The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-25
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
! tOr AdaiIiOnal ONg InteQ.aence see F.nn Pnne. |

LfOT Additional Ouy Intelligence see Fstlb Pdqe. +
FURTHER FROM THE GAS INvEs rIaATioN
COMMITTEE. The Committee held quite long
session last evening. There we're three Ni ness es
examined by Colonel Page, the Chairman Mr.
II. :. Ga1etson, Agent of the Cameron Coal
XWDnpahy, said ne knew nothing OF the Gas
works, as all he did was TO furnish the coal as
Or0ered. Mr.. .. X. Brown, Chief Clerk OF the
Ninth Ward Works, said that consumers ire.
auently deiraudod the works by tampering with
the metres, but when they were discovered thev
were charged with the dedcit. Mr.. b. s RlIev
tne Cashier OF the works, refused to be sworn
and handed in the following communication
OFFICE PHILADELPHIA GAS WORKS, PHILADEL-
PHlA, october "a, 1866, james Page, Chairman
OF Committee OF Select Council on Gas Works
Dear Sr:-On Frioay evening, June 26, 1866 i'm
the Select Council Chamber, and in presence of
your committee, you, as Chairman OF said
Commlttee, MADE verbal request of me
10 De present and appear before your Commit
tee on the evening OF July S, stating that Nou
desired to treat me as q gentleman, and If /
promised 70 be present you would not subpoena
me. told you that would come at the time
staied. On the afternoon of that day, unex-
pecteuly ana TO my surprise, q subpoena, signed
by yourself and the Mayor, was served 9poo
me oy Thomas Massey, Messenger of your
me, and several sabOSsGUSnss sUns baVe HGVg'S beeS tO
served upon me ..sinces and while
was present at seve - speetings of your Com.
acnoSn, %,soee, aHu nF was NOV at sope Others, on
say that IL was not in ans Her to your subpmnas
put In accordance with my promise TO you, as /
cannot and do not acknowledge the right OF
your committee to subpoena me and pat me
under oath upon any subject whatsoever |
snail answer such questions as may be put TO me
consistent with the investigation your Com
mlttee are making, as am able to do, TO the
pest OF my knowledge; ana after such ans wers
are made, II your Committee desire it, / will
become qualified to the truthlulness of them be.
fore any alderman in the city,
fftll
Cashier OF the Trustees of the Philadelphia Gas
Works.
MIR William McManus, a laborer, appointed in
tne Gas works at Poinl Breeze, in 1866, after.
wards Tor several years boss at the wegh-scaes
ana an emp1oye at the works until 1865, was
tnen lengthlly questioned. He described the
wlre-worklng OF that department. The Engi-
neer, MIR. Roberts, was absent on military SER
vice one year at one time, and ninety days at
another. number OF other men who lett the
wages.
When the war broke out, Mr.. McManus said
many skilled hands left. Their places were sup
pied by such laborers as could be secured when
Sood hands were hard to obtain. Thus the
Works lost the advantage of its experienced
men: Mr.. McCready, one of the foremen then
employ ed, was intoxicated during his service.
he came drunk to the WORKS. He sent out and
brought liquor IN TO the men, who lost dlscl-
pine and neglected their business. At times
McCready left hls post, and placed witness in
charge OF the gang. They would not obey him.
anu Ihe WORKS SuuereQ. Ihey wasted gas by
allowing pipes to leak and taking off iets, d
letting the gas escape. AT last McCready was
discharged, and the men mutinied as 70 theright
OF the discharge. There were three benches of
retorts not fired. McCready told his men "not
TO shovel in coke, but let the public see what
KIND OF man Hon. Tom. Stewart Wasn In the
morning, the aretOrts were black and Chilled
On one occasion McCready went away and one
OF the large pipes bursted. The witness sent Tor
the foreman, who could not be found In the
morning he came back iuebriated and didn't
know how to mend it; the day foreman, Mr..
Peoples, mended it,
Mr. McManus also testified that surplus hands
were employed on McCready's gang. Some
times there we're five, sometimes six, and some.
times eleven. These men would come at five in
the afternoon, and stay till ten and then go
home. In the morning they came and worked
as day hands, and he supposed they were paid
double WAGES as night helpers, and yard men in
the day time. Sometimes these extra hands
slept about the place ard when McCready was
drunk the witness made him bed and put him
in it.
At one time, the witness testified, he was
away twelve days; McCready returned full time,
and the witness paid McCfeady the pay Tor the
lost days, as he sald he and another man worked
for him. He heard other men speak of similar
cases. where they were paid for not working.
The Committee then adjourned until Friday
evening.