The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-09
PHILADELPHIA GAS LEASE.
THE UNITED PAS COMPANY BILL
PASSES TEE Err HOUSE.

The City,s Upper Chamber TO Meet To-Day -
Act on the H1enaure-Doubt ns to Mayor
warvick,s Administrations R,tterues. OF
the Csnnict-Condition- or tho Contract.
PHILADELPHIA, Nov. s.-Thcro was n crisp
atmosphere OF business In the corridors and
chambers OF the City Councils this morning
that reminded one OF n scene on A s,ock ex-
change. Ton o'clock was fixed as the hour Of
assembling Common Council, the lower house
Of the municipal lawmakers. Tho chamber met
Mt tho same hour on last Friday and peggcd
away all day at the proposition to ito up tho
citizens OF Philadelphi to tho luxury of dollar
gas for u period OF thirty years, and when they
knocked Oft work it was well into the hours of
darkness. So they took a rost of two days, these
sevCnty.nino men who arc set on CARRYING into
effect tho orders Of tho lobby. When they came
back to work it was with an air or vim and
shirt.
Tho other ~hfty.six members Of the chamber
wcro not OF so much Importance. They were
opposed TO the legislation set mp by the United
Gas Improvement Company, but they wero in q
hopeless minority.
Tho chief Of tile lobby, former Gas Trustee
David II. Lanc. was on hand with his staff. Ho
had an air of business. ns he smoked a cigar and
exhibited n prediction for tho next Governor
BY wearing n Pete Widcnor button. lilo added
TO his staff ~on last Friday Traction Detective
Bill Henderson, and Henderson appeared again
to-day, keeping a watchful oye on things. Tho
lobby appropriated to itself q room adjoining
the chamber OF Common Council, and there
they sat and smoked and received reports. Tho
reports were not OF much interest. The brigade
OF scvrnty-nine hung together rs each question
requiring their votes came up. The flfty-nine
representatives OF public sentiment fought tho
lobby with the only weapon at their command.
and that was delay, but the lobby had issued an
edict. and that edict was that the bill must pass
to-day. before adjournment. by u call for tho
previous question, SO the previous question
was called and the bill was passed by a vote OF
rs to 80,
In anticipation OF this result notices were
issued oil last Saturday for II special meeting Of
Select Council. the upper chamber, tomorrow
morning, ten days in advance of the next stated
meeting. and four hours earlier in the day than
IT usually merits. II Is well Understood what
this, means. The. lobby have the votes to pass
The Mayor of Philadelphia was clothed with
ampi" powers for such an emergency by the
people and the action Of the Councilrnen. or, ho
can yield. What he will 10 in the case of this
The bill say that Il would never have been intro.
ducci ut had NOT been known previously that
the Mayor would approve it, HOY true this is
courts Of this city made the remark to-day that
he believed Mayor Warwick would have man.
a carnival OF corruption" His remark shows
the bitterness Of the opposition represented by
to.dav's minority OF 50.
The United Gas Company's bill authorizes the
Mayor to sign II contract with the company TO
let it take the works and manufacture and sell
gas for thirty years at the same price as at pres
cnt. The company Is not bound to pay over a
percentage of receipts, but only an excess Of
what 1t receives above a certain price for gas,
and il that price Ia not charged tho city will get
nothing. Unless figures lie in the fiscal reports
OF the city, the income to-day from the sale of
gas shows a profit of 10 per cent. Rival compa.
mics who offered to lease the gas plant proposed
to pay the city greater profits and to reduce the
price of gas to consumers.