The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-04-25
THE CHICAGO GAS TRUST.

Chicago April 29.-The war OF lie state
of Illinois against the great Chicago Gas
trust, began today in the circuit court
of Cook county.
liant assistant attorncy-generalS, and a
formidable array of legal talent represent
ing property owners of the city of Chicago
are to prosecute the. quo warranto proceed
ingS, and Ii the suit is successful the
charter of the Gas trust will be revoked
and the valuable franchise of the various
companies representing the associations
will become as worthless as the profitable
bearing mediums, which have for so many
years been favorably listed on the great
stock exchange of the country.
The filing of the petition OF the, attorney
general for permission to institute the
proceedings OF quo iTarranto was made
public shortly after O'Clock this after
ncon-after the closing of the stock ex-
changes Of the country, in order that the
order might not be made a means of in
fiuencing the market, so the effect on the
stock will not become apparent until TO-
morrow morning The interest on the
street and in commercial circles, however,
has been intense, and the Office of the at
torney-generaI in this city was besieged
by anxious inquirers Immediately after
the news became public. To a representa-
tive Of the. Associated Press the attorney
general said;
q have begun these proceedings after
careful elaboration and painsJallng inves-
LEGATION, and because l think the people of
Illinois have just complaint against this
trust. There has been no time in my
career in which / have posed as an anti
corporation man. believe the corporations
have rights under the constitution and the
laws, which should be respected. But
when they disregard the laws of the state
and combine their capital and their fran
chise to Cypress the people, it is the duty
of the law officers Of the state to wage
a war for the disintegration of the IN
lawful combination. That is what ! have
asked to do in the petition filed today in
the circuit court of Cook county and of
course the court viii open its doors to the
cause of the people. merely want TO saw
] have begun this suit on my own re
sponsibIlity and in utter disregard for the
restrictions that have been so frequently
made on various sides. II / lose the suit
which I am about to wage to dissolve This
trust, I alone will take the responsibility
If / win il, and rescue the public from the
extortiens to which 1 believe it has been
unlawfuily subjected, [ desire whatever
credit the people Of fhe state of Illinois
are willing to accord one who has not been
coerced IN the performance of an official
duty, / know what is at stake, and when
this warfare is ended, / viii be willing 10
be weighed in the balance of public
opinion.
In the preliminary statement of his peti-
ton the aVtorney-genral saws:
when the petition and evidence of this
case was presented TO me, / informed the
tons Of that fact. ! felt il TO be my duty
70 do so for the reason that large proper
lies in this state were involved, and fair
play was demanded, and that I gave those
corporations and their representatives an
opportunity to be heard before invoking
the aid Of the courts Of this state to
pass Judgment on their acts and conduct
For. If successful, il means to them, and
each of them, corporate death, if not then
a gFieVous and almost irreparable wrong
would have been done them by the hastV
and inconsiderate action Of a state officer,
whose sworn duty il is to protect every
legitimate property in the state
THE WEEK AND THE WEATHER.
Washington. April 24-Phe weather bu-
reau, in its crop report for the week
ended April "a, said:
THE week was warmer than was
usual in all districts east OF the AIissis-
sippi, ana in Louisiana and Texas The
tenpera ture was also slightly above the
normal IN the interior of California and
Montana. The greatest excess in tenn
uerature occurred in the Atlantic coast
greatly improved the growing crops.
Generally. the week was cooler than
usual in the states west Of the Missis-
sippi but the weather conditions were
favorable, however, and all crops are
reported in good condition and improv-
3on the Pacific coast. the weather con-
ditions were favorable in Washington
and Oregon, except the frosts that oc-
CURED in the southern counties in Ore
gon. Drouth continues in California,
which has seriously affected the outlook
for grain, hay and pasturage.
THE total absence of rain in California
intensihes the grave conditions in that
state, which have already proved inju-
rious to growing crops, the telegram of
last week reporting the crop almost a
total failure in the southern part
GOVERNMENT AND OTHER BONDS.
New York April d