The sun., 1897-02-06

7HE CHEAPER GAs BILL.
Francis n. Tburser Giv-s His Reasons for
Opposing the Measure.

Olp0alnE the MsaauFe.
The fact that the great mass OF the citizens Of
New York take @ little interest in tho effort now
s "-o " '"s 'o VI t"s io.
sl.2o Thousand rect TO u. was Drought out
very clearly at the gas hearing in Albany the
A. h.,oro y..,.,dav Th.ro v,. ~, o,,a,,z.d
s';''n 40, 80 49, .,,. Nv 80, '..
delegation from this city. nor were there any
advocates OF the bill from the people. Senator
c.n,or .noLa for hi. own p,a..,r. n, cop,,.
."o. .n 'po~' ~. ~, ,r % Nv, "n v '., y, .oua.
taken up by two er perts," hired by tho senior
80, ,...., - = a.,,s -.
ana Junior apostles OF new Journalism whose
proprletors nave seized ON cheap gas" as tho
advertising medium Of the moment. Unfortu-
~'a'ov ~ w ."'% ,"o .0 ne"s '""e" W
compare note, before the hearing were hope
lessly at cd ds on fundamental facts and tho
comm,,,.. had d,,IIv 10 ,Jionrn Tor TO-, .sr.
, 'e, n"u "A"' ~ w ""''''" 'o' W. "'oN'
Of the statements and and out "whcre II is at"
A .ipnifcant featur, OF Tn, hearing wa, the
presence Of Frane,, n. Tburb.r who wen, 10
Albany to speak In opposition to the Cantor bill.
Mr.. Thurp,r organized and was president OF
tho Gas consumers Association which carried
on tho agitation ten years ago. which nnally ro-
,n,,.a in m. ,.duc,ion n, this nrIcs NJ ,as from
u.uo 'n 'he i'."''o" VI ,no p.,.eo' s"H run
Sl.'o thousann iee' To SLID Inc movement
zen se",s MO nao W." very a'ae,e"' ,,', IRON 'na' o'
a, :" .s " ~, w.. ''e '"''I ,, N- y" -.
huoniial citizens The association was well or
carried on its work systematically and
in a manner behtting q movemen; that
had the indorrem.ni OF large ma
Jority of the citizens of New York IL
accom- vi shed its end and then d handed. Now
the head Of that movement has come ont
suunrely in opposition to the present agitation
when ha. Tor its end to paraphrsse his words
the partial conhscn ion OF property owned
largely by citizens OF this city. MIR, Thurher
wa. asked ye.tetday TO give 10 TuF SrN his
rca sons for this appar eut change OF front lie
was In a hurry nj ths time and had time TO give
only a brief outline.
"Nes" he said, I" was at the head of the Gas
,onsnmer.' Association. which ten years nyo
brought about the reduction of the urice OF gas
In fact 1 ORGANIZED IT, Yesterday 1 went to A l.
bauy 10 oplp,.r this new movement TO reduce
the price Still fnrt her IL doesn't follow that IL
n rcduction In the price from 81 rs 10 81 % VAS
Just ten years ago that a further enforced de-
crease OF 20 per cent nt the pi esent time would
als o be lustIhable 1 personally am convinced
that such would not be the case
'' In the first place tho conditions TINT sur
rou nd ga. compnntes in New Sork are easen-
TALLY ditfsreT from thos. in any other ,i,y in
the Union The cost of making the gas ia
higher The cost OF dlptrIbuting the gas 1.
higher Tie taxs. ar, very much heavier than
they are In any other city The gas com panies
OF this civ nav considerablv over a half million
n yvnr IA iases alone And finally III, ouality
of the pas manu- ufnctured by the Nav York gas
companI.s il better thnn in eny other ,ity in the
country But th.re are other thin ga To be con.
adhered There are the Investors who have their
money IN .the.s comnnnies They put THAR
money in ,ksm N, III, n az, m "a, ,o, n, az "a. 80,