Evening journal., 1904-06-21
MERCHANTS VISIT
otto PEOPLE
President Saltar Refuses to
Negotiate Further With
Local Gas Company
VISITORS SHOWN THROUGH WORKS

Head Of Gas Engine Works Implied
Removal Of Plant Depends Upon
Whether or Not They Are Granted
Gas Rights Here.
At a conference in Philadelphia yes
terday afternoon between representa-
tives Of the Mercantile Association Of
this city and John saItar. Jr.. presi-
dent OF the Otto Gas Engine Works.
the latter stated that his company will
have nothing more to do with the To-
cal gas company and gave them TO un-
derstand that the removal Of the plant
here depends upon whether or not the
Otto company Is granted the necessary
privileges for manufacturing It's own
gas. The merchants visited the COM
pany for the express purpose OF pre-
senting TO the officials resolutions pass
ed by the association urging the street
and Sewer Directors to grant the otto
people gas rights.
After the resolutions were handed TO
Mr. Saltar by j. II. Wright. president
OF the merchants organization. the
former made "a statement as to how
matters stood between his concern and
the gas company.
The delegations OF Wnmngtonlans
included James II. Wright. president
OF the Merchants Association: E L.
Peacock the vice-president. r. II, Gall
lagher, w. j. Loclyer, Joseph Bart-
lett and Charlton Bryan. They were
accompanied by Alfred o. Crozier and
Jerore b. Bell by invitation The dell
egation alighted at the West Phlladel-
phia station and went at once to the
otto company works at Thirty-third
and Walnut streets. where they were
met by Erick Kreel. treasurer OF the
company, and u. r. Burns, the vice.
president. These officials escorted the
visitors through the large works Of the
company where all sorts Of gas engines
are made.
Called on Mr.. Satar
After the inspection Of the large
three-story plant the Wilmingtonians
visited Mr.. Saltar IN his apartments az
the Bartram. not far from the works,
where the whole matter was talked
over.
The delegation was courteously re-
ceiyed by Mr. saltar.
He opened the conversation by relat-
ing how the company had determined
70 remove their works from Philadei-
phia and had advertised for a site IN
the Philadelphia papers. He continued
telling OF how they were Impressed
with Wilmington as a favorable loca-
tion and how their dealings had been
pleasant with the Wilmington city Of
hcials and everyone In Wilmington un-
til they came In contact with the Will
mlngton Coal Gas Company.
Here he said. they struck snarl. He
claimed the plans Of his company were
kept back by the gas company. He
contended the gas company would not
put any satisfactory terms in writing
and that IL looked to him like a hold
up.
Someone asked Mr. saltar why he
refuses TO have any further dealings
with the gas company, and he replied:
When a man grabs you by the
throat and you shake yourself free
from him naturally as business people
I you don't want to have anything more
TO do with him. That Is our position
They have tried 10 hold US up once. 0
said Mr.. Saltar with some warmth
| I'VE had gone ahead and expended the
100000 for the ground and there were
several conditions, one Of which was
the furnishing OF the gas supply. That
has been the only hitch"
Denies Addeks' Connection.
Mr. ssltar denied that either Addicks
or the United Gas Improvement Com
] ~ Al.
connected with their plan to secure gas
rights here. He termed such rumor:
ridiculous.
III we 90 to Wilmington he con.
tinued, I'VE shall be part of Whining.
ton, our interests will be there. II
viii be the only works we shall have ii
this country and our whole busines,
will be tied up there. IL we have tn,
gas franchise there it will be owned b,
US and any OF your citizens whom W,
, should be pleased 10 have join us. Thl
gas plant would be separate and indie
pendent from the gas engine works.
He was asked II his company simply
wanted to manufacture enough gas fo
its own use and TO sell some on thl
outside so as to bring it down to rea
sonable cost. He replied it was thel
, desire, II granted the privilege. to fur
nish gas 10 anyone in any section o
the city at 80 cents thousand feet
They were willing that the franchis
2 have the usual safeguards.
Ii seemed to strike the Wilmington
ians as peculiar that the Otto peopl
5 have planned for an entirely separat
! company for their proposed gas bust
ness and to take anyone in with then
: they desire.
Mr.. Saltar was pressed by several o
the delegation TO answer as to whethe
o. not the removal of the works de
pended on the granting OF the fran
chise and he finally implied that tn
e. franchise would be a condition Of thei
q removal.
Mr.. Wright, the president. and Nj
D Peacock, the vice-president. when see
this morning. had nothing to say. The
! expressed themselves as being please
that they took the trip and think the
have done all they possibly could.
AT the meeting OF the association o
Friday night report viii be made i
regard to the trip, but no further ac
ton will be taken.
= "The Evening Journal is as goo