New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-04

pr.soSs STATED WHY DOLLAR GAS BILLS
SHOULD NOT PASS.
.u,,v Feh 2-Psprescntatives OF nearly all the
largo Gas companies in New-York appeared oeiole
The Senate Committee Miscellaneous Oo' po'"
tions this Afternoon In opposition 10 INC va
b,lls providing for reduction IN the PilCe u "a
IN q a thousand cubic feet. Nearly all the srou"u
covered IN the exhaustive arguments OF ,ast 90
was gone over, and the pfo'es's 'e''"0'
ductIon were renewed -,
,,,ore those who appeared to-day were DaNiu
ucClure and Henry F. Rowland representing inc
Consolidated Gas Company; Charles r. Couu''-e
.or represeotine the Bronx Gas and Eiectr'o IN
many: " r. Bronx. representing the NC" "
Va, Gas company: President Thompson OF the
STANDARD Gas Company and Wiliam y. Ds
representing the Brooklyn Union Gas oo'hp""''
" DyIan,an was first heard IN opposition To
senator Coney's bill providing dollar Gas TOT 'h'
Borough OF Brooklyn. Mr.. Dykeman sale Ms 00'.'
many had a contract with the Guy OF -
supply gas on a graduated scale whlch on az,
vas authorized by the legislature II 20" ~.
u.ora nassed Il would be Unconstitutional az NV
= ,-,,,,,o could not Interfere with contract
con,,or Coffev said ne would be Wiling 10 nav
tho hill amended so that II should not 'i''V''
with any existing contracts. II was NOT Vne 80,
tract with the municipality 10 wnch ne oo10 ,,o.
hut he wanted 10 secure dollar gas lor the P'''
consumers -..,s.,.d
Nv
cornnany He said the gas companies VIZ ~
o,,hl,c enemies but public benefactors' lhey c''
Moved over five thousand men IN Ne"-loN -
A. high wages. indeed at the same VS. ia
Maid when the price Of gas was = " -. -
ro.t wear they had satisfied the co4''l
,cainst the Gas experts that gas oouiu "o' ~ 49,
,s q q Thousand He called attention 10 'ne
Fart that the company was ooHseu ~ ~
- g.. .norseiv settled districts by ORDER OF '"'
l-o, Council and that many miles OF non
.,v,rr tines had thus been constructed a. -.
't,-"o,n tge said the Legislature was pou'o 'S
.ve~y moral consideration to stand ~ me coHi"U'
-, q, rod made with the eas companies year
Co when Il adopted the sliding scale o. p'lces.
making a reduction OF I'VE Genus e"0" 49,
he price should reach s..
Askcd by Senator Malhy as TO the ruinoreu con
solidation OF the companies In NeW-1orK' MI w
-lure said he was authorized 70 say Tor ue Co"-
so.ldated Company ttat there was aosoiuteE ~
contemplation OF any consolidation go,
Mr. Codsington said that the passage OF this hil!
would mean the absolute conhscation OF the plant
~, the Bronx Gas and Electric Company. and II II
had 10 60 out Of business the people Of that locality
would suffer as none Of the competing companies
couii come into that territory. His company no"
led territory in which It operated. they could no
afford to supply It cheaper. Senator Cantor after
oany excluded from the operation OF his bill
The trouble, Senator Cantor declared arose iron
the fact that there was absolute no competitor.
In New-York II there were 1t would not be neces-
sarv Tor him to be there advocating the passas'
OF this bill The companies had entered into az
agreement by which the same price was CHARGED
nv all companies. and competition had peel
destroyed He said that those companies had beef
earning ard paying dividends o. and ? per cent
franchise ought 10 be satisfied 10 earn per cent
Judge Rowland closed the hearing He charac-
terized Senator Cantors argunent as socialism
and reviewed the history OF the gas companies
which he declared. had been public beneiactors
They had voluntarily reduced the price OF gas IRON
time 10 time. and won continue 10 DO so as tas'
as consumption increased so as to permit a .aiI
profit AS to the destruction OF competition ne
denied tina; there had ever been any agreement
bel Ween the companies as to the price OF gas
No action was taken on the question, and II Is
nrnha 10 thit another hear!ng may DC had.