The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-01
URIC COMPANIES WAR.
sMrT TO PREyENr MErRoPoLr-
V TAN FROM SELLING POBER.


Zine Hand of the Consolidated Gas Com
psny Traced in the Suit Of william II.
hetEer Against the Traction Corpora
non-A Franchise of Great Value ut stake.
william H. Reiger, through his counsel.
Games. Schell Il Elkus. has brought suit
against the Metropolitan Street Railway Com
pany to restrain It from using its electric con-
QUITS Tor any other purpose than to supply mo-
tive power for It's cars. The lawyers
for the plaintiff say that this ia an ac-
tion brought in good faith by a promi-
nent taxpayer Of the city, who believes that
II the Metropolitan folks are permitted
to use the surplus electricity from the con-
duits for any other purpose than for running
carsyh and all other taxpayers will suffer. In
asmdch as the railway company will reap large
returns from franchise for which 1t should
pay. but will not pay tho city cent.
There are others who say that William II.
Reiger has merely lent himsel! to the Stand
, ard Oil Company. or rather to the Consolidated
Gas Company. which is controlled by Stand
ard Oil men, to enable 1t to prevent It's rival.
the New York Gas and Electric Light.
Heat and Power Company. controlled by
Anthony n Brady. William c. Whitney.
Thomas L. Ryan and others. from buying cleo
tricity from the Metropolitan Street Railway
Company. Although Mr.. Reiger il represented
to be a wealthy man. with an office at 1S East
Twenty third street. his name does not appear
In either the New York or Brooklyn directory
or In the Club or Social directory.
While the Metropolitan Street Railway Is
made tho principal defendant. James p. Keat-
ing. Commissioner OF Highways. and Henry S.
Kearney. Commissioner Of Buildings. Lighting
and Supplies. are made party defendants to the
suit
Briefly. II is alleged by the plaintiff upon
Information and belief. that wherever the
Metropolitan Street Railway has put down an
electric road 1t has laid many more conduits
than are necessary to supply power to
move Its cars. The surplus electricity. the
plaintiff alleges. is to be sold to per-
sons who will use 1t for other purposes
than operating cars. or tho conduits will be
leased to persons or COMPANIES who will sell
the sur pus electricity The comp plant alleges
that the defendant 10 setting up instruments
n business other than It's lawful one Of street
railway traffic and is actually supplying cleo
tricity in this way to persons. firms and corpo-
ri" "I piaintiff demands that the defendant
company be restrained from maintaining the
soaGSs Sfer Re of ea
ccpt for the purpose Of conveying sufficient
pSmsa be o'GT@s snppyns
electricity for heat lighting and power
eo o1iEfn and electrical a conduct9rs not
necessary for tbs, operations Of the defendant's
cars De removed from unucT III" STREETS OF NOW
York. that the defendants. kearnay and keat-
Ing. as Commissioners. be enJolnet and re-
strained from granting any permission to the
defendant company to erect, maintain or OPP
crate conduits subwavs or electrical conductors
for other than traction purposes. and that they
perform their prescribed duties as trustees OF
the plaintiff.
Reigers lawyers said yesterday that they had
been informed that Responsible persons were
willing to pay to the city S1OO.OOO for the priv
ileges which the Metropolitan Company is ex-
ercising. They had 1t from experts that the
company had laid from sixty to seventy two
conduits along tho lines OF its roads. when
twenty conduits would be sufficient to convey
the electricity to operate its cars.
Some persons familiar with the gas war and
New York Gas and Electric Light Heat and
Power Company said yesterday that IL there
had been no such corporation this suit would
never have been brought. They also said It
was another attempt on the part OF the Consol-
idated Gas Company to get even with the New
Amsterdam Gas Company. which is credited
with securing tho defeat OF the Astoria Gas bill
In the Legislature last winter.
The standard Oil Company controls the Con-
solidated Gas Company. Anthony n. Brady is
Company. and he organized an is at the head Of
the New York Gas and Electric Light. Heat and
Power Company. Mr. Brady has recently been
elected director Of the Metropolitan Street
Railway Company. Mr. Brady s company owns
all the electric light. heat and power plants and
from these plants is conducted in the boroughs
OF Manhattan and the Bronx. except those
owned by the United Electric Light. Heat and
Power Company. a Westinghouse property
pany 1t has been rumored for some time that
an arrangement would be made by which the
surplus conduits Of the Metropolitan Company
Would be leased to Mr.lBradys power company.