CORPORATIONS 973

prohibits the passage of a special law for a ease covered by an existing general law.
Westminster v. Consolidated Public Utilities Co., 132 Md. 378.

Cited but not construed in Ruark v. Engineers' Union, 157 Md. 585.

Cited in construing contract for sale of electricity. Cons. Gas, E. L. & Power Co. v.
United Rys. & El. Co., 76F (2d) 535.

See notes to secs. 305, 344 and 368.

An. Code, 1924, sec. 388. 1912, sec. 445. 1910, ch. 180, sec. 31| (p. 376).
1914, ch. 445, sec. 31 3/4.

399. The Commission shall have the general supervision of all persons
and gas corporations and electrical corporations and other corporations
having authority under any general or special law, or under any charter or
franchise, to lay down, erect or maintain wires, pipes, conduits, ducts or
other fixtures in, over or under the streets, highways and public places of
any municipality, for the purpose of furnishing or distributing gas, both
natural and artificial, or of furnishing, or transmitting electricity for light,
heat or power, or maintaining underground conduits or ducts for electrical
conductors.

Investigate and ascertain, from time to time, the quality of gas supplied
by persons and corporations, examine the methods employed by such per-
sons and corporations, in manufacturing, selling, delivering or supplying
gas or electricity for light, heat or power, and in transmitting the same, and
have power to order such improvements as will best promote the public
interests, preserve the public health and protect those using such gas or
electricity and those employed in the manufacture and distribution thereof,
or in the maintenance and operation of the works, wires, poles, lines, con-
duits, ducts and systems in connection therewith.

Have power by order, to fix from time to time such reasonable standards
as it may deem proper for the measurement of the purity of gas, and of the
illuminating power of gas, and of the heating power of gas, for lighting,
heating, or power purposes, whether natural gas distributed or sold, or gas
manufactured, distributed, or sold by persons or gas corporations for such
lighting, heating, or power purposes, and to prescribe from time to time the
efficiency of the electric supply system, of the current supplied, and of the
lamps furnished by the persons or electrical corporations generating and
selling electric current, and by order to require said natural or other gas
to equal the standards so fixed by it, and to prescribe from time to time the
reasonable minimum and maximum pressure at which said natural or other
gas shall be delivered by said persons or gas corporations.

For the purpose of determining whether said natural or other gas for
lighting, heating or power purposes conforms to said standards of illumi-
nating power, heating power, purity and pressure, and for the purpose of
determining whether the efficiency of the electric supply system and the
current supplied and the lamps furnished conforms with the orders issued
by the Commission, the Commission shall have power of its own motion to
examine and investigate the plants and methods employed in manufactur-
ing, distributing, delivering and supplying said natural or other gas or
electricity, and shall have access through its members or persons employed
and authorized by it to make such examinations and investigations, to all
parts of the manufacturing or other plants so owned, used or operated for
the manufacture, transmission, distribution or delivery of said natural or
other gas or electricity by any such person, gas or electrical corporation.
Any employee or agent of the Commission who divulges any fact or
information which may come to his knowledge during the course of any
such inspection or examination, except in so far as he may be directed by