New-York tribune., 1901-03-17
GAS WAR IN YONK ERS.
ALDERMAN IN BRINGING ACIloN fVi'
ANNJ-LMENT OF CITY LIGHTING
CONTRACT MAKES CHARGES
AGAINST COLLEAGUES.
COLLEAGUES.

John H. Coyne, an alderman of Yonkers, mas
brought an action against the Mayor and boa'u
Of Aldermen Of that city to annul gas hsht-
ing contract made by the Board of Aldermen
last wear with the Yonkers Gas Light COM
pany which involves S1,oOoOOo- Ihroush tne
service of a summons and complaint Oh NaSoi
Leslie Sutherland yesterday Alderman Coyhe'
rrdar tho title of Taxpayer in the city or
Yonkers' asks the courts TO declare the CON
tract void on the ground that the amount OF
money involved is in excess of the amount per
uitted for public lighting by the city charter
is a violation of the charter. and that the con-
tract never received the Mayors signature. and
is ACCORDINGLY 10 contract. The complaint makes
charges against five aldermen. who composed
the lighting committee of the Common Councli
which recommended the acceptance or the
S10000O0O gas contract. and charges one OF
the committee Alderman John H. Southwick.
as acting as agent and spokesman for the
Yonkers Gas Light Company TO waste. ln1ure
and spolate the funds of the city. The com
plant alleges that the Yonkers Common Coun-
ell and the Yonkers Gas Light Company worked
with each other through Alderman Southwick.
The gas company offered to supply Welsbach
lamps to the city, 1.600 in number. at the rate
of $50 year. When the application was made
the city was using 1881 of the old style gas
lights, for which it was paying Sl9 year eaeh'
In addition TO the gas lamps, nearly thou-
sand incandescent and arc electric lights were
in use After a public meeting had been held
and the proposed measure was vigorously OPP
posed, the Lighting Committee reported favora-
bly on the contract and on June u of last year
the Common Council approved the report, one
alderman voting no. Mayor Sutherland vetoed
the contract on the ground that the contract
was injurious to the city. and that ten year
term was excessive
The aldermen two weeks later reapproved the
report of the Lighting Committee over the
Mayors veto, three of the fourteen aldermen
voting no. Mayor Sutherland stated that he
would never sign the contract. The gas COM
pany assumed that the vote of a majority OF
the aldermen over the Mayors veto was sum
cient to constitute binding contract, and three
members OF the Lighting Committee author
lied them to redstrict the city lighting InlS
the company did. and 1000 Welsbach lights are
now in use in the city. Every influence that
could be brought to bear used 10 have the
Mayor affix his signature TO the contract, IL
being we'll known that the gas 9HInorlt,e5 e '5
sought the interCession Of Senator PIatt ana
the State Republican organization to force MN
TO approve the contract. but without avail.
The electric lighting contract terminated last
July, and owing to the fact that the new gas
contract called for the elimination of practi-
cally all the arc lamps. the Common Council
with the electric light company. which is the
Whitney Trust of this city. The city is being
supplied with all the electric lamps called for
in the old contract for which it will have 10
pay.
Under the direction of the city attorney, the
city auditor announced that he would pass no
bills from the gas company The Mayor was
also advised by the city counsel that the con-
tract without his signature was not binding
The gas company has presented no bill for the
gas supplied to date and il is thought in many
quarters here that the action brought by Alder
man Cooyne is backed by the company. The
case viii determine the validity of the contract
without the Mayors signature