Chapter 335. Relating to the sale of gas in the District of Columbia
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CHAP. 335.— An Act Relating to the sale of gas in the District of Columbia. June 6, 1896. *Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled*, That the Washington GaslightDistrict of Columbia.Gas, in Washington.Price to consumers. Company of the District of Columbia is authorized to charge and collect, after the first day of July, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, for illuminating gas furnished to and paid for by private consumers in the District of Columbia, at the rate of not exceeding one dollar and ten cents per thousand cubic feet, until the first day of July, nineteen hundred and one, after which last-named date the rate shall not exceed oneTo the Government. dollar per thousand cubic feet; and that after the first day of July, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, the Washington Gaslight Company of the District of Columbia shall furnish to the United States Government and the District of Columbia gas at the rate of one dollar per thousand cubic feet: *Provided*, That if consumers other than the Government shall*Proviso*.Extra charge if not paid in ten days. not pay monthly any gas bill within ten days after the same shall have been presented, said company may charge and collect from said consumer so failing to pay said bill as aforesaid one dollar and twenty-five cents per thousand cubic feet for the gas furnished to said consumer during said month.
Sec. 2. That the Georgetown Gaslight Company, doing business inGas, in Georgetown.Price to consumers. that part of the District of Columbia formerly known as Georgetown, is authorized to charge and collect, after the first day of July, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, for illuminating gas furnished to, and paid for, by private consumers in that part of the District of Columbia, at the rate of not exceeding one dollar and thirty-five cents per thousand cubic feet, until the first day of July,To the Government. nineteen hundred and one, after which last-named date the rate shall not exceed one dollar and twenty-five cents per thousand cubic feet; and that after the first day of July, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, the said Georgetown Gaslight Company shall furnish to the United States Government and the District of Columbia gas at the rate of one dollar and twenty-five cents per thousand cubic feet: *Provided*, That if consumers, other than the Government,*Proviso*.Extra charge if not paid in ten days. shall not pay monthly any gas bill within ten days after the252FIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
Sess. I. Ch. 335. 1896. same shall have been presented, said company may charge and collect from said consumer so failing to pay said bill as aforesaid one dollar and fifty cents per thousand cubic feet for the gas furnished said consumer during said month. Sec. 3. Illuminating power required.Vol. 18, p. 277.That section one of an Act entitled “An Act regulating gas works,” approved June twenty third, eighteen hundred and seventy-four, is amended so as to read as follows: “That from and after the thirtieth day of June, eighteen hundred and ninety-six, the illuminating power of the gas furnished by any gaslight company, person, or persons in the District of Columbia shall be equal to twenty-five candles by the Bunsen photometer, using the Bray slit union burner numbered seven, consuming five cubic feet of gas per hour; and such gas shall not contain more than twenty grains of sulphur in any form in one hundred cubic feet, nor more than five grains of ammonia in any form in one hundred cubic feet, and shall be free of the impurity known as ‘sulphureted hydrogen,’ said impurity to be determined by passing the gas through a glass vessel containing strips of bibulous paper moistened with a solution of the acetate of lead, and if any discoloration of the test paper is found to have taken place this is to be held conclusive as Penalty for departures from standard.to the presence of sulphureted hydrogen in the gas.
When the illuminating gas supplied by tiny company, person, or persons in the district of Columbia shall at any one time be of less illuminating power or of less purity than according to the standard just heretofore given, it shall be so reported by the inspector of gas and meters to the company, person, or persons supplying the same, who shall be subject to a penalty of one hundred dollars, to be recovered before the proper tribunal and paid into the treasury of the District of Columbia aforesaid for each *Proviso*.Accidents.and every day during which such violation shall continue: *Provided, however*, That if it shall appear that such deviation from the above named standards could not have been prevented by ordinary care and prudence, but was occasioned by some unavoidable causes, then the said penalty shall not be enforced.
” Sec. 4. Penalty for using unsealed meters.That any gas company or person placing a gas meter in service in the District of Columbia, that has not been inspected, proved, and sealed, as provided for by the Act of March third, eighteen hundred and seventy-three, entitled “An Act making appropriations for the expenses of the government of the District of Columbia for the fiscal year ending June thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety four, and for other purposes,” for each and every such violation of said Act shall be subject to a penalty of one hundred dollars, to be recovered before the *Proviso*.Temporary use.proper tribunal of the District of Columbia: *Provided*, That if the United States Inspector of Gas and Meters is unable through press of business, or any accidental cause, to test and inspect and seal meters, proposed to be set, then the company shall be at liberty to place an unsealed gas meter on any premises, the same to be replaced by a, sealed meter as soon as sealed meters can be procured from the inspector, not later than forty-eight hours.
Sec. 5. Stock limited.That neither the Washington Gaslight Company nor the Georgetown Gaslight Company shall hereafter issue any greater number of shares of stock than shall be equal to the actual cash value of said plants and necessary cost of the construction of future extensions or future enlargement of plants, which cash value and cost of extensions shall first be ascertained and authorized upon petition therefor to the supreme court of the District of Columbia, under such regulations Bonds.as the chief justice and the justices thereof shall prescribe; also if either of the said corporations shall desire hereafter to issue bonds upon their property, secured by mortgage or otherwise, upon petition therefor to said court, setting forth the necessity thereof and the amount of stock issued and outstanding, it may and shall be lawful for said court, or the chief justice and justices thereof, as the case may be, or one of them, upon public notice, to be prescribed by the rules of said court, to permit *Provisos*.Limit of stock and bonds.the issuance of such bonds and mortgage as desired: *Provided*, That the amount of stock and bonds issued shall not exceed the actual cashFIFTY-FOURTH CONGRESS.
Sess. I. Chs. 335–337. 1896.253 value of said plants and the cost of such extensions or enlargement of plants: *And provided further*, That the Washington Gaslight CompanyConversion of certificates. is hereby authorized to issue such additional amount of capital stock as will provide for the conversion into such stock of its outstanding certificates of indebtedness, which conversion of said certificates is hereby authorized to an amount not exceeding six hundred thousand dollars.
Sec. 6. That Congress reserves the right to alter, amend, or repealAmendment, etc. this Act. Approved, June 6, 1896.