The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-06-04
Vast Sums Used for ILL.,
nOiS Legislation.
~
Quarter of a Million For Pas
sage of the Gas Bill.
Oh cago Cable Roads Alleged to
Have Spent Fully $75O,000.

Chicago, ILL.,, June At will cost the
hackers of two bills now pending before
the Legislature of Illinois in Springfield
81. 000 600 60 have them enacted into laws.
The money will be paid &c Legislators.
Ono Of these is the Gas Company Consoli
dation and Frontage bill In which the
Chicago Gas Trust and other gas COM
panies are interested, and which will cost
S25O 900. The other Is the Allen street
railroad bill which authorizes the City
Council To extend the franchises OF the
cable roads for fifty years. 10 is said that
s750 900 has been raised TO secure the pas
sage Of this measure. The bills are in
tended TO shut out competition and create
great monopolies, and their passage is SO
important that no one Is surprised that so
large sum has been raised To secure their
enactment. With 81, 600, 0OJ at it's disposal
the lobby Is setting price never dreamed
of befor,, and no one doubts that many
members of the Legislature will have COM
fCrtable fortunes at the close Of the session
as the result of their votes on these bills
The handlers Of the million collar fund
for the purchase of legislation have the
fewcst doubts OF all ON that point
Can Afford TO Pay Ii.
he fac lities of the gas companies for
making money will be almost llmitless If
the consolidation and frontage bill be-
comes "a law. Ii will render existing gas
companies practically free from conpeti-
tion, and enable them 10 soon get back
the $3.50, 0J0 which IL will cost 10 have the
bill enacted. Chicago. with her |, 800 00U
inhabitants Will be bound hand and
foot, and be completely at the mercy of
the gas monopoly. The city territory
has been divided between the companies
in the Gas Trust and the Universal and
nal
and the Suburban Gas Companies, and
competition is rendered impossible. It IS
presumed the Gas Trust companies will
presently 40 ahead with their consOlida-
tion.
Former Governor Roswell r. Flower
says the Gas Trust will save IL per cent.
in operating expenses through consolida-
tion He has been here for a few days TO
visit acquaintances The extent of value
Of an advance in gas will depend. of
course upon further issues Of bonds. Most
Of the companies have reached sthe limit
Of bond issues. Under the consoida-
tion, however, there may be change in
this respect
Yerkes' Slight Hopes.
Charles 4. Yerkes, the street car mag
nate, has staked everything OH the Alien
Street Railroad bill which is now before
the Senate. Its main provision il that
Tue CnlcagO Ilty COuDCll may eAtenu tDc
cable franchises of the nnCth and west
side cable roads, with which he Is con
nected, and the south side cable road, for
30 years, five cent fare TO prevail for 20
years and fare to be decided upon by
the cable companies and the Council for
the remaining 80 years. No wonder they
want the bill passed.
81 important is the Allen bill that
irge LOBBY has been maintained in Spring
Held 10 secure its passage, and it Is in
tinated that some of the persons con-
nected with the management OF the roads
have raised and expended $3.50, coo to So
cure the passage of the measure. No
compensation for the city is named in the
Allen bill, sand tnat Is one reason the
people complain againt It,
At present the City Council can extend
franchises only 20 years, but the companies
want To have them extended 30 years.
Charges that mem bcrs of the Civic FEEDER
alton have raised large amounts To defeat
the street car and gas bills in Springfield
cannot be confirmed.
Chicago, however, will fight the gas
consolidation and frontage laws in the
City Council The citizens committee
of One Hundred is preparing to ask the
Council TO pass an ordinance before july
l. when the frontage and consolidation
bills will become laws, granting TO the
Citizens Gas Company franchise for
elactric and gas lighting in every street
and alley of the city. The franchise is
not transferable.