The Washington times., 1913-09-12
GAS MERGER MAY
RESULT FROM SUIT
Consolidation of Washington
and Georgetown Companies
May Follow Action.

Consolidation of the Washington Gas
Light Company and the Georgetown
ias Light Company may follow the
Iction of the Commissioners in direct
ng the corporation counsel to begin
proceedings in the District Supreme
Court to dissolve the former corpora
ion on the ground that it is violating
he provisions of the La Toilette anti
merger act.
whether legislation will be necessary
,r whether the consolidation can be ac-
.omplished with the approval of the
Public Utilities Commission is a ques-
lion that will have to be determined
oy the corporation counsel. E.------.-
CORPORATION Counsel Thomas said this
morning that while no official considcTa-
ion has been given the questions, there
are certain provisions in the public utili-
ties bill which lead him to the opinion
that the two companies may be consoll- :
lated without additional LEGISLATION. and
with the approval Of the Public Utili-
lies Commission
Howard S. Reeside. vice president OF
{ the Washington Gas Light Company and
acting president in the bascense of Jo-
seph Letter, said today he is in favor
Of consolidation and declared the propo-
sition would have been presented before
had opportunity arisen.
. The plan meets also with the approval
Of Robert d. Weaver, president OF the
Georgetown Gas Light Company. Mr..
Weaver, however, Is Of the opinion that
( It would require an act of Congress.
~ have always been in Favor of con-
solidation,' said Mr.. Weaver today: u
think it is proper that the proposition
should come from the Washington Gas
Light Company, which is the stronger
company
In view of the intimation of the Cor
poration Counsel that the result desired
without additional legislation, no time,
1t is believed. will be lost by the Wash
tugton Gas Light Company in present
Ing the proposition that the two COM
panies be consolidated to the PUBLIC
Utilities Commission. Mr.. Reeside saio
held at once with the attorneys for the
gas companies with this course in view.
Denial is made by Mr. Reside that
the Washington Gas Light Company Is
controlling or voting the stock II holds
in the Georgetown Gas Light Company.
In behalf of the present directorate OF
the Washington Gas Light Company, he
disclairns all responsibility for the hold
ings of the other company. He says the
$3.50 shares of the Georgetown Gas
Light Company which the Washington
Gas Light Company holds were pur-
none of the present directorate Of the
Washington Gas Light Company has
in any way participated In the shares OF
the stock of that company. For the
past two years." he said, "the Wash
ington Gas Light Company has been
without the right of even voting the
stock"
That consolidation would benefit the
consumers is the opinion of both Mr..
Reeside and Mr. Weaver. The limits of
the gas companies are now fixed by
Rock Creek and one the west Consum-
ers west Of Rock Creek have 81 gas.
the price charged by the Geogretown
company, while the consumers east of
Washington Gas Light Company, have
6-cent gas. II there was only one COM
pany, 1t was said by Mr.. Reeside. the
price would be uniform throughout the
city.