Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-01
SUCCESS HELD DOUBTFUL
Volume of Business in Senate Likely
to Prevent Enactment.
THREE AMENDMENTS MAD
Half-and-Half Principle Inserted
and Maintenance of Competition
Is Provided For

After the Senate had amended the Gal |
linger public utilities bill yesterday aft
ernoon TO provide that the cost of admin |
istration shall be paid half by the District
of Columbia and half by the United
States and to prohibit the ownership by
one public utility company of stock in an
other competing public utility company,
and had amended it by striking out the
provision for depreciation account, Sen
ator Gallinger gave notice that he would
try TO have the measure passed by the
Senate this afternoon.
Many senator's think that is impossible,
because Of the volume of business sched-
uled for the Senate today. Besides Sena-
tor Bristow's speech on the Stephenson
case, Senator Works expects to urge his
substitute for the Gallnger public utili-
tics bill The substitute is d lengthy meas
urc, more radical in many particulars
than the Gallinger bill, and it is felt it
will stir up considerable discussion.
The public utilities measure was taken
up I'm the Senate late yesterday afternoon. |
for the first time in two weeks. When |
last considered. the Senate had adopted |
the committee amendments. chiefly the |
one striking out the section prohibiting |
one public utility company from acaur- |
ing the stocks or bonds of another COM
,peting company without authority oil |
Congress written permission of the |
public utilities commission. This was
stricken out by reason of the objection 10 |
giving the commission such power and In |
view OF the prohibition of present law
against one company using its funds 10
buy stock in a competing company
Amendment Is Amended.
Senator Galinger yesterday afternoon |
urged the adoption of new section 10
take the place of that stricken out which |
would absolutely prohibit one public utii- |
ity corporation from acquiring the |
stock of a competing corporation.
Would the Senator from New Hamp-
4 shire" Senator Bailey of Texas asked, |
when the amendment had been read,
"agree to an amendment to the amend |
ment which. in addition to prohibting the
REQUIREMENT of stock by a corporation |
in another corporation, would also forbid
the ownership of it,?
Il would agree to that, MI. Gaihhsei
replied.
The amendment was amended in &C
cordance with that suggestion. and the
whole amendment was then agreed TO-
When the bill was under consideration
hast time Senator Cummns of Iowa had
objected to the section dealing with |
depreciation" account and the use 70
which ii could be put. MT Cummlns
contended there was no more reason LOT |
a depreciation account than for an |
appreciation" account, and no provision
was made for the latter. He thought |
there was no need Tor provislon III .e
vi6ing proper repairs were allowed eacn
year.
In meeting the objection of Mr.. Cum |
MINIS although Mr.. Cumnins was not IN
the Senate at the time. Senator Gallinger |
moved to strike out the section
Provision Of Section.
The section affected provided: THAT
every public utility shall carry proper |
and adequate depreciation account when |
ever the commission. after investigation, |
shall determine that such depreciation
account can be reasonably required. The |
commission shall ascertain and determine |
what are the proper and adequate rates
of depreciation of the several classes OF
property Of each public utility. These
rates shall be such will provide the
amounts required over and above the
expense of maintenance to keep sucn
property in a state of efficiency corre-
spending to the progress OF the industry
Each public utility shall conform its de-
probation accounts to such rates SO as
certained and determined by the commits
sion. The commission may make changes
in such rates of depreciation from time
TO time as ii may find to be necessary.
The commission shall also prescribe
rules, regulations and forms of accounts
public utility is required to carry into
effect. The commission shall provide for
such depreciation in fixing the rates. tolls
and charges to be paid by the public.
"A
i'm new constructions. extensions or addi-
tons to the property Of such public util-
ity, or invested, and, II invested. the in
come from the investments shall also be
carried in the depreciation fund. This
fund and the proceeds thereof shall be
used for no other purpose than as pro-
yided in this section and for depreciation
unless with the consent and by order Of
the commission.
Senator Gallinger moved another
amendment. to meet objections made
by residents of the District and fire.
quently expressed in letters to Chair
man Gallinger and during public meet
ings In the National Capitalize Objec- |
ton TO putting all the administration
cost on the District of Columbia and
not on the half -and-half plan in ac-
cordance with the organic act. The
bill had appropriated $4,000 'out Of
the revenues of the District of Column
bia.'
The Section Adopted.
The new section which was adopted,
provides:
That the sum of $40, 900, or so much
thereof may be necessary, is hereby
appropriated to carry out the pro-
visions of this act. one-half out of rev.
enues of the District of Columbia and
one-half out of any moneys in the
Treasury not otherwise appropriated.
and all moneys received from fines.
forfeitures and penalties shall be paid
into the Treasury of the United States,
one-half TO the credit of the District
s of Columbia"
Senator Gallinger had no more
changes to propose. and Senator Works
brought up his substitute. The changes
lust made he said corrected some Of
the features which his substitute was
designed to correct. He desired time
however, to explain to the Senate the
differences between his substitute and
the Gallinger bill, and asked to be
given time for that today. An agree
ment to that effect was reached. both
Senator'S Gailinger and Works express
ing a desire for the early passage of
the measure.
cOI.n STORAGE A ROOM