New-York tribune., 1896-12-02
A CHANCE FOR ALDERMEN.
ONE MORE OPPORTUNITY TO CLEAR Uf
THE GAS SCANDAL.
THE COMMITTEE on ELECTRICITY AND GAS To
sIBLE RESULTS FROM THE USING OF

HOLD MEETING on FRIDAY NIGHT-Pos-
sIBLE RESULTS FROM THE USING OF
GAS WITHOUT CONTRACT
Alderman LEIGH chairman Of the Committee on
Electricity and Gas of the Board of Aldermen de-
cided yesterday 20 give the committee ai'
opportunity to clear its skirts of the scahua "''."
has been caused by the failure to decide upon the
terms OF n gas contract. lie called meeting vi '''e
committee for Friday and ordered IL 10 Dc piop''
advertised. He will be on hand at 'he |''s nan "
7.6 d. m ready TO preside. II a quorum Is present
AZ star chambe- methods are not adoP'eu' an" -
there is frank discussion OF the subject the mem
bers OF the committee will do much 10 uispe' '"o
suspicious that their conduct III '"o '"''
months has aroused.
Prominent Republicans are becoming Iedii"' 'o''
the present attitude of the Board OF Aldermen Oh
this gas question Is going to inJure the part! VII"
the voters OF Brooklyn. Nominally the boa'u l. n'
publican but a Republican Democratic ring IN 'ne
Board makes it really non-partisan for certain OIL
fcnsive and defensive purposes Yet the hepup"
can party suffers for the misdeeds OF TINS eo,o''''
tion Those who have the good Of the party at
heart are anxious that this 'hoid up as u -
called should come 10 an end. They nave III i''''u
the damage done to the reputation OF 'he bo"'o
cratic party by the "Cold Thirteen Board OF Aiuei
men, and fear that the excellent. business-"Ac "u
ministration OF Mayor Wurster Will be tah'eo III
the somewhat ndiscrminate judgment OF 'he peo'
p,e nv Alderinanic misbehavor That the DeHlo-
Gratis are already sczing the opportunity thus pre-
sonted TO make political capital is shown by 'he
fact that Aldermen Gulfoyle and McGarry tried 10
defeat the hasty adjournment on Monday
As explained exclusively by The Tribune the rea-
son the city has been consuming gas TOT d ye"i
without the formaly Of a contract is the ex's'em.e
Of the Wray law which passed IN 1879 ii''
law provides an extraordinary relief FOR the gas
companies OF Brooklyn. because. IN pro'iui"e VIC"
the price Of gas furnished the city must oes'" "'
less than the maximum legal rate Csl 2o' aho nave
graduated reduction for period OF not eHceeui''e
Nf,een wears il likewise provides that these same
lower and reducing prices must be given u '''e
,r,vste consumers of the city If a city CONTRACT
were now given TO the Brooklyn Union Gas COM
pany that company would at once nave 10 let pr &
yate consumers have gas at less IMAM 81 20 io 49,
cubic feet. AS the private consumpuoh II" n
,vr is 600 900 900 cubic feet year the reductioh 10
z, ool. proposed by one Alderman would mean
loss TO the company of $4,000 for the year on pr
80. consunption alone If the company can get
,hrouph This month without a contract IL VIII saw
cut IN private consumers fo- this year anu nj .h,
an opportunity to lobby a repeal OF 'he Ia" ''''
winter ~ o-a than 5000 900 for
gas furnished for public buildings M ,he aI gas COMPANY
no rb, p'b has led to an apprehension that the com
would put in s pdT for @ osTS euSc @ feet w
II don't think the gas company WIZ nPd Pess herman
for more than at the rdtc VI ,,.rr,.e ao,nrap y
s,ewart 10 Tribune reporter. The company company
SSormav offered 10 enter into contract 10 supply
gas TO the city buildings for one year at go 81 nan
think this stops them from charging "o'' '
that amount. .- .so ,as, fall N the
last Board Of Aldermen. r,o,.,,.,
General James Jourdan. president OF the bIoohIyn @
Union Gas Company. refused yesterday 10 Say "a an; y
thing further than that his company Wou'u b u ~ i,
position pretty soon to tell the PUBLIC wnat IL
was going ITO do with the matter lieasuiSa'
Cbarman when asked what the company wanted.
reniied that IL wants supply the gas to the cy
and people OF Brooklyn at the lowest M pri'e fair
return on the Investment The company nad pre- pre-
sented bills because no contrac! was Nv n~a Gee
that the company should charge the city, he SAID
had not been considered by the officers he c'tncu
that the gas now furnished was SO per cent pe''er
in quality than formerly.