New-York tribune., 1869-03-04
THE GAS INVESTIGATION

SECOND DAYS SESSION or THE LEGISLATIVE
r'f COMMITTEE.
The members of the Legislative Gas
Committee reasscmbled yesterday morning at II
o'clock a the St. Nicholas Hotel, TO resume Inquiries
Dto tho gas question The object Of thu investigation Is
TO determine whether good supply OF gas cannot be
sappled the public at lower rate OF charges than
those at pre- sent prevailing. t".
The frst witness examined was Prof Henry Wurtz,
chemist who testified 20 tho properties OF gas the
agencies affecting lts Illuminating power and other facts
interesting to scientific mon His experience practically
subject that the tof bydraio Of lime was the best
means ior the purcation OF gas The New York Company
shonld be free OF All nanseous aud odor and
should not produce choking scnsahon In the throat
not burn green neither thould II contain carbonc acid.
The illuminating power o. pure gas depended upon the
cess IL pnrincaton. Tie strength OF In New York
from "a to IS candles but IN Boston they proiessed
10 give 20 candles but they went 10 greater expense
than the wYOrk Company. He could not say whether
their prices were higher than those OF Newiotk II had
oJids of iron nOst economical as purifying agent
but experience showed that the former was moro eGec.
Impression had been that NeW-lork City was as well
1he Chairman observed that the Committee desired the
professors who had been examined 10 mako scientific
Of Iae ss ~ ayS sh% h sS,1n sha
Prof. ChAs =. Chandler was then questioned. lie was
made tssts Of tho Metropolitan Manhattan. aud New.
York Gas Works, but IN none OF them did he fnd any
large quantity Of sulphur. lie had not tested The quality
OF the gas In Sew.York with that which no snoud
IN case OF Importance 0 one occasion he tested the
candles thai test made at an experimental estab
llshment lie had no experimental data to warrant him
in ,ayipg that the gas IN tue Summer OF superior
quality 10 that the Winter As far she had tested tho
gas Ia New-York was 0f fair quality. Tic average
and half feet or about 1000 feetto 1900 pounds Those
we're the working figures for AL large computes. lie
oOnsdered IA candles was good standard Tor tho power
said duty in the service Of the Company was to take
charge of tho outside Of the works ana NOT TO nanuac
ture gas The Company received complaints Of The quail
ity OF the gas and the amount OF the bills but such oc
currenc0s not numerous They had only 1900 con-
The Company paid tho internal Revenue tax The ilu
mnatng power OF their gas was Is candles lilo was not
stockh0lder In the Company: lie could not say posi-
lively the price paid for Goals, but t 3d. They
used 10 wet metcrs, but the consumers we're dissnt
ed with them, aud they Lad since been substituted by
j. IT, Neweombe. Of No 52a broadway. said he was In
terested In the Gas Company 10 the extent OF
10 shares The dividends had been yeons the latest
per cet, the surplus profit being paid at no stated
time. Since s5 he had been shareholder TO the extent
The ChalrmaD-What is stock WORTH witness did not
know but he w9nd not sell hls OUT OUT Ii langihterg He
only knew one felow-stoc khoder who was now IN
hg S9da & mot spes Ue b %hIs he io bS
heyed II was called The "extra dividend
In answer to Mr. Bergen witness sald he received the
4
aud the year before, 80 per cent - =. N..l
John Balnore engineer OF the Harlem Gas Company,
had been employed IN the works ten years; their gas
averaged from IL " 40 eandes. aud they made examina
tlOns ~ leaat twice week. % ..f..r
j. X. Lee the Secretary of tho Now.York Gas Light
Company. was then sworn: lie had held tho poson OF
Secretary for ana he had access 10 all te
books OF the Company but he did not take charge OF M
OF them he made the entries Of tho dividends, but he
was withheld by tho of hls appointment from di
vung anything appertaning 10 the oco or OF tho bns
conducted therein ho received his ordTs rom tDe
President lac eould not tell what the dividends amounted
he did know what the receipts OF last year were
RECEIVING the bubpGna, he spoke 70 Mr. Adams the
10 bring the books he regarded his position that
OF conf iengial servant, aud he did not Wish
produce the books without the authority OF tho Board
He declined 10 whethee he stockh0lder or
not as that his private business. The Chairman
sah he should insist on answer being given, AL no
should also nAst ON tho production the books The
Company was public concern and being incorporated
under general Law should DO held the same ns Any
other corporation Companies generally pubsheu tlyr
dividends, but tho New.York Gas Company pald us
found today the Company was deelarlnh largo uiVl
The witness afterward stated that no was q stock
holder but TeInarklng that IL small amount Dc
ollned 10 say how much stock ho held lie refused TO
answer rs 10 frequently DIVIDENDS were declared
He only made public such matters the Board directs.
The following names which comprise the chef members
which tho Board composed, were the given ny tho
wltness Mr. Adams, President Messrs Guy Richards,
T. j. Woolsey Of Astoria, Moses Taylor Henry Remsen,
Percy r. Pyne, James r. Taylor. +. ". stephens, q.
several other witnesses expected but they did
not appear the Committee adjourned Till 10 o'clock this
morning