The sun., 1897-11-15
LO|1[R[R'! Letter.
jBoodlers Likely to 1all Out Over
Division Of Spells.
WHY THEY WANT GAS WORKS
McPake Case Like RanQuo's Ghost
Win Not DOWn---N0t 50 Easy
to Hush Il Up.

now, that is at least rs far as
the Republicans are concerned, calls
up to my mind that old saw regarding
the chances honest men have when
rogues fall out. It's the old question Of
Doodle and the division thereof. With
the $1,000, 600 loan bill steal and the
SIS, ,OOO, 600 or $40, co., 600 gas lease steal,
there would appear to be lots of doodle
in sight, but SO far only few OF the big
political workers have gotten within
sight Of the precious stuff. The Doodle
is there or here all right, but how is it
) going to be divided, and how many Of
the faithful are going to get bit. The
question of division reminds one of the
old almanac joke regarding the division
Of prize money during the war. Whena
United States man-of-war captured y
rebel supply ship,the vessel and the cargo
were sold and the money value Of the prize
went to the captors. Some one asked \
sailor how this money was divided.
That is, what proportion did the officers
get and what portion went to the crew.
"Well," was the reply, "The money is
sifted through ladder. What goes
through the officers get, what sticks the
men get" 1t is claimed by the boodlers
that some sort of an arrangement like
that is being used to sift the Doodle here
and that Charley and Martin are playing
the part of the officers and that they are
getting what goes through the ladder,
while the smaller fry are to get what sticks
but the little fellows are somewhat afraid
that they won't even get that much, and
it is just possible that there may be u
squeal. At any rate the Leaders League,
the ringsters' organization, is preparing
to make kick. Martin has his eye on
the tax receivers Office for one OF his
henchmen but the Leaders say nit and
they are preparing to 60 for Dawes scalp.
There are ugly rumors floating around
town with Doodle mentioned in every
breath, and there is just the possibility
that some one or perhaps several of the
prominent politicians may land where
Boss Tweed spent considerable time,
unless they skip the country in the
meantime.
Much OF the talk comes from the lecu-
liar status of the gas lease steal. The
job has gone through councils as strictly
as the most ardent promoter could de-
sire, and the mayor has signed the bill
just as ascverybody for weeks said he would.
But injunctions have been applied for,
and old bonds are being brought to light
which will be worthless if the city leases
the gas works, and the case will get into
court and it may be tied up for some
time, if not indefinitely The Doodle, OF
course, won't te distributed till the
whole matter is settled, and hence the
jobbers are kicking their heels in the
cold waiting for their bit, while their
wives and lady friends are waiting for
those seal skin sacks which were to ma
terialize about this time, but which may
not be in sight till after the Christmas
holidays, and there is now a possibility
that they may not be available even
then.
1t is just coming to light why the men
who are back Of the gas works steal are
so anxious to get hold of the city's plant.
These men practically control all the
electric light plants Of the city that
amount to anything, and they find cheap
gas very powerful and dangerous con-
pctitor The time has come when some
thing must be done about the gas which
the city is supplying. If it were i'm
proved in quality, as could be done with
up-to-datc meth' DIS, the prices Of electric
lighting would have to come down ac-
cordingly.
Experts on gas manufacture state that
with modern improved methods of max
ing gas a quality many times better than
that now being supplied by the city
could be made and delivered to the
houses Of Phladclphla's citizens at a big
profit Tor so cents per 1000 feet. When
it is considered that the gas works steal
crs are to get 81 per l,O0O feet for gas it
can readily be imagined that they can
afford to be very liberal in their distribu-
tion Of Doodle to put the job through and
that they will be well able to keep off
competitors OF thcirl electric lighting
plants.
Much as tn" police authorities and the
Catholic church authorities apparently
would like to have it ended now and for
all time the Mclake case will not down
and it promises to be more than u nine
days wonder. There are just enough
indications of desire to hush up the
case of the death OF the young priest as
to make common people believe that
there are men in authority in the city
who know more than they care to tell.
Those who are acquainted with the
neighborhood are loath to believe that
the young priests whereabouts from
about $50 p. m. to $50 the next morn
ing cannot be traced. So far nobody has