New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-07
GAS CONSUMERS UP IN ARMS.
THE LEGISLATURE CALLED TO ACCOUNT.
AN APPEAL TO THE PUBLic-ApDREssEs BY
SIMON sTERNE AND Hx-JUDGE ARMOUR

| AN APPEAL TO THE PUBLfc-ADDREssEs BY
SIMON sTERNE AND Hx-JUDGE ARMOUR.
| The meeting at the Masonic Temple last
evening TO consider the recent defeat In the Legislature
of the bill to the gas consumers of this city
cheaper gas and honest measure" nearly filed the
large hail. we're conspicuously placed bearing
the following inscripuOns
GOOD gas In the holder 80 to 80 cents per 600
feet When IL reaches the consumer it costs him 81 90
Extracts frnm report OF Senate Committee: IL ap.
pears that during the last ten years. In addition to cost
fhs companies named there has paid by the
sumers or the city OF New-YOrk about $9,0OOOOO'
The office OF inspector of gis-metres is useless at
constituted the inspection of hereto
lore has afforded ttle II any, beneficial protection 10
consumers"
Among those the platform Simon Serne, Will
lam II. Webb, F. B. Thurber, ex-Judge William H..
Arnoux, James H. Seymour, E. b. Harper, DIR. f. seegur
William T. Van Zandt Gilbert r. Hawes Il. ~ Strebegh.
Rufus +. Andrews. c. r. Purdy and Il. j. Byrne.
John H. Sherwood called the meeting order and jack
son S. Schultz made chairman. He said that In
the history of legislation this country this was
the first time that q bill passed to a
third reading the next day defeated. The people
would not rest satisfied till that explained Zap
plausel Ninetyeght vce-presidents elected aud
letters were rad from prominent persons among whom
the Rev. Dr. Howard Crosby, who " Our gas
companies have been pundering long enough. They
should be squeezed like leeches to give up blood
they've sucked"
Frank s. Gardner, secretary, read the report
OF the Gas Consumers Association to
the public. The report gave at length
history OF the legislation the subject, in
GLIDING digest Of the report of the Senate Inyestgat
Ing Committee II stated that the defeated Gas bill
pronounced sound In law and good in fact. by emf
counsel aud business men, The offer of adver-
tising firm to pay for editorials in country papers
against the bill quoted showing of the pecu-
liar methods OF attacks It, Referring to the city
press, the report said
The city press az u whole favored the BILL although The
san aud World were controlled against 1t and The Hera
for time under misrepresentation OF the scope ana
purpose OF the bill How fr-reaching the ind enee Of
Illustrations: The sun which usually "shines for all,
induced to side with the opposition 70 this bill
and the editors Of HE sun, who II also large
stakeholder the Conso idated Gas Company and thus
The In the present shDne for Mr..
Hitchcock and the Consolidated Gas Company.
,ynile he nion gas consumers az New York were left
under a~cioud We do not know what Influenced that
publcsprted journal Ihe World. against the gas con
-umers; II usually on the SD" oil the people ana NOT
afraid den0unce corporate but the close con-
uection tween the companies aud That paper '
dicated by circumstance which occurred on the even
ing OF the 29th OF April Late that evening the Gas
Consumers Association received dispatches from
Albany. stating tint the lobby was rampant ot ,ht,
IL difficult to obtain any positive evidence OF bribery
aud suggested that reward should DC oHrrcu LOT OF
persons bribery IN connection with the Dill To regl-
late NewYOrk gs companies, then pending In the Legs
ature An advertisement was at once inserted IN the
leading dailes Offering over the sg ature Of John H.
sherwood president OF the Gas Consumers Association,
a reward Of 81 900 for such information The next
morning this ady6 rtisrment appeared IN The World ana
The Hcrad with another one aim 1t identical IN wort
ing but offering 50 900 reward for he purpo,e;
tie information to be s"nt to x Y; o. World
aud Herald Offices. The time and circumstances
surrounding this warrant ms In believing the
be the work Of an enemy In or about
the offices Of those papers Inc uoIice OF te Gas Con
,umers Association was not handed Ia untll IO'3O p w.
IL unnecessary say That X Y: H." Is not mem
Der OF association, and II the larger reward WINCH
has tempted disclosures or revelation OF
bribery at the offices OF me hord or hsrad oSi asp
cation has not mp to the present tae neara Oh I ,h
meet the interested aud subsidized attacks upon 'nS
bill association issued circular 10 the meoers vi
the association AID the public.
Copies circulars issued were given in the report
Reference made to the fact that notorious lobbyist
was actively opposing the bill in Albany and that he
boasted that he seventy members to defeat the bill
Pressure was brought bear some Of the country
members by local gas companies. The assistance OF
| these instruments was invoked by and through the
American Gas Light Association An organization OF
gas companies apparently for both offensive and deen
sve purposes It professed In this bill entering
wedge OF widening legislation
The following resolutions and the conclusion OF
the report:
whereas After careful legislative Investigation bin
was framed give the gas consumers OF THIS city
allow than ten per cent upon honest capitah III
vested In production and
Whcreas After passing the Senate and reaching n
third reading IN the Assembly by a nearly unanimous
vote. majority OF the Assembly succumDed 10 the IN
nuences at the lobby reversed their previous votes ana
killed this just and reasonable measure; ~,
ReSo'red, That the under which ms PHI
was defeated disgrace to the legislature OF TINS
state aud to companies who pretend 10
be respectable men aud good citizens ..,.n,,o. .,
the voters OF the various districts through
resent aves upon this bill. and that regards our
city members who dsregarded the petitions OF their
constituents and voted to fasten this most odous and
unjust system OF extorton upon the consumers OF this
x Res OF That