New-York tribune., 1896-12-23
RADICAL PLAN SUGGESTED.
ONE WAY BY WHICH THE POWER Or
THE GAS TRUST COULD BE BROKEN

ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN IN THE LEoisi'Ai NJ"
TO HAVE ITS CHARTER REVOKED sAfS
p.r,I. =. DE rERE-No RELIEF FROM
Ex~oRrIoN IN ANY OTHER WAY.
The news from Albany that the seven COM
nanies which combined to form the Gas lFuS'
had all been dissolved and the local Gas lruS'
thus placed beyond the fear OF attack iro'' '.'
Attorney-Generel that may he selected III t'-
future has only intensified the bitterness vi
feeling against the Gas Trust III bfooM'E"'
Paul T. De Fere who attempted uiiS"''''"
fully to get Attorney-General tahcocN u p'o
coed against the Trust itself yesterday sus-
pestcd an extremely radical. though effective
method OF getting rid of this unpopular ho'VP
DIV He would haze the Legislature revoke '"1
charter O, the Brook yn-UniOn Gas Company
Tn discussing the matter with Tribune re-
porter he said
.I was much surprised 10 hear within oaS VI
en- that rhe seven companies that so-d '"e"
franchises TO the Brooklyn-Cnion Gas No''-
pany had been dissolved AT the SUIT oi 'he ~
torney-General in Albany County "lt"ou' "",
notice to Dr. John G. Lester or myse" '''e "
the strongest points made in the a'sui"'"' ~
tho ATTORNEY General was that ne shouiu ''e'',
an action against all the companies u '''Pe'
the Brooklyn Union Gas Company 10 su'ie"u0-
10 the old companies the plants ana ''""' "
which they had transferred ana 70 coupe "
old companies to resume the exercise u ,,
charter obligations The effect of TINS "ou''
have been TO give TO the people OF h''oN'.''
tho most complete relief. by restoring co'ipe'
49,, "a leaving the Trust a mere paper cor
poraton. ,,o,,.
.r,,o .,,o, ~ tho Attorney General In dissolF-
,o tho old companies and leaving the lr"9'
,,nscathed forever removes any pNssip''' %
.,, reI,ef for the old companies haNiis eo
ont Of existence there is now no one u ""'"
the Trust can surrender the property anu '."" ~
II has acquired. This action has 'he NOR ''
~ established The Trust and placed II III
position almost impregnaD.e. c.ato
"I, il q wonder that the people o. 'he "'''1'
who have a right at any time " ie'' :;
morale charter. do not exercise TINS po"0 "
the case of the Brooklyn Gas trust ie no
resentatives of the people IN ."e e. re,eaI the
this winter should pass an acl 10 menace
charter of the Brooklyn Gas lus, "'
TO the public interest in TINS CIT! ,rion Gas
"Do You think that the Brook! !aa,'nent Il. as
Company deserves sucu ii"''
'niS ne vns: If the feople cant ge, rene,
through the Attorney-Generai lhes S''
through the legislature. ne rcpi'su, moi
The dissolution uf the seven co,hp"i. a,
only cuts off any possibility Oh reiiel o no re-
torney General in the iuture' % ut ,,a, from
ltaf .lsx.,
The courts by means of suit brought e'io, ~ 90
nrivate citizen or by the city IN l's coip'. tha
nac,tv 10 dissolve the trust. Now t,,as W
ssa~an con,oanies have disappeared the id"!ela
GOV that the plea OF an Tile gal comnhd'i io 60 S
no longer be set up. inasmuch As lne'v ~ " fran.
but one company. Even me rae. ,ined su"e clause
ch;se ~ the Psople's Company contahou N"u'e
10 the effect that ii was to be i"rfelteu III .as - q
sale was ma de to any other company ctiii'T, nv
no taken advantage OF. What cares the bIpuh ,
lyn Union Gas Company whetheI t,o - la
~ the Peope's Company he declared .oiu
W-orid NOT the monopoly have six other iran
chisss that are good for any part OF une cr.! ,,
MANY complaints have come 10 Inc ~ io.,'e - =
recentiy that the gas monopoly IS increasing tiie x
monthly amount charged specific inCiNiuuai, ioi
the gas used during given Time ai'IouSi ii , 49,
a NO Increase in the amount OF gas actuaiiy con-
sumed The Trust seems to be getting even WIN
the neople of Brooklyn for the late popular up
ris;rp against its methods. The average ol III
crease seems to he about ~ per cent. foi m m
stance n man who formerly paid Sl month ~, nj
the gas furnished TO his hat now p"ES 81 20 g..
while another man who formerly paid - 's 80 ~, !r'
the gas furnished his house now pays :" -
This il matter in which most housenoiders aie
absolutely dcfenceess. because the gas c'iisuiie'
who has ever fathomed the mysteries Oh '"e H''
ter Is only one in a thousand ~ !,
That these complaints are NOT mere ma ,;t -
Inauguration is shown by the affidavits when
we're procured by Mr.. De Fere in preparing MS
case against the Trust. Among these afiidavts
we've those of q number of well-known mer-
chants who took oath that as soon az the con-
soljdation Of the gas companies was erecteo the
prices charged for given period went ut- Ons
merchant who formerly paid Hl' atterWard
found that he was paying S2o. Mr.. DE Fere hEe-
Wise had the gas examined by an expert. VINO
Sound that the quality OF the gas deterioraten
after the combination. and that il was nor up 10
the requirements Of the law.