The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1870-08-25
A LUMINOUS FRAUD.
Half q Million Dollars for Gas Buruer>-The
Board OF Aldermen Seeking Light-whoss
Fingers Are In This PisI

IL Is worth while to rescue from oblivion aud
place once more In black and white before tho
reading public OF this metropolis the following
characteristic extract from the proceedings Of our
precious Board OF Aldermen on Tuesday last.
Alderman MAILMAN moved to take from the table
the veto message OF the Mayor rhe resolution Of
the Board. passed July T. 1870. which read a. fos-
lows
Resolved, That the Commissioner OF Public WORKS
be- and he hereby authorized and directed TO pro-
cure and attach TO each OF the public gas lamps 70
the streets, lanes. alleys, highways ana public
places within the corporate limits or the city or New
York. one OF Cremin's patent champion gas burners
and new and improved patent street lamp renec-
tors provided the expense thereof shall not exceed
the sum OF fifteen dollars for each lamp.
There debate nor conversation on the mat
ter, the Mayors objections being overruled and the
job passed In few seconds This little job involves
only nalr million dollars or thereab0uts and was.
| consequently, deemed unworthy OF either much
grave consideration by the City Fathers. such
tribes, when they consume time or thought. are
unanimously voted bore. Being question of
Frightening up gas display la the public streets
! 1t was properly made light OF.
WHERE THE LITTLE JOKER IL.
The attention OF the reader Is asked IN this matter
solely with view to show how clearly In the rela-
tive smalness Of this proposition the magnitude Of
the job Is concealed At the end OF last year
were 27,278 street lamps I'm this city, and
ones all the time being erected It is safe 70 ca
the total at present In round numbers $4,000.
which, at fifteen dollars per lamp, amounts u
$42O. 900 as the sum which the taxpayers called
upon to contribute for such extra amount OF l,ght
IA might be contained IN q dozen wax candles.
or course II the champion gas burner IL adopted
for the % 900 lamps constituting the present supply
it Will also be retained for the many thousands OF
lamps which the city in Its growth will demand
throughout the future. Thus the present half mil
lion dollars Is but an insalment OF what the prone
| ters OF this job contemplate receiving.
The reporter OF the HERALD made call on nia
! honor the Mayor yesterday To ascertain II he knew
| OF Aldermen appeared to think would secure for
New York all Its necessary enlightenment.
| ''You my veto" observed the Mayor. "Isald
was in the dark about that patent light. I know
nothing about 1t beyond seeing ~ go home Ia the
enc. uear ne
Who Cremin Ii the Lord only knows ] knew a man
ean a1 be snas individual for his light is
This thing Is huge Joke and Mr.. Tweed Ii bound To
| treat II as SUCH"
After leaving the Mayor toe reporter took stroll
up town to the headquarters OF the champion
burner and there got full and detailed account Of
| the new Idea which Is to light up our dark places
| and make the hearts Of the people rejoice the
| burner resembles a small round. elongated match
box. ana consists OF tubes. inside the other
leaving space Tor the gas TO circulate trine before
about an inch and a half IN length. the outside u
composed of what the inventor calls nickel, which
Is made TO shine iiko weak Imitation OF silver.
When in use it is placed over ordinary gas
burner. which 1t Is attached by a spiral groove.
1t Is claimed that 'ths burner gives mellow yellow
name, which philosophers say enhances beanty.n
The philosophers OF the Board OF Aldermen
no doubt saw the beauty In another light At head
quarters OF these burner, cost dollar. At Q
hardware store lew blocks lower down the street.
the same article can be had retail for dfty cents
The renecOrs mentioned in the resolution OF the
Board are maze OF plain and simple tin intended to
be liked III the roof OF the lamp and direct the light
towards the curbstone The highest estimate placed
upon burners and renect0rs together IL three dol
lars but the intrinsic value or the two, bought in
| bulk IL is proposed to buy them. safely
set down at seventy-hve cents or dollar. The
Board OF Aldermen have resolved to give fifteen dot
it is claimed with a flourish Of virtuous
economy I,n ,,, that these burners Will save
80 much the better for the gas companies
but so much the worse for the taxpayers. NO mat
ter what quantity OF gaB this city consumes the COM
panies receive their contract price per year OF hty
dollars lamp. short time ago they got twenty-five
dollars O lamp and made fabulous profits even then;
but now thai the Board OF Aldermen have come 10
the assistance OF these poor amishing corporations
their gas, while they charge the city nifty dollars
lamp, there Is some hope that they will struggle 70
. The champion gasiburner Is, without exception,
the most stupendOus fraud in small compass thas
had a tOeraby decent disguise which gave them ut
least spurious respectability; but this Is small
In Dulk ana so large In imposition that II IL hardly
possible to believe the Board OF Aldermen intended
the people take the resolution seriously.
| THE REMEDY.
Any taxpayer who chooses can put an Injunction
on the perpetr OF THIS latest III igntet In
lqulty. christopher Pulifnan pulled certain gaa
company up short when they surreptitiously secured
valuable franchise intended TO bleed the pockets OF
the people the same yigllant citizen had an tn
Junction placed upon what are termed the Fernando
Wood leases ana although II was claimed that q
member OF the Board and consequently one OF tho
party 10 the contract, he was invadated from TAX
Ing such action, he fell back upon his rights az cit
zen and taxpayer and gained his point No one be-
hesitate TO pass this resolution expedi-
sMonsly as did The other Board. TO Mr..
have 10 look for such OF this pending or
dinance as VIII render it imperative in the interests
Of the fraud 1t was intended TO consummate II our
gas falls 70 burn as brightly as tn SO lovers OF light
the Boards Of Aldermen desire, would It not be well
to give hint to the gas companies that; consider
ltsIe Improvement In lie duality 81 the article a
might be ventureds But outside Of the enormous
a may save little gas which is doubtful but
as for shedding any more light than we get at pre-
Sent II s all pure m00nshne and very weak ut That.
SYMPATHY WITH CANADA ~-ss.Aa.
enc w the Ss IL ,ns facts IN
sutned for ase q s s5mSS COUNCILS ySSd 0c q
other cities, and history fails to record any Instance
cpai fathers 70 tighten ths pathway Of penisntea
citizens. But It may be accepted a sign Of con-
re y SiT SsSs SaS sss
bait held up before them ana refused to
bite. Tle Common Council Of Montreal entertained .
proposition TO have their gas saved and the light
thereof intensified by these miraculous burners and
the offer was made 70 furnish them at the remark
| uuy ~" Iutc VI sctcuJ-u Ve CoutS pei laulp. BUS
the Kanucxs thought that the price was 100 steep"
aud rejected the proposal and the burners sank
| into oblivion. Yet what q margin there be-
| tween seventy five cents and nfteen dollars
And again. allowing that this wonderful invention
| would save fifty per cent OF the gas now consumed
by the CITY the city would not be benefited an
Atom Blu. the gas companies those arrogans
sole benenciarys. At present the city Is lighted by
contract with the gas companies at stipulated
tract sum per annum for each gas light furnished.
and 1t Is not long since the rate allowed them
largely Increased. II the amount TO he expended
| for the job hereby ventilated devoted to the
Introduction Of calcium lights to illumne the port.
the North and East rivers, or some OF the squares
and avenues, the people might perchance derive