Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-22
GROWING OVER GAS
Which the City Has Been Using For
Months Without Contract.
THE COMPANY WANTS PAYMENT.
And Claim the Affair Has Been Decidedly
Unbusinesslike.
COUNCILS HAVE DECLINED TO SETTLE

The city is Just now having considerable
trouble over its natural gas bills. A special
committee of Common Council met yester-
day afternoon to consider the matter For
the year ending April Is, the water works
were supplied with gas at $50, 800 for the
year. On April the company sent propo-
s1tion to Councils stating that this year.
rate would be 81 cents per Il, 900 gallons OF
water pumped. The matter was not acted
upon in Councils, and when the contract of
the previous year expired the supply still
came from the Philadelphia company. The
last settlement between the city and the
company was in last March, since which
time there being no contract, their bill
could not be paid without a resolution
of Councils. Councils have refused
to accede to the company's rate.
Matters ran along thus until
Controller Morrow sent the bill and the fol-
lowing letter to Councils.
July "A, 1891.
To Select and Common Councils:
send for your action bill of the Philadel-
phia Company for use of natural gas at
water works, from June to 3d. at 614 cents
per 1900 gallons of water pumped.
have been informed your honorable
bodies have rejected proposition from
this company for supplying gas on these
terms.
As no contract exists for the furnishing Of
fuel for the water works, l have no right
under the law to direct the issuing of GER
t1hcate in payment of the bill, but under
the law must report the same to you for
your action.
have made no audit of the account.
Very respectfully,
E. S. MORROW.
COUNCILS DELAYED ACTION.
Tho hill amounted to batuaen sT mn and
5000. The communication was not acted
upon by Councils until at the last Mondays
session, when the Controller submitted
resolution authorizing warrant for s25, 900
to pay for gas consumed up to that date, the
figures having been furnished by the COM
pany few moments before the meeting.
In Common Council the bill was ques-
toned by Mr.. Wright, and at his suggestion
committee was appointed to inquire into
it.. superintendent Browne. of the Phila-
delphia Company, was notified and at the
meeting yesterday afternoon was on hand.
A close scrutiny of the bills and the figures
of Superintendent Wilcox, of the Bureau Of
Water Supply, resulted in reducing the bill
about $4,000.
He then explained how it wass that the
city had become SO deeply indebted.
Messrs. Wright, Wilson and King, who
who made up the committee, asked Con-
troller Morrow why he had not attended to
the subject himself. He replied that he had
nothing to do with the account until it had
The latter could not act upon it because
there was no contract. Then the committee
questioned Superintendent Browne for al
lowing the account to run so long. That
gentleman also refused to accept the re-
sponsibility, ana with a considerable show
Of warmth said:
CITY CREDIT is GOOD NOW.
"When went into the employ Of the city
Of Pittsburg a number of years ago you
couldn't get merchant to trust the city for
supplies to the extent of cents. They
were afraid they would be kept out of their
money so long that it wouldn't pay to sell
to the corporation without the cash. 1
know myself of accounts that stood for nine
months for supplies required daily. am
glad to say that now it Is different and the
Philadelphia Company knew it when they
failed to shut off your fuel supply. We
don't object to giving the city credit, but
this is a matter of business, and we know
that the city does not usually do business
that way. Therefore we desire to have an
understanding. We only want fair treat
ment. The city has failed to make con-
tract, but has kept on using the gas which
we have kept on supplying"
The committee here adjourned until /
o'clock next Monday afternoon. A salts
factory settlement is expected then. Ifnot it
will be carried back to Council.