The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-03-06
CARROLL'S GAS BILL
Passed in the Assembly by
a Vote of Fifty-one
to Two.
BECOMES OPERATIVE JULY A.
The Only Opposition Came From
the Republicans -McEwan's
Hearty Endorsement.
BECOMES OPERATIVE JULY A.
Spectal TO the Lerseu cttp Neus.

Special to the Jersey City Neus.
TRENTON, March 6, 1S94.-Mr. Timothy J.
Carroll demonstrated last night that this
year he is the friend of the people. After a
desperate fight he succeeded in having his
bill fixing the price of gas in first and second
class cities at 81 Is per thousand feet, brought
before the House, and then secured its pas
sage by a practically unanimous vote.
There were only two negative votes, those OF
the Speaker and Mr.. Reading.
When it came upon final passage Nh. Car
roll dilated on its good merits. Mr.. McEwan,
the Republican leader, strongly supported
Carroll. Mr.. Eisele of Essex county, at this
point, treated all hands to a general sur
prise.
A SENSIBLE A"SSEMBLYMAN
"A short time ago. he began, ''our leader,
MI. McEwan. remarked that he appeared
to be the only one of the majority who
favored this measure, at least, that he was
the only one who spoke in its behalf. / took
more or less offence at that remark. / am
not en- orator and never mad any preten-
sions to public speaking, but want the peo.-
pie to know that l am not only III favor OF
this measure, but very heartily in favor OF
it. By reason of his leadership, Mr.. McEwan
is called upon to speak for many bills, but l
think | speak for the silent members here,
when I say that we are just as anxious as
others to see this bill become a law. | re-
peat | am not an orator, but neither am q
tool of any corporation. | may be one OF
the accidents that our friend Beekman has
told us SO much about, too"
A I've got to say" speaks up Mr.. Beck
man, sis tina if you're an accident you're one
of the most fortunate accidents we've had
this year. like accidents of your kind"
Mr.. Lewis said it would be high time for
State to interfere with a corporation OF its
own creation, when 1t was made plain that
the corporation had become a monopoly. IL
the measure were SO altered as to apply TO
cities of the size of Paterson and larger he
he would vote for it, but while he knew
nothing about the cost of producing gas he
felt that it would cripple companies that sup
piled gas to cities say of 1900 population
and the smaller OWL
To this ex-Speaker Flynn replied that he
didn't propose to defend the cause of any
company. He knew, as a member OF the
Municipal Corporations Committee, that no
representative of a gas company had ap-
peared before the committee to advance a
reason for the defeat of the bill. Yet some
members of the House seemed to go out OF
their way TO do for corporations that which
the corporations did not attempt to do for
themselves.
az propose to vote for any bill that will
cut Town the price of gas in Paterson went
on Mr.. Flynn" and while ~favoring Paterson
/ expect to help some other city along. |
want to give my constituents cheaper gas"
M'EwANs STRONG SPEECH.
Mr.. McEwan followed in an extended
speech in which he commended that, within
the past few years, the cost of producing gas
had been reduced 90 per cent. By the inn
proved processes it can be manufacturedSsfo
from twenty to twenty-five cents per l ,000feet
Mr.. Evan further argued that the gas com
n,nioc bod onno1Uomafad of 1ota and forn1a6
monopolies, thus depriving the public of the
benefits that formerly accrued from COM
petition. The companies can supply gas at
S1.3 per thousand and make enormous
profits even then, he added.
"YeS and even at the reduced price the
stockholders will have their fat dividends
put in Mr.. Eisele. eve are here for the
people. A few years ago we lad two gas
companies in Newark. They are now con
solidated, and it's a question which furnishes
the poorest quality of gas, If they
would cut down the price they would
make up the difference by their meters. fur
nished by themselves to the consumers"
In response to a question by Mr.. Lewis, 1t
was shown by Mr.. McEwan that in Wheel
ing, w. Va, a city of 3, 500 population, gas
was manufactured and furnished for seventy
five cents per thousand feet.
NOTIFIED.
Messrs. Salinger and Erlenkotter spoke
in favor of the bill, and then Mr.. Lewis
asked Mr.. Woolsey Chairman of the NUM-
cipal Corporations Committee, if the gas
companies had been apprised Of the bills in
PRODUCTION.
II sent out notices explaining that the
measure was in the committee and would
probably pass the House." exclaimed Mr..
Woolsey.
aAnd no one appeared" asked Mr.. Lewis.
"Not one" replied Mr.. Woolsey.
''Then I'll vote for the bill myself" re-
marked Mr.. Lewis, as he took his seat.
lit might be interesting for Mr.. Carroll to
know that his bill provides no time for going
into effect said Mr.. Storrs.
you can't tell me anything about, bills,p
reported Mr.. Carroll. "If that provision is
not on the measure, you should be ashamed
to say so. It has been before your COM
mittee and you are a lawyer. 1t was on the
original bill.n
Eyes, SO it was" remarked Mr.. Storrs,
'sbut 1t appears to have been left out in the
reprint
Bills that have no other provision go into
effect on July4.
The gas bill vent through by a vote of 81
to Speaker Holt and Assemblyman Read
ing were in the negative.