, 1872-11-20
Letter to Mr.. Cobb
erought to Light.
- That Very Much Re-
sembles Rlack-Nlail.
story of the gas companies which sup
consumers of gas in this city with need

ing which have been re5orted 60 Ii ofQer TO
place the gas companie les in their present posi-
dons toward one another, and toward the pub
lie the struggle to gain possession; the schemes
to make money, must render the name OF car
buretter hydrogen as offensive to the moral
nostri1s Of the people the subtle substance it.
self is to our o1actory nerves. The subjoined
sketch is not intended to include such 3 his
tory, but rather to call public atten-
ton to the mysterious acting Of Ger
taiu gentlemen, members OF the Council,
whc have hitherto borne character for the
strictest integrity, and whose individual upright
ness has never before been called in question !;
and to let the people know what schemes are
being perpetrated by those who have been elect
ed to represent them in the City Government.
OF thu war between the Peoples Gas and Coke
Company, On the West Side, and the other COM
pany, which Was supplying the city On the South
Side, We suppose our citizens need no reminder.
It may be summed up briefly in the opening
words Of this article
About year and half ago, three companies
were organized in this city, having for their pro-
feRsed object the furnishing Of gas at cheaper
rates than are now supplied by the South and
West Side companies. These companied OBJ
tanned charter, and were known, severally, as
the Mutual, National, and Mercantile Companies,
with the names Of several wen-known
citizens, as stockholders. They claimed
to hare desire to obtain cheap gas in the city
to compete with the companies at present en-
joying monopoly, and to be perfectly just and
upright in their dealings. The applications Of
these companies for permission to lay their
pipes in the city were brought before the Com
mon Council, and referred to the Committee on
1nr7 r. oF 43,1+ 11e5r fHn 4{aa
sisted Of some OF the best Aldermen in the
Bateham. After long and tedious sessions, at
which the Mayor and Corporation Counsel were
attendants, the Committee drafted an ordinance
whice covered the whole ground It vas worded
With aGzupqo9s 4a thn and pE@as to speak
6onest corporations, determined to act
every @ opportunity should be given them
to secure patronage, but il the propositions
their pipes, and thus annoy the other companies
for purposes Of blackmal, they would be effec-
tuall7 prevented from achieving any such dis
honest and unworthy end: The very first Sec
ton OF the ordinance thus prepared reads as fol-
lows:
Section i. That permission and authority be, and
the same hereby, granted to the Mutual GnsLght
Company Of the City Of Chicago to lay its main pipes
streets, highways, alleys, public parks, squares
throughout the CITY Of Chicago subject however to
III terms and conditions this ordinance Provided
however, that whenever the said Company ahnn lay
down IN any one of these Divisions OF said cy-the
son1h ho5;n, Or veg. ~, man PIPE, II
spaant o ,nn nine IN ths West Dson or in eher
the NORTH OF SOUTH Divisions, which vii make the
amount Of pipe laid in the West Division equal n
Divisions.
This report, which was worded alike for the
three companies, came up before the Common
Council May 20, 1871, and has been On the list
Of s. unfinished business" or reports laid over,
aman5mant to tba ori};nances was present-
ID, utterly sweeping away the protective
n1ittea had thrown aronnd the city'g interests.
End md giving to the three companies privileges
never asked for by the most preaumptuous Of
6Irt section, and ali other conditions and pro-
visions; gave the companies the privilege OF
tearine M any Streets thew thought proper
iayng their pipes in every direction, in cellars,
under sidewalks, on private property, and, in
fact, putting the Taxpayers entirely al the