committee Orders Re-
port on Revised Measure.
CONTROL MADE DRASTIC
Works Satisfied With Redraft and
Gallinger Is Silent.
EARLY PASSAGE EXPECTED
Commissioners Rudolph and Judson
and Corporation Counsel
Thomas in Conferences.
EARLY PASSAGE EXPECTED

n revised public utility bill. based on
the Gallinger bill which has been before
the Senate. but embodying many Of the
important features of the Works SUBJ
stitute. was ordered reported by the Sem
ate District committee at a special meet
ing held this morning
In many features the control over the
operations OF the local public utilities
companies is made more drastic than was
proposed in the Gallinger bill
The restrictions and regulations Of new
issues of stocks. bonds and other securi-
ties are made more stringent, in line with
the provisions of the Works substitute
and the control of the commission over
such issues and over the purchase of the
stock or bonds Of one company by an
other is enlarged. The extent to which
one company may use the tracks or lines
of another is left to the commission to
determine. it is understood. and not limit
ed to $500 feet, as proposed in the CALM
ger bill.
Secrecy Is Maintained.
Great secrecy regarding the action
taken at today's meeting was maintained
by Senator Gallinger. the chairman of
the committee, and by Senator Works.
who backed the more drastic substitute
measure as against Mr.. Gallinger's bill.
Mr.. Works announced that the result
meeting-was very satisfactory to him.
Senator Gallinger would say nothing ex-
cept that the bill had been put into his
hands for redrafting.
Judson and Corporation Counsel Thomas
met with the Senate District committee
for the purpose Of going over the differ
ences between the Gallinger and Works
bills.
They had been printed in parallel col
umns; and the differences were easily
seen. Senator Works, who had attacked
the Gallinger bill on the floor of the
Senate on the ground that it was paraded
as the corporation counsers bill while
his bill was in reality the corporation
counsers bill, was prepared with amend
ments to the Gallinger bill to embrace
the features of his bill not already in
cluded.
Section Causing Discussion.
Over section of the bill there was
some discussion. The Gallinger bill pro-
posed to limit to 2, 500 feet the permanent
use of trackage Of one company by an
other: and Mr.. Works substitute would
place no limit upon the joint use. The
commission is to fix the amount of COM
pensation to be paid the owning line by
the using line in case they do not agree
between themselves.
This limitation to $500 feet was the
sub ject of attack on the floor Of the Sen
ate when the Gallinger bill was up for
consideration. Senator John Sharp VIII
liams pointed out that suburban lines
would want to run their cars to the Gen.
ter of the city, that probably more than
one line would want to run on Pennsyl.
vania avenue between the Capitol and
the White House and that this limitation
would prevent that.
Early Action Expected.
The Works substitute, which Senator
Works said was the draft prepared by
the corporation counsel OF the District fol
the Commissioners, contained severa
stringent sections regarding the issue o
new stocks or bonds not in the Gallingel
bill.
Several Of these, Senator Works insist
ed. should be incorporated In the meas
ure. and the majority OF the committed
agreed to that.
Senator Gallinger will work with Cor
poration Counsel Thomas in preparing
the redraft Of the bill, and 1t probably
will be before the Senate again within
few days. AS Senator Works has beer
satisfied by the compromise measur,
adopted today, 1t is expected that the re
vised bill will go through the Senate
quickly.