The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-04-25
THEY MAKE MONEY ON GAS,
But the Consumer Must Pay
Dearly for 1t.
1T WILL GO BEFORE THE COURTS.
A Suit Filed to Revoke the Charters
of All the Corporations in
the Combine.

CHICAGO, April "a. - The war of the
State of Illinois against the great Chicago
gas trust began to-day In the Circuit Court
OF Cook County. Acknowledgement Malo-
ney and two brilliant assistant attorney
generals and formidable array of legal
talent representing prOperty-owners Of
the city OF Chicago are to prosecute the
quo-warranto proceedings. and II the suit
is successful the charter OF the gas trust
will be revoked and the valuable fran
chises of the various companies represent
ing the associations become worthless as
the profit-bearing mediums which have for
so many years been favorably listed on the
great stock exchanges Of the country.
The filing OF the petition of the Attorney
General for permission to ins titute the pro-
ceedings Of quo warrsnto was made public
shortly pfter 8 o'clock this afternoon-after
the closing of the stock exchanges of the
country. in order that the order might not
be made means of Influencing the mar
kei, so tho effect on the stock will not be-
come apparent until tomorrow morning.
The in tires. on the street and in CONNER
cial circles, however. has been intense,
and the Office of the Attorney-General in
this city WAS besleged by anxious inquirers
Immediately after the news became public.
To representative Of the Associated Press
the Attorney General said:
Il have begun these proceedings after
careful consideration and painstakiug in
vestiga:ion and because | think he people
Of Illinois have a just complaint against
this trust. There has been no time in my
career in which l have posed as an anti
corporation man, as | believe the corpora
tons have rights under the constitution
and 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 duly
of the law officers of the State to wage a
war for the dsintegration of the unlawful
combination.
THAI is what / have asked to do in the
petition filed to-day in the Circuit Court of
Cook County. and, of course, the court will
open its doors to the cause of the people.
| merely want to say / have begun this
suit ON my own responsibility and with an
utter disregard for the structures that have
been so frequently made on various sides.
If / lose the suit which l am about to
wage to dissolve this trust alone will
take the responsibility. II | win 1t and
rescue the public from the extortions to
which / believe it has been unlawiully SUBJ
iected | desire whatever credit the people
of the State of Illinois are willing to ac-
cord one who has not been coerced in the
performance of an official duty. know
what is at stake and when this warfare is
ended l will be willing to be weighed in
che balance of public opinion"
In the preliminary statement of his pc
tition the Attorney General says:
When the petition and evidence of this case
was presented TO me l informed the representa-
tive OF the differe mt corporations OF that fact.
l felt it to be my duty 10 do so for the reason
that large properties in this State were In
vOved and fair play was demanded. and that /
give those corporations and their representa-
tives an opportunity to be heard before invok-
ing 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; il not, then a grievous and
almost irreparable wrong would have been
done them by the hasty and inconsiderate ac-
ton OF an officer whose sworn duty is to pro.
tect every legitimate property in the State.