New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-07-11
PUBLIC MEETINGS.
COMMITTEE on LAMPS AND GAS.

COMMITTEE ON LAntN AMI OAp.
ne Committee on Lamps and Gas Of the Board Of
coaocilmen met yesterday afternoon IL the Council
gambler to consider the petition Of the Metropolitan
~. Company for permission to ay mains through the
cav and also to bear the objections urged by the
Manhattan Gas Company against granting the prayer
1rthe petitioners. Messrs. Pnckney, Purdy, Moore
and Floyd Of the Committee were in attendahce-the
iormer presiding
Mr.. PIscKsEY read the petition Of the Metropolitan
Gas Company, the features Of which The TRIBUNE
has already presented to its readers.
Mr. Fox, President of the New-YOrk Gas Light
Company presented toe objections Of that Company
in writing II set forth that the Company had from
time 10 time for thirty years expended
immense sums for apparatus, under the De-
lief that tie buriness would be sec1red 10
them During that period they have never failed to
suppv all OF The gAs that needed by the Clty or
ANY OF IL citizens and at cheaper rate man IN any
other City in the Union with the exception OF Pits'
burgh. The contract fof hgbthg the lamps OF me
Corpo alton hos been 20 the Co2panye great loss for
many years This Company has gradually lowered
n. Ice of Gas from 81 to 30 cents hundred feet
The cost of material and improved processes of manu-
f,c,ure has enabled them to do. la Philadelphia,
bfe $40 per lamp il cssrgel to the city, the Com
psny reports loss last year IN lighting $50 lamps Of
sl;795 Il. The lamps of this City lighted for
KS and Of course the loss TO the New-York Compa-
sss must be proportionately larger. The Company
york al over that pare of the City supplied by them
70 grant the petition Of the Metropolitan Company
you'd involve inextrcable confusion between the
20 Companies il would be impossible to distinguish
~ ppeS of Company from those Of the other the
,eets would constantly be broken up for repairs or
,t,retous and the result would be that the public in
he end would be great losers by the proposed
mont.
made an elaborate argument against granting the pc
titioD. After going over much the same grounds a.
touched upon by Mr.. Fox. he argued tina: the invest
eut of the capital AIRY 10 carry out the scheme
ofthe Metropolitan Company instead of being benef-
ciL 10 the public would be the opposite For if the
snOunt OF capital invested be sufficient 10 per-
form cer,aiD work, 70 invest double that capital in il
would require double the interest the present invest
uent, anu he gas consumers must pay it. Then the
CcmpaIi, syou continually clash with each other;
one Company would draw supplies for custom
II from the mains of the other Company, and
o;ce rersG The evil has been very marked in Euro
an ciiifs and sfer frequent disputes and great in
convenience TO the citizens, the laying of parallel
uipes by different Companies has been prohibited by
law In this City twenty five years ago, the evil was
40 apparent that the Common Council drew a line
across the City compelling the Ncw-YOrk Company to
occupy one potion Of the City and the Manhattan
Company TO lay their mains through the Other. The
Manhattan Gas Company ia about TO increase It's cash
capital and and after October next will reduce its
M 81 80 per 600 feet of gas and forever after
hat time it will be prohibited from advancing upon
hat price. To grant this petition will stop all of
tese proposed reforms greatly to the detrment of t1e
citizens. lie concluded by deuouncing the proposed
.cleue as corrupt and pernicous in the extreme.
Mr.. McGowAS, counsel for tie Harlem Gas Co.,
o opposed the petitioners He commended at length,
lat II the prayer of the Metropolitan Gas Co. was
ranted il would ruin the Company which he repre-
snted
Mr.. STouoHToS, in behalf of the petitioners, repu-
dated the charges of corruption brought against his
cEenis by toe opposite side He then answered the
yeral objections offered against the petition, and said
howeyer large the capital of the Companies now IN
existence, he was prepared to enter into competition
With tlem The obieciors had urged that TO grant this
PETITION would be productive of infinite confusion, aud
rsul in enhancing the price of gas. If London can
support IA IN fourteen to eighteen Gas Companies, all
.ciing in harmony together surely NewYork can sup
eort another Company, outside Of the two great mo
bopoes. Not only could this City support this
Conn any, but the consumers at large would greatly
gain by its establishment in that they would enjoy
cheap and good gas and "no cheating in the meas
81 re" He concluded by urging the Committee to
consider the subject carefully, and then report in
cordance with the facts presented to them.
The further hearing was then adjourned to O'Clock
next Tueeday.