New-York tribune., 1896-12-08
LEIGH RAISED HIS VOICE.
HIS COLLEAGUES. HOWEVER. VOTED
AND THE GAS TRUST is SAFE

Az ATTEMPT TO COMPEL. THE SUPPLYING OF GAS
At CHEAPER RATES REFERRED TO THE
SLEEPY coMMITrEE-ALDERMAN
STEWARDS CLOSE GUESS.
Alderman LEIGH threw a large-sized bomo-
shell into the meeting Of the Board OF Aiuei
men Yesterday in the shape of a resolution con
ing for a three years contract with 'he D'oo"
lyn-Union Gas Company. He added 10 '"e 'o''
sternation by telling the Repuo'ica" ~ ."."
hers ~ the Board that they were permitting
themselves to be blindly led to the ihJur! VI
their party by the Democratic members OF 'he
BOARD The members loudly professed the'r
honestv and then voted to bury the Leich reso-
lution in the bosom of the sumberous Coin-
mittee on Electricity and Gas. All cast their
vote for this Endorsement Of the committee C."
cept Aldermen LEIGH and Ruggles.
After reciting the pressing necessity ior
contract. Mr. Leichs resolution continues
Resolved. That the period OF the co' ns Ianmarv
three years. to commence the '''s' ""' VI
Resolved That the contracts provide TOT nnw am1
secure to the city prices lower than any no"
nrescr,bed therein by law. and a progressive re- re-
ducOn in such prices II for es escn nontracts and also
the Indemnity and assurance proVioeu io' III ""N
by said law. .... olso nrovide and
reonre that each gas corporation party TO sut, ',
contract supply gas TO the nhap1anrs sd ~ hv such
al pa,ces thereto and progressively lower
FOR each year Of such term -. c., Works
Resolved That the Department OF Ci'! VIVA
no and hereby is. authorized to advertise IN s tne
corporation newspapers for the period OF ~ Yen gas ~
nyng Of oidf rookyD oo Snd 10 the there
Of and during period OF tnree roy,ded ye in chapter
terms and with the conditions pro''ueu ~
yy) Of the laws OF 1895. ,,,
In closing. the resolutions require tna' all o'u'
shall be rejected which do not In terms p'o.
nose to furnish gas throughout the "hoie u
that territory in which the bidder has lts MAINS
and such streets must be specifed'
In support of his resolution Mr. Leich saio.
".s chairman Of the Committee on Electricity
,nd Gas have used every honorable enor' ~
induce my associates in the committee " '""'
action. In order that the duties imposed upo" US
nv virtue of our office might be exercised ior 'he
benefit Of our constituents whom we were
elected TO represent.
"The patience of the people as voiceo .hroue',
.,o nubl,c press is exhausted. and they demand
that relief be given them Let U.S. os 'he p"'
sage Of this resolution. disabuse the mnds OF
.ho nuh,ic who fear. are apprehensive that
the corporation which has come here in the
euise OF a petitioner is already the dictator OF
the actions of this body. AS an Alderman elect
ed to discharge the functions Of local legislator
7 propose to stand by the people and to Hit UP
my voice in protection Of their interests
He moved the adoption of the resolutions.
A SPLIT ON THE ROCK OF TINE.
Alderman Cuilfoyle Democratic leader pre-
sented an amendment to have all bids rejected
that exceeded 81 and to limit the time OF the
contract to one year
eft is time the Republican majority or TINS
Board ceased to be bullyragged by the Demo-
cratic minority" Alderman Leich's reply 10
this proposition IF they fell less frequently
into pitfalls prepared for them by the Demo-
cratic members they would improve their
chances for the future"
Alderman Francisco, a member OF the Gas
Committee, said he wanted five-year contract
with 81 gas for the first year and 30 cents for
subsequent years. When pressed by Alderman
McGarry for his reason for holding out so long
for a fve-year contract. Alderman francisco re-
piled that he thought that period would most
benefit the people. His attitude had not changed
for eight months. he declared.
Alderman McGarry said he favored a one-year
contract because he thought something might
be done In the near future to suppress the gas
monopoly or TO give the city ownership OF its
gas works. Alderman Francisco then returned
TO the fray by referring irrelevantly to applica-
tions made for contracts by other companies He
declared that they were not honest. and that
some people around the Board were interested In
them
Alderman LEIGH then discussed the Guilfoyle
resolution, and said that the Wray law only per-
mits the Board to fix the time for which con-
tract shall rum and does not permit the estab-
fishing by the Board of any price.
Suppose the Board should ignore the law"
suggested President Clark. Alderman LEIGH said
that this law superseded all others. and that If
the president had any information to the con-
ha had ken himself.
by saving that the maximum price was fixed at
81 % and that If the company chose to bid a
sliding scale beginning at 81 "a and dropping a
cent each year. there was no way Of compelling
II TO make a lower bid. one company had ex-
elusive possession Of nearly all the important
streets of Brooklyn
After the meeting. Alderman LEIGH asserted to
a Tribune reporter. regarding the resolution TO
fix the price at 81. that the only possible motive
for such a resolution was to secure further de-
lay, as 1t absurd to suppose that the gas
monopoly would bid to furnish both the city and
private consumers gas at 81. when 1t had the
city at its mercy II 1t did not choose to bid at ALL
Alderman Gufoyle rallied the members
against permitting Alderman LEIGH to whip them
into line. and Alderman LEIGH replied that 1t
was time the Republicans took action and up
held the present clean Republican admnstra
ton. When Alderman McGarry. Democrat.
asked him II he wanted TO make this Republi-
can measure Mr.. LEIGH cut him off with some re-
mark about the little gentleman from the
Tenth who is known a personal pronoun."
Alderman Messenger started speech by say
ing. I'VE are babies In the hands Of the trust"
leading those around him to think that he was
going to take the gas company by the throat.
But he wound up by saying that when man at
tempted to wrestle with a corporation. the cor
poration generally came out on top and not the
man.
STEWART ON THE LEGISLATURE.
Alderman Stewart said he could not where
the word dishonesty had any application to the