New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-09-10
TOPICS IN CHICAGO.
A GAS WAR BETWEEN THE TRUST
AND THE OGDEN CO8IPANY-POLICE
LEARNING TO USE CALLING GUNS
JOSEPH LETTER AFTER
COAL MINES


Chicago. Sept CspeciaD--war. grim war.
between the trust and the Ogden Gas ComuauV
was the all absorbing topic in Chicago last weak
Denizens OF a certain favored district are get
ting their gas at the rate OF - cents a thousand
feet and 10 cent gas is strong probability
Cuts and counter cuts have brought the article
down TO figure that IS already close 70 the
actual cost OF production. and unless the u1unic-
ipal authorities take hand in the game IL Is BY
no means improbable that within the next thirty
days consumers VIII be paid a bonus FOR using
the product OF the warning companies Abso-
lutte mystery surrounds the identity OF the own
ers OF the Municipal Gas Company. the concern
that is the asgressOr in the fight Shortly after
the termination OF the negotiations FOR The alb
sCrption OF the Ogden company BY the trust.
which were begun last spring. the Municipal Gas
Company sprang into existence. It's corpo-
rators are clerks local Law Office. and rs o.
hcers declare that the stockholders are Eastern
capitalists Some OF the shrewdest brains IN
Chicago have been unable 10 conrradict this
statement, but the Municipal company which
leases the trust mains. seems bent solely upon
the determination OF the Ogden company. the
trusts sole opposition in the local Held il Is gen
orally believed that the concern Is a mere Great
Ure OF the Peoples Gas Company the octopus
which betor= the advent OF the ogden company
held the entire city helpless in IT'S tentacles Tia
trusts charter handicaps IL in such a fight az "a
now being waged-wOuld. IN fact. make Il In
possible-and 1t is thought that the parent Or
ganizatiOn has simply given birth % the Nl1rsc-
ipal Gas Company, with It's pirirul $4,000 cap
ital and its liberal charter. and set IL 70 work n
the neighborhood where IT VIII DO most good-eo
the trust-in the territory occupied By the OEssa
concern That the Iusry infant IS srntnsntly
fitted FOR the campaign mapped out for II ts ev4-
denced by the lively rate al which the prf-s Of
gas has slumped IN the disputed territory n thu
last few days, and the most sangufne oppone-ts
OF the trust admit that the determination OF ehs
object OF its hatred Is only matter OF tine.
The Ogden company Is now trying 70 enlist ths
city on its side. and thus compel the Peoples 70
sell gas all over the city az the rates prevailing
IN the disputed territory. but II Is thought that
IL viii have a hard time 70 establish the same
ness OF the Municipal concern and The trust.
which Identification IS OF course essential 70
this end
Local school conditions are improving n
stead OF looping or three weeks OF the term
this year as was done IN 1899 one week only
is sacrificed Scanty appropriations are blamed
for this curtairnenr OF the scholastic year in al
OF the public schools, and II IS said that only
by some such rerrenchmenr can the school ex-
penses be kept within bounds. There are about
$500 teachers employed by the city. 50 II Win
be seen that a considerable saving Is Effected
by laying them OF for a single week. as their
salaries average considerably over SIS week
$4,000 BY The granting OF a holiday OF al en-
tire week 70 the children
Chicago's police establishment contains q d.
partment that IS perhaps the only thing or It's
kind In the world IN addition 20 the usual
armament OF clubs AID pistols. Chief EfpIey.s
force has and Is ven drilled in the use OF SIX
1z-pounder Napoleons and Calling gun.
For the last three months 123 men have been
taken al regular intervals 20 secluded spCts and
put through thorough drills II the use CT these
unique police weapons. with the result that
they are now efficient arrilIerymen- JUST what
emergency waS1anticiRated when this addition
TO the police arIRaEElazS was made IS not stated
by the authorities, but as there some
Atty thousand striking wOrkmen now idle in
Chicago union labor regards the presence OF thu
cannon aS a u-recl sL1r upon II ana mas On more
than one occasion condemned the Innovation
IN unmeasUred terms. Corporation Counsel
W aISer declares JnaL there 8 no law 70 prevent
the police force arTuIng itself IN any manner
that may be deemed expedienr and Chief Kip
ley says that no citizen should object 70 the
guns as they viii be used only IN cases OF ex-
IRENE necessity And The drills 80 on
Local reformers are agirated over ice cream
soda IN the last week several ChiCagoauS have
been made i'll by the popular hot weather con
COcUiOn. and one OF them. according 70 the at
tending physician had narrow escape from
death So the pure food people are AFTER the
soda fountains. and samples from al sections
OF the city have been taken for analysis
the Obscuriry that has marked him for It's own
since his sensational and costly ascapads IN
wheat some time ago He has spent q good
part OF the last week among the coal mines IN
Southern Illinois, and report has Il that he IS
planning come before the public as a mine
owner on a large scale. Just where OF when
Mr. Letter gained The experience. not perhaps
requisite but certainly desirable. for the uanfp-
uIaIion OF mining property. IS not stated. Re
port also has IL that the property for which he
Is negotiating IS the one owned oy SAN +
Brush, near Cartersviue. which IS the nine
where the most serious OF last years labor
troubles occurred II conditions have not ma
ing the strikers in favor OF imported labor.
young Mr. Letter may ind himself TIE posses
sor OF a bunch OF troubles compared 10 which
the effort 20 corner the worlds wheat supply
viii seem Insignificant
Railway employees must not talk politics.
That IS, those II the pay or The Southern Pa
cidC must not H B Spencer. general man
ager OF the system has issued circular ask
ing employees working OF passenger trains 20
refrain from discussions OF this nature while
engaged in their work The circular dTellz
upon the neglect Of duty THAI might result from
their engaging IN political converse Wlrc patrons
OF the road In The heat OF The campaign Of
1896. the railway officials say. more accidents
occurred than during the corresponding PERIOD
OF the previous year. and they blame IL al -
political discussions Hence the trte-diction-
Numerous fatalities at grade crossings IN the
last week have exercised the residents OF Chi
cago suburbs 70 the utmost and brought about
q renewed clauOr f0r track elevation. which,
singular it may SEEM has met with decided
opposition in unexpected quarters The rail-
ways TO whom the execution OF such a project
would mean The expenditure Of millions, are not
saving g word The opposition comes from
residents OF fashionable districts. who declare
that The presence OF the elevated structure pro
posed would mar their landscape, and VINO 90
not want u at all
Things theatrical give promise OF a prosperous
season Both OF the first class houses that
I'D LAST -T~