, 1872-11-23
THE COUNCIL.
Special Meeting Of the Board
Of Aldermen.
The New Gas Ordinance the Sub
ject of Discussion.
Nothing Of Definite Character
Agreed Upon.

ASICCA OtOus
4 special meeting of the Council was held yes
terday evening, Aid. Bond in the chair.
Present: Aldermen Knickerbocker, Otis,
Dixon, Coey, McGenniss, Thompson, McAyoy,
Daggy, Stone, Schmitz, Tracey, Hickey, Cutler
ton, Bailey, Bateham, Powell, Holden, Bond,
Sweet Witbeck, Heath, Gill, Cleveland, McGrath,
Schmidt, Stout, Lengacher, McCaffrey, Clarke.
The special order, which was the engrosscd
ordinance for the National Gas Company, WIS
then taken up.
Aid. Stone offered the following as an amend
ment to the first section:
PTopidcd however, that whenever the said Company
Ehn lay down in any Of the three divisions Of the
city-the South, North, or West Diyision-any main
pipe it SHALL within si1 months thereafter, lay down
amount Of main pipe in the West Division or either
amount Of pipe laid in the West Division equal in
amount to the amount lid in the North or South
Division.
AID Gill said it was charged TINT this Com
pany intended only to go on the South Side. He
did not see why there should be any objection to
that by South Side men, though, Of course, he
was willing to get all possible companies on the
West Side. It looked as if South Side members
wanted to defend the old gas monopoly on the
South Side. ~
LII E1uEA1u1EuG Hdo dLoPtCd.
AID Knickerbocker moved to amend the ordi-
nance by striking out the word 'Nationnl'
wherever it appeared. and inserting s' Citizens"
The Alderman said he was not hostile to any
new gas companies. He moved his amend
ment since he understood that there
we're two OF three companies willing to accept
the ordinance just as reported by the Committee
on Gas Lights. without asking for any special
privileges. That ordinance WAS one which pro-
tected the citizens. The amendments which
had been offered to make the ordinance mora
liberal had been put in without consultation
with the law authorities. Let the Council see If
any COMPANY would accept the old and more
stringent ordinance. II this succeeded, he pro-
posed to further amend the ordinance 80 as to
make it what it was.
Aid. Daggy looked upon this es most unfair
fight. a bona t7de company asked for the or
dinance. and now it WAS proposed to give it to a
company nobody knew ANYTHING about. The
National was composed Of substantial men, such
as D. A Gage. still member and stockholder;
George " Gage. A. G. Badger, S. J. Walker, z.
S. Dobbins, Obadiah Jackson, Q. S. Hough, B.
e. Smith. and others we're also stockholders.
As for the Brand letter. every one OF these men
would swear they never authorized Brand to
make any such proposition, neyer had any
lied him to say they never heard Of Brand
ned M He Holden ana6ce sa that he sehas hsa and
found that it was totally different from the one
reported By the Committee, all the safeguards
having been taken out. It WIS now q loose or
dinance, with many dangerous provisions in it,
and which should not be entertained for q mo-
ment. The amended ordinance which was print
ed was concocted BY AID. Daggy, who had pre-
tended to want to furnish the West Side with
plenty Of cheap gas, If they were to pass any
gas ordinance, let it be the old one. It had been
stated that Ar. Drake Was in the National, but
he denied it, and said he and Mr. Coolbaugh
were in the Mutual.
Aid McGennies said AID. 'Daggy in his list of
names had left out one. One of The corporators
had come to him and told him they we're sur
prised at the turn things had taken in the
Council. Three Of them denied that they had
any interest in it. His opinion was theman Brand
ing to blackmai1 the South Side Company out Of
3 hundred thousand dollars. His little Buffalo
Company had consolidated with the old one,
and the Detroit one would soon go up. 4 new
company, if chartered here, would result in the
consolidation Of the two present gas companies,
and the price Of gas would go up.
AID. Daggy denied the statement that Afr.
jackson did not want the ordinance passed.
Aid. McGrath denied he had presented peti-
tions the subject, as alleged, except once,
over year ago. for another member. at time
when the old ordinance for the National Gas
Light Company was under consideration. He
thought the Committees ordinance Was the
one to pass, if any one was to be passed. He
had himself no interest whatever in the matter.
II the Company WIS in earnest, it could organize
under the original ordinance.
AID Holden moved, as q substitute for the
pending ordinance the one originally reported
By the Committee.
AID. Gill wanted new companies, but did not
want them go tied up as to help the old compa-
MES. That talk about black1nail, ETC., was all
out Of place. If the old companies were rich
enough to pay blacEmail, it WAS argument for
starting new companies, and having competi-
ton. He thought AID. Stones amendment re-
leyed the ordinance of most Of its defects.
AID Thompson said the Metropolitan Com
them Elliott Anthony, and said they would take
the original ordinance as it was.
AID. Gill feared the Metropolitan had already
been swallowed up by the old companies. He
did not want to give franchise to any absorbed !
company |
AID. Lengacher thought there we're too many
stockholders in gas companies in the Council.
Aid Heath said the Citizens would take the |
old ordinance, and charge only 9225 for gas.
Aid. McGrath appealed from the decision Of |
the Chair that Aid. Ho1den's motion was in |
order.
The decision vas sustained yeas, %; nays, S. |
The substitute was adopted-yeas, IS; nays, |
13-as follows:
Yeas -Knickerboeker Otis, Dixon, Coey, McGcn-
EisS, THOMPSON, MeAvoy, Bailey, Bateham, Powell,
Clarke-16.
Nnys-Daggy, Stone, schmitz, Tracey, Hickey, Cu1-
1eTton, Sweet, Gill, IcGrath Schmidt Stout, Len
gacher, and McCa1rey-13. !
motion to waive the engrossment was lost |
yeas, 2S; nays, 2.
The ordinance VAS referred to the Clerk for |
engrossment, and made special order for Mon |