Mr. SCHENCIQ. I move now to strike out the proviso, which is as follows: Provided. That in order to enable the Washington GasLightCompnn to extend their pipes and to acconimodatethe public in the remoter parts of the city. said compangoghsereby authorized to increase its capital stock 8,000, an cct to the sameliability as is provided in the 11th section of the original act of incorporation, approved July 81. I will very frankly admit that I know upon this subject, I think, pretty nearly as much as almost any other member of this House, and that is scarcely anything at all. Although it is upon the subject of gas, we are legislating, I think, very much in the dark. This much, however, do know, that Congress last year added something near 50%., at any. rate a “ very large proportion, of increase to the cost of gas in this cit, making it a very expensive necessary indee and now it is proposed, in order to enable the Washington EnsLight Company to extend their pipes to accommodate the public in the reine ter parts of the city, to authorize the company to increase its capital stock $500000, subject to the same liability as is provided in the original act of incorporation. 500,000 dollars would incor porate a pretty respectable gas company in almost any of our towns; but as a mere incidental increase to its existing capital stock it is proposed that this company shall now be permitted to add $500,000. Now, it may be or" it may not be that having made gasmaking a very profitable business here, by largely increasing e, cost of the article, the stock has become so valuable that it will bear watering, and that this proviso means that or something like it. I do not know that that is so, but putting the 2 things together, the large increase of the cost of gas last ear, with the not very perceptible increase of cilities afforded forgetting about, by means of the better lighting of the streets, I am inclined to suspect that in this proposition to add $500,000 to the capital stock there may be a project for watering stock which has now become so valuable that it will bear a little dilution. If I am mistaken in that I shall be glad tohave this proviso explained by the chairman of the ComAppropriat, who has introduced the appropriation and recommended it to the favorable consideration of the House.