, 1875-02-28

l
wants OF the community ut present Ia q 3oot
wholesome, safe, and cheap light,-the last qua
ity being essentially requisite. Until quite II
Gently there has been found no illuminatin
power which could compete successfully It
general purposes with coal-gas. For many yoa1
it has had monopoly Of tho patronage Of q
classes Of people. and it ia not surprising tha
when new and to au appearances trouble
some competitor arises, those who ore pecuni
! arily interested in the continuance OF th
employment Of coal gas should exert all thei
Influence against the now idea. It was expecte
when it became known that rival to tho com
panies that had hitherto enjoyed monopoly il
the supplying Of light to the city that the Com
mon Council would gladly promote the interes
OF the new scheme, which promised to reduce Il
q minimum at least one item in the LIST Of house
keeping expenses. It is sad to have to confess
| however, that the opposite Is the case, and tha
not only does the Council seem to
| LooE WITH COLDNEss
I upon the new Gas Company, but that an attempt
! 5s being made to pass special leglation in faysl
| OF the old aud against all new companies which
may be formed IN the future, in The shape of tht
! following amendment to city ordinance on the
| storing in the city Of dangerous fluids:
| An ordinance amending Sec. I ut Chap. 81 Of the
Revised Ordinances Of 1878, entitled Petroleum aud
0t161 dangerous u1u1d8.'
% It ordained BY the Common Council or tic city o,
Chicago That Bee Of Chap. 81 Of tbs Revised Ord~
uancas OF 1873, entitled q Petroleum and other dan-
Rerona liquids 10 and tbs sans ia hereby amended
SEC l. It ahau be unlawful for any person. peraons
corporations to store keep for sails within tbs
porate limits Of the City Of Chicago any crude pero-
leu,n gasonne naphthn, bcnzne camphenc spirit gss
burning fluid, gpirita Of turpentine, exceeding
ss i Sns bsrss to of ss and
fined carbon-oH, kcrosene or other products-for L.
Eliminating purposes coal rock or earth oils
ceps such rehned oils will stand retest Of 10 ds-
greea Fahrenheit according to tbs method and dirsc-
tons Of John TaEiiahue; and it shall not
BE wfa tG ssp n,42s qusny Of sad
fn ant part Of building excepting cellar, the floor
Of which shall te feet below the grade Of the ada
cant streets and no crude petroleum. gasolis nap-
ing fluid, or spirits Of tnrpeudna shall be kept OF
stored III front Of AIRY building OF on any street alleY
seys IN sose os o. 'oasds s Ih Is
provided such ttme shall not exceed ei1
hours; and it shall also bo unlawful for any
gaa for illuminating purposes from any substance
wlvtsver, OF to build my gas-works, or erect any
hoans building Or other reservoir for holding
the City Of Chicago without first having obtained per-
1nssIcn 60 to do from the Common cocit Of the City
SEQ. 2, This ordinance shall be IN force from and
aft@r its passage mud due publication.
At first blush this amendment to very proper
ordinance seems to be weil-timel, and to reflect
credit upon the Alderman @ho introduced it into
this Vouacil and it is only On studying its final
sentence in connection with recent events that
TIE COVERT INTENT
ia discovered. Partly In order to see how this
attempt to crush the chances Of life out of un-
born projects having fn view the supplying cttl-
zens with cheap Light was received By the pro-
jectots Of the new Gas Company, and partly to
.iearn just how far their intentions were sincere
and what prospect there was OF their success,
TRIBUNE reporter called Yesterday afternoon up
On mr. J. Fl. Sheldon, General Manager Of the
Northwestern CHS and Construction Company,
The following conversation eusuad:
Reporter-Mr. Sheldon, presume you have
heard Of certain legislation which ia to DO passed
upon By tile Common Council upon ths subject
OF permitting tho erection Of new gas works
within the limits Of the city?
Mr. Sheldou-I 1ave and may e.y that our
Compan; are
CONSIDERABLY EXERCISED
over ths affair. The points in the case we're yery
we'll covered ID q letter in this mornings TR1n-
uSE. It w4s tho Intention Of the Company to
have goue about its work as quietly rs possible.
hot to hare had the public become Interested in
their undertaking until they were in position
to show What they could do; but it becomes
necessary nov. in visw Of this attempt at spec,al
which proposes to hinder our yerifica-
tion of our idea. to speak on the subject. I have
seea copy at the amendment introduced BIZ
AID. Clark, and find that ita final clause has
no relation whatever to the body Of the ordi- |
nance, and ia evidently framed for the specific
purpose Of hindering Ms from demonstrating q
process for the manufacture uf q gas infln,te1v |
cheaper than any at present employed. For the !
past two months ne have been preparing in q |
quiet and business-lke way for demonstrating
to the public our new principle in the creation Of
fluid ws have begun to build works
which when completed will cost about $4,000. |
And with these We Intended to supply the IRE !
mont House with light It waa proposed to SAY |
nothing specially in SUPPORT Of tina nrf-
,ess until the Illumination Of this hotel |
:ould be pointed 10 az a practical result Of |
Cur labors but az Our effort to make such a |
showing has been assaiied BY this amendment. il |
seerns bsst to Us that the public should learn
he status of affairs. |
Reporter-Wbar arc tho facts In the case2
Rr. Sheidon-I'he Northwestern Gas auo Con-
't1uction Company ara erectiuR small works for
he purpose Of
DEMONSTRATING THEIR PROCESS.
These works arc, On . small scale, thoroughly
md substantially built entirely protactpd fror1 |
ny possibility from accident. and are put un
olely with d yioH Of verifying ou, statamant