Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-05-15
Asphalt Company Has It's Own Way
In New York.
OWNERS OF STANDS BLACKMAILED
Political Phase to the Gas War
Now in Progress.
TROUBLES OF TWO CHURCHES
.ciaf Correspondence of The Evening Star

| =" Jim, May IL, 1919.
| AS early as last September Mayor Van
| Wyck claimed to have discovered a vast
| scheme to defraud the city, and certain
| persons were designa ted to investigate and
| make report. This report, which has just
been submitted, indicates that New York is
absolutely in the grasp of an asphalt mo-
nopoly. An extract from the report reads
as follows:
New York has been in the grasp of the
asphalt monopoly, which has been convey
Ing vast and unreasonable profits into its
treasury for many years, owing to the
specifications. which contained clauses of
such character as would lead one to sus-
pect that they had been inserted by the
ring eader of this monopoly. Occasionally
we find some city official or asphalt con-
tractor bold enough to break down these
barriers. If q contractor secured a con-
tract objections to his asphalt would be in
spired, which often led to law suits insti-
gated by the monopoly. We sometimes find
other than monopoly contractors securing
pubic work, and frequently the monopoly
has pointed to this open competition;
but any one verSed in the subject knows
that they are often only masQueradng for
the monopoly, buying their material from
1t as tribute, or, as Il last compromise,
when the monopoly has found them too
strong to combat and not afraid. 1t has in
Vlted them to snare the profits
Loot tor Tnmmany.
While Mayor Van Wyck and his Tam
many assistants are probably entitled to
considerable credit for exposing this grab
ard suggesting rem cdies, nothing is said
in reply to the assertion that the Tammany
municipa! assembly is keeping s5oooO0 a
year out of the city treasury, made by GER
tain city officers who have looked into the
matter. OF late the question is frequently
ASKED. who is getting the money? The
bulk of the business done by the local legis-
lative body for some time past has been the
passing Of resolutions to permit the keeping
OF stands for trade purposes under the
stairs of elevated railroad stations and
within stoop lines. These privileges are no
longer a matter of license under fixed reg
uiaticns. They are now said to be political
patronage of an exceedingly Interesting
and valuable kind. Persons interested in
the matte say that many of the permits
to keep news stands under the stairs of the
elevated railroads worth $1,000 or more
year. Practically nothing is paid into
the city treasury for these permits. No
license ordinance has been enacted since
consolidation went into effect, and the Crdi-
nances of The former cities are still in full
effect nominaily, but they are not enforced
Under the Old ordinance the license fee for
a stand under the stairs of the elevated
road was $40 year. There would be plenty
of bidders for them at an average price of
500 year. 1t is admitted in the city
clerks office that many persons holding
these permits from the municipal assembly
do not pay even the nominal fee of SIC
They rely upon the pull that first got them
the permit to save them afterWard from
annoyance by the police. If they pay for
the valuable privilege they enjoy the
money does not go into the city treasury.
1t is contended by the opponents of the
present system that the charter never con-
templated that the assembly should usurp
the duties of the license bureau to create
q 06r her MAJ rny7 rub
from 100000 to 81 Co., 900 a year. IT is i'm
possible to ascertain exactly how much
money the city is losing by the present
system, but 1t is generally understood
around the city hall that no stand owner
pays a license fee If he has enough polit-
ical pull to get a permit from the assembly
and keep the police from disturbing him.
Politics in the Gas War
Although the gas war has subsidized into
tug of war, with steady pulling on either
side there are many rumors flying around
about the wished-for results and the people
and the motives behind the cuts in rates.
The latest report is that it is not only a
fight between men of millions, but also one
between the powerful political bosses,
Croker and Plat. The New Amsterdam
Gas Company, with Croker and Tammany
back Of it, now holds the whip hand 1t is
selling gas publicly at so cents a thousand
and, it is said, making contract after con-
tract with new customers, guaranteeing
that for year at least the price will
not go above IS cents a thousand. 1t is
argued now by certain people that gas will
n=ver go back to the old price. 4 new
fncandesCent however introduced by
company capitalized at S12.OO0OOO, Is cx-
pected TO revolutiOnize the gas industry by
further reducing the cost. 1t will enable
the gas companies to fight the electric
concerns.
The latest inside" story of the gas war
i- hot f.,ttp lti,,S,
Rockefeller and Russell Sage, the gas COM
panies entered into a compact TO establish
uniform pIica. and agreeing as to the
territory each company should have. A
clearing house was established and any
company selling more than it's share each
quarter had to distribute one-haf the prof
its to those selling less than their share
| TIL the Standard Oh! people in the con-
sOiGEted began 20 purchase an interest in
| the Equitable and Ease River companies
to freeze out Anthony y. Brady, +. c.
| Benedict j. Pierront Morgan and others
| They discovered and defeated this deal.
They consolidated into the New Amster-
! dam Company ana began war of rates
| The Consolidated Gas Company then refus-
ed to make any more payments under the
| trust agreement. The dominant faction in
| New Amsterdam organized the big Electric
Light and Power Company. The Rookie
| fellers ana John D.. Crimmns devised the
Astoria grab bill and got the republican
machine behind it. The New Amsterdam
appealed TO Croker. The grab" was beat
en-. New amsterdam canvassers swept
through the territory of the other COM
panies. The Piatt crowd appealed to Croker
for truce. He ordered the Consolidated
Company and PlGtt to get rid of John d.
CrimmiEs. They said 20 have refused.
The Mazet committee was appointed to
bring Croker 10 terms. Ii failed. Then the
Consolidated made its open Cut to 60 cents.
The New Amsterdam retaliated with the
50-cent cut. And goes the story.
Societies n Danger to Churches.
Ministers OF both the Methodist and
Presbyterian churches have been aroused
concerning their auxiliary church societies
by the discussion in the Newark preachers
meeting the other day over the question
whether Methodism is on the ebb. The de-
bate precipitated by the discovery that
the spring reports showed among the
churches in New York city, New Jersey
and Philadelphia a decline of three thous-
and in membership and one thousand in the
number of probationers. The figures had
attracted the attention of some members
of the Newark Preachers Association and
1 ,l1Ir llaI