Morning journal and courier., 1880-03-10
should give better quality of gas at cheap

should give better quality of gas at a cheap or price 1t would be patronized.
 On the cross examination witness said he | could not give dates as to the time the gas was poor. Had never complained himself. | Did not recall the time when the gas had been poor, and it was found that the pipes were obstructed. Thomas M. Cox, of New Haven, was called. | Said that since the fall of 1S4s had been in | the gas business. Learned the business in | Rochester. Had worked for gas companies in | Syracuse, Hartford, Buffalo, Washington, | Haven in 1854 and was appointed superintedd- ent of the gas works, which position he held for twenty-one years. The company first charged $4 per thousand cubic feet Cannot tell exactly what the cost of gas in the holder was at that time think it was about $1 or $1.25. The price of gas was first reduced to $3.50, and afterward to $3, under restric- tion by the Legislature. When the war came and prices raised the restriction was removed and the price went up again to $4: In 1875 the price was put down to $3 again, which was the price when l ieft of the cost of gas delivered to the consumer was made in 1874, when it was found to cost $1.98 per thousand feet. Think when Iwent with the company the capital stock was about $175, 1000, and was afterwards increased to $500, ,OOO, again to $4O0, 900, and again to $500, 1000. Think there was only about $25,- 900 of the increase to $500, 900 paid in. The capital stock was again increased to $1, ,0OO,- 900, and I think about $175, ,000 was paid in. have been stockholder in the company and held stock down to July, 1875. know all the stock was not paid in cash. My belief is that only about $175, 900 or $20O, 900 of the $1, 1000, ,0O0 capital stock has been paid i'll. He said he knew the Gwinn-Harris process was tried in New Haven, but was not 8 success. The reason was because the arches or super 4 l. Ilo,.o ,,, effort made by Hon. o. E. Winchester and others to start a new company in 1869, and he (Winchester) went before the Legislature for a charter, but failed. With my experience as to gas companies think there is room enough for two companies and there is demand for better and cheaper gas. hear that the com- pany does not use enriching coal as they used to. The company had about 5, 1000 consumers when left it. I think if a new company was willing to be bound by it's incorporate act to furnish the citizens of New Haven with gas at $1.5O per thousand it would be great ben eft and would increase the number of con- sumers from 5000 to 4,O00.
 On the cross-examination by Governor h. gersoll, the witness said he had had no em- ployment in gas works since 1875, when he left the New Haven Gas Company. He said he thought MT. Sherman, the superintendent of the New Haven company, stood high as a gas maker. Said he was not aware that Mir. Winchester's application for a new company grew out of personal quarrel with Judge Boardman, although he had heard that that had something to do with it. am not con- nected with the proposed new company and don't expect to be.
 Nicholas l. Oonnor was called and read 0 certificate signed by consumers of the Muni- cipal Gas Company in New York, in which they said they considered the gas made by the Municipal Company as frst-class article, which had been sworn to as genuine by the party who obtained the signatures.
 Governor Ingerson desired to ask Mir. Con- nor some questions in regard to his connec- tion with the proposed new company, but Mir. Case objected on the ground that he had not questioned him on these points on the di- rect The committee sustained the objection. l. John G. Chapman, of New Haven, was called and said that he circulated a petition for the new gas company and obtained l, 300 out of the 2, 100 names on the petition. He said large number of the business men on Chapel Church and State streets signed the petition. Those who objected to sign, he said, were as rule stockholders in or had friends connected with the old company. Out of 3S0 business firms on these streets, BPS were among the signers. He thought from his con- 7ersation with firms large majority were in favor of the new company.
 1 In reply to Governor Ingersoll witness said he was hired to circulate the petition and paid by the day. He declined to say how much he received.
 At this point MT. Case put in a number of pamphlets and certificates in praise of water gas also the patents underswhich the Munich pal Gas Company works, the assignments of patents, etc.
 The petitioners rested their case at this point and the committee adjourned until to- morrow afternoon at 2:30 o'clock.
 A Town Dispute.
 The Judiciary Committee this afternoon held hearing upon the resolution validating the action of the town of Hamden at town meeting held December 8, 1879, when it was voted to appropriate $14, ,O0e for the purpose of removing the tracks of the New Haven and Northampton railroad from the high way, and for the further appropria- ton of $1,O0O to repair the highway after the track is removed. The town was largely represented by those in favor of the proposition and adjoining towns were also represented by persons who drive over the | highways and desire the track removed. Til ton E. Dooittle, of New Haven, appeared fol the petitioners, and John W. filling for the 1 remonstrants There did not appear to be any decided opposition to the proposed reno val, but the opponents of the measure claimed that there was informality in the call fol the town meeting that made the appropria- ton, and they did not like the way the vott was passed. J. J. Webb and Moves Mix wert the principal witnesses in favor of the petition They expressed the opinion that the railroad as itwas at present was nuisance and that it was right for the town to cooperate with the rail road company in it's removal, and thus set for ever at rest 8 question that had been source of quarrel and dispute for many years. It ii thought the committee will report in favor o the resolution.