, 1876-11-17

The following Is au outline OF tho points mntle
by the city In It's answcr to G. X. Iarrlson's bill
for IN Injunction to restrain tho city from MIRO
eating its coutract with the Peoples Gas-Light
md Coke Company aud lighting the West Dlvis+
lon with oil: The defendant ayers that ali tho
powers which thu city has or ever had uro d.
pretended contract WIS nude by tho Council tic
charter absolutely prohibited It's making said
agrscincnt, ami thu Pcoplo's Gas-Ligit
md CoLu Company had notlco thereof:
the City Government, and their powers were de-
sa . aSs y e ' thu ''tS1 State. Of III Tse y ans
TINT TIM. ~, time r 70 force rr9Tided that t. "No n,
Common Council, any committee, u member
thereof, etc, etr, Unless IN appropriation sha1
harc becn. previously made concerning such cx-
pcntc." No appropriation was made in ths
case.
The defendant admits that IN appropriation
was made for 1s7B for lighting. cleaning, re-
pairing. and tlinwng lamps, anu for salarios OF
Gus-lilspcctos, wntchHlcn, meters, etc.. but tho
proprI4tiol, whlvl, was mnda for 1lightlng tie
! strccts." Tho West Division did not comprise
nil the streets. 1t Il inaLstcd that tho Council
has tho right to say how thu appropriation shall
by expended, mud ut thu t!ate Of this filing Of tho
bill Tie euttro appropriation, with tho exception
| uf S..ssj ,0j0, liad been exhausted.
| This nnswcr then trcuts Of the gus companies
as monnpoltcs, elites thu enormous fncreusu III
tscd pr5tits Of tie west Iide Gas Cainpany; cs 1S
alleges that the city Is unable to pay toE rus Ut
/ bucii high prize, and says that ttv supply and
condensation OF gas arG matters entirely under
control Ut thu Gns Compuny. The defendant
Insists that the city Ans u rlght to determine
! how Enuch gas 1t shall use anil wllnt Glars of
harners shasl tc put upon the lanp-posts. All
conspiracy and attempted coercion 0f the Gus
Company on the part of tle city Is denied, it
being Insisted that tho Council #, reducing
the expenditure for street illumination hnvo
! done nothing but their duty, demanded by tho
| public ut lnrgc, Tho defendant says that ho
dues not know whether thu complainant III this
ease IL tho owner Of IL, 2,320x shares of tho stock
Of thv PGup!r's Gns-Light u Cuke Company,
| ami locs not know about lis sending rGsolil-
ttuu to thu Hoard of Directors Of tho Company
ut tue date lic specifics; but tho defendant
ayers that ut tho time, to-,sit: tho 10Th Of Aug
| ust, 1916, thu City OF Chicago hul not deter
| mined upon anything wllutevcr In relation to
The matter of Eas, al1 tllat the suid curunlunl-
cation II based upon an cnttre Misappyrhcnsion
OF tho facts, ana then statcs that Ii tllu sal
complainant md the Directors Ut thu
that tlity haze, 1t was lotu by coIiua!o1,, aud
that the said complainant has taken this stop
simply FUR the purpose of giving the Court iu-
| ris1lctton when tllu Feopc's Gas-Llght s. Coku
! Company could not utn!n Jurisdiction them
| Eeves; aud that this Court ought to luok iu.o
It and to determine wl,etslur the suit Is brought
III gOod fattl; and lurtheE, tint tlle complainant
II lls pusittnn Is correct, llas perfect and ulc
Iuntc remedy ut law, a!l that tho Court ltas no
ic'ilant inslsts that thu Court l.as nu powers to
aupcr!nteid the artfnn of the City Council Or
determine In whit manner tt shalt a4llninistcr
the public affairs.