The New York herald., 1876-12-15

can't compete with The others for the l. 500 city Tampa
on what they call their territory because there Is now
two feet OF frost IN the ground and TO lay our mains
at such time would involve great expense and loss o
time. Give us the smallest show for competition aDc
city would be TO make the LIST Of Nay instead Of the
lst Of January The date for putting IN the
oa, Tson 0s We as, could BEGIN sh, WAN a With Ss.
so before, that Is last year. before Comptroller
Grcon altered the arrangement. VIC lighted each lamp
for eight months at cost OF only Si3 so, or &C the
rate OF tle over so year. IL would be tho height
OF folly for US TO attempt the same, because aitor
opening the ground should only have II filled with
leo ana snow; operations would be stopped and
contract TO light 500 lamps lighted by the others
could never be fulfilled iill spring.
''Who arc the ohcrsrn
"rhc New York and Manhattan more or less to
gether. some OF The directors IN one belong TO tie
other and rice We are opposed to them and
also TO the Metropolitan, which, Ike ourselves stands
alone The Harlem Is on It's own hook and has
rory all 10 ITSELF so hat you perceive there is no
such combination as Is talked about
TAcirrRS AND fnowSiSG sEcRErARr.
Tho reporter subsequently visited he gorgeous
once OF the Manhattan Gaslsht Company Irv.
ing place and Fifteenth street. The president
was away, IKE the presidents Of The othe,
santa, the secretary, who from the top Of stepad
der through par oi speciaclcs irowncd down on The
reporter and sand nc had explanation TO give; that
II lie had II would take im six months; that he WAS
unequal 10 The task, and that anyhow the reporter
wouldn't Understand II, even il ho heard 1t.
''But why do you charge the city higher figure
than you do private customcrsP
'oh, well, there are ave hundred reasons for that
We don't land here hc spoke bitterly and irownec
iearfuly through MS gasscs charge tho CITY higher
Isnre than we do private customers. We charge the
CITY Just the same. That's all can saw.
Comptroller John Kelly determined to urge that
these boaied gas companies shall come down III thor
prices IN accordance with the times. and hc
reason why they should not.
REMEDIES SUGGESTED.
distinguished lawyer said 10 the reporter yestcr-
day:-"Iho only proper way TO settle this matter DO
tween the city and tie companies about the price
70 be pad per year Tor cacn street lamp TO submit -
To court o arbitration comroscb oi incn who nave
no interest IN any Of the companies politics.
Take hal. dozen OF Chamber OF Com
merce and let arbitrator be chosen and both
SIDES argued, and tho people would feel satisfied
with the result. But there IS danger IN leaving TINS
thiag to politicians These gas companies very
wealthy, and have no doubt they would glvc good
deal TO be left undsturoed III tncir monopoly. But
even better way would be 10 have law passed by
the Legislature, Just the same as thcy have In France,
Germany. England, Scotland and lrtlind. making the
maximum dividend oi any gas company ten per cent
OF the expense OF gas 10 Tho public consumer. OF
the private consumer would share IN the b:nc1t
OF the reduction thus eiircicd. These New York
panics hold their stock al 3O0-in fact there
aetting hold Of any Of II. They have beon making
enormous profits the expense OF the people To whom
they indebted Tor Their franchise y
SHALL the CITY MAKE ITS owx GASP
Another lawyer suggested that The city 20 to work
and manufacture its gas and place IL under tho
CONT o the Croton Aqueduc Bureau SO that the two
necessities. water and gas. might be furnished tho
people al the cheapest possible rates To this II was
objected that the politicians might get hold OF the
tcrprsc and turn their own profit Such scheme
would be possible and profitable tho taxpayers under
better order OF thngs-an honeser ci'y government
and fewer hungry place hunters For tho present the
much moro rigid legislative control than obtains At