New-York tribune., 1901-03-21
TO FIGHT GAS MONOPOLY.
NEW COMPANY OFFERS - AND 90
CENT RATES AND 8 PER CENT OF
GROSS RECEIPTS TO CITY.

The Domestic Gaslight and Coke Company. of
No a Broadway. yesterday made formal applica-
ton to the Committee Streets and Highways
Of the City Council for franchise to supply gas
at reduced rates. Samuel H. WandeIl. of No. So
Wall-st. says that the company is backed by
s2noOD,CS, but he will give the of any OF
the men who ready to fight the gas monopoly
The newcomer offers TO furnish a bond in 100000
as guarantee that its gas shall rot cost the city
more than 70 cents thousand and the consumer
more than 80 cents. 1t would furnish both water
and coal gas. The company incorporated in
December, 1900, with a capital of 100000. with
James Jackson president; II. NJ Thompson
secretary, and George w. Linch. treasurer. It is
willing to pay the city per cent of its gross re-
ceipts. and allow the city to examine its books
The bond will guarantee that the laying of mains
shall begin within three months and that gas shall
be supplied within eighteen months The company
will bind itself not to cut off gas users whenever
a bill is in dispute. but wait until the official
inspector has decided There would ne no charge
Tor the metre. The company agrees to spend $4,000
In construction the first year and TO Law one hun
dred miles of gas mains the first eighteen months
Ex-senator John Ford. who accompanied Mr..
Wandell yesterday. said to the committee:
OF all the contemplate and irritating comhina-
uohs In existence the trust of this city is the
MorsG W., Ihere Is no competition here and the peo-
of gas franchises in this city is a dark chapter.
ndr6ed i6f by bribery and extortion and merciless
poor man means much.
am in favor of municipal ownership of gas
companies, but at the present time it is hardly
within the pale of practical politics. The next
best thing is to give competing company like this
a franchise The franchise is for only twenty y-fve
years. when the city take charge of ii again
and rearrange terms. This is the nearest thing to
municipal ownership that get. Under the
new franchise the city would have power super
that the old companies fear more than they do a
lowering of rates
Mr.. Wanden said:
This is no strike, nor IS 1T an attempt to get a
FRANCHISE for speculative purposes. 1t is a business
proposition from business people to furnish prime
necessity Ih9 smalness of the capital of the new
company is no argument against its ability TO full
MI It's promises. The new steel trust when organ
ized. you remember, had a small capital. AS soon
as the franchise is granted the capital will in
creased to S2O,OO0Co0. On my honor. will say that
TINS application is backed by fnanciers of suf-
ncent standing to successfully fight the gas monop-
$4,000. and if don't do a thing afterward the
city VIII get the bond for nothing
Mr.. Wandell said that a State gas inspector had
told him that of the metres he had inspected 40
per cent were fixed by the companies that the
record OF gas used under high pressure was not
honest.
President Jackson said his company had large
gas coal properties in West Virginia and Mary
land, and that the new plant for this city would
be built at Port Morris, whore the company had a
large water front and where coal barges could
readily be unoaded. He said that he was only the
temporary president and that as the
franchise granted he would retire. Mr. Jack
son IS understood to have some connection with
the Manhattan Ice Company.