The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-02-07

WHAT rs SAID ABOUT 1NALLEGED
SCHEME

To Locate u New Gas Company in This
City With Foreign or Outside Capital
Talks with Various People on This
and Kindred Subjects.
Officials of the New Haven Gas Light
worthy of any special attention the la
bors of the promoter or promoters in
this city who report that they have a
syndicate behind them ready and plan
ming to establish a rival gas company
here. They think it possible that some
movement may be made before the leg
islature in that direction, though no in
dications thereof are apparent, and they
hold that the New Haven company be-
Ing a home organization, its stock chief
ly held here, and the price of gas, both
for lighting and fuel proposes, being
low and much lower than it Is afforded
in many other cities, there would not
be much in it for a competitive COM
pany. The New Haven company fully
occupies the field and has one hundred
and thirty miles of pipes laid. 1t is
argued that the people Of New Haven
would make very serious kick
against having the streets of New Ha-
ven torn up from one end to the other
for the laying Of new pipes by for
eign corporation. The trouble and an
noyance would be simply enormous in
this city, to say nothing of East Ha-
ven, Hamden, West Haven, ETC., which
the New Haven company supplies with
gas. The New Haven company supplies
gas in East Haven as far as the old
stone church and over all Of West Ha-
ven, out Whitney avenue to Whitney,
vile and vicinity, also out Dixwell ave-
nue. to beyond the Hamden line. 1t is
argued also that New Haven would Sc
riOuSly object to foreign corporation
coming in here with all that 1t implies
in the way of taking New Haven mon
ey out of the city and having it spent
in New York, New Jersey and else
where A local home institution, well
and conservatively managed, it's stock
holders nearly all New Haven people,
who spend their dividend money here
and whose money is invested in a New
Haven plant, appeals very strongly to
home pride and home support 1t is
also argued that much money has just
been spent in important improvements
and development of the plant, and no
doubt in the near future the company
will expend much more money in the
same direction. The company paid last
year in taxes to New Haven the hand
some sum of $4,000, that being the
amount due on the $1,OO0,o0o of the COM
pany's capital stock. The tendency Of
the times, said a conservative business
man, and it is growing more SO with
bo ic 70 rar11-
leling of railroad lines and the building
of opposition plants for which there Is
no necessity except to crafty band
of spectators anxious to make money,
no matter whose rights are invaded. 1t
used to be the fashion, he added, to
spring a parallel road scheme on the
public of this state about once a year
before the legislature. The legislature
then met annually instead Of biennially,
as now, and there was "hot time" in
the general assembly at about every
session for perhaps a dozen years on
this subject 1t afforded a chance for
oratory, and there were orators on both
sides. Hon. Samuel Fessenden made
his first big hit as a speaker in this
fight, and Hon. William D. Bishop of
Bridgeport made a notably brilliant
speech IOr the ROAD. but lIG pdIdllel-
ing scheme came to naught. 1t was al
ways in the air, but didn't pan out. At
last people came to see and realize
what vast damage was usually done by
parallel railroad schemes. In New York
state the West Shore railroad, which
parallels the New York Central, came
near wrecking the latter road. The Gen.
trail had to take it, and it is only now
beginning to emerge from the damage
inflicted upon it by shouldering the
West Shore parallel. 1t was nearly
similar case when the road now known
as the Nickel Plate was built by band
of spectators. 1t paralleed the Lake
Shore, and the Vanderbilts had to take
the property, and it was a heavy load
to carry for years and was long mem
ace to the people who owned stock in
the Lake Shore. Cases like this occur
red all over the country and finally the
public saw the folly Of it and laws were
enacted to restrain all such unnecessary
speculative jobs. The moral is obvious.
The New Haven Gas Light company
has no fear that any competitor can
come into this field and do as well by
the public as they are doing now, and
certainly New Haven will back up home
Investments.