The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-20
MAYOR TO THE GAS COMMITTEE
CITY BOUND 70 NAVE MUNICI-
PiL LIGHT PLANT

Tho flow Of figures from Schooma,ter
HuRhes's reservoir Of millions was inter-
uinted long enough In the city Hal yes
ier,lay 10 allow Mayor Mcclellan and Comp
trollpr Grout To give the class in gas IRON
Albany their views on the lighting situation
i'm New York The Adermen'n chamber
suddenly filed up when 10 was announced
that the Mayor would go ON the stand ana
tho placc was hacked when lie walked in
shortly before O'Clock. A. he entered
there wgs u burst or applause.
Tho Mayor testified that when be- took
Office he had examined into the hghtmg
,ituation generally. and that he knew the
bills Of the conn inc for 1908 had been held
up. He had talked ina general way about
tho matter with Commissioner Oakley in tie
ppring Of ,ooi. hut did not understand that
Oakley was going TO execute the electric
light contract. A- q matter of fact the con-
Ncrsatian VIZ mainly al out Wel-l ach
lamps.
in November" continued the Mayor
Under Mr. Hugrc'- questions. Il learned
in a casual way that Mr.. Oakley had signed
the electric LIGHT contuc's.'
Did you advice him TO 'ign these con-
tracts"
4 did not
DO vow know of auyhod, else that adj .
,.-ed him go -igu these contracts
y do not.
Did YOU expect to l' can"uI'o" rei"re .
thcy we're Signed
-NaturGllu, J dia.
The Mayor said Er -pW for Commissioner
Oaklev a- soon u- he heard Tint the con-
tracts w,r, -illcl AND asked him for an
,-,.,r,,i., NJ oakley said be had !
al,, , ,.pr,ti "a g., r.,i,c from the light
i,g rc,'raria- and thar it was the best
s srr nrrn",t that Tie city had ever been
He drg,,d. -liI the Mayor. that he
I.icyo.,lig,. he contract -e,ret,y. After
~ letter from the City dub which
oi,n,,st ..ro,rrtod 10 charges against Mr..
1.tIc,. t1rn,l II over I, him. and on
Ie,riry nj. symlan.,i,u I decided that he
,sited tn thr C.uiutroi.rr and that Mr.
s:r",,t irs,sted thst t.e c,muanie, should
waive all claims to- interest ON the tack
ills and that this was one Of the conditions
Of thc new contracts"
Ibid YOU approve OF his signing these
'' II aid did not. I have never approved of
his action i'm this matter
TIE Mayor then told how lac had ordered
the lids Ter lighting this year rejGcted.
t i1g rIsI had refused to rlase any re-
,uction from the former price which the
CITY regards as excessive.
but why have they not been paid for the
Welsbach lamIAF' askrd Mr.. Hughes.
THAT contract was executed last july with
n consiolara bile reduction
L pave orders To uly chief clerk not to
co,Inter-iru warrants for lighting bills Of
any kind. anrwercd the Mayor. Assistant
CCrporati0 Counsel Connolly advised re
,bat thgf was the safe thing 10 do Ny
nogition is that these bills are excessive
and tbot fair amount for the service
should nc determined low the courts.
avon. who did alg. g Oakley to sign he
contracts"
I don't know He told me that his
elect rical engineer. Mr.. LAcomhe, had in
formed him that hr would he doing well II
he could ct any reductions from the COM
IaniesT
ANYBODY Dl-'."
Not that SNOW Of
In reply to questions a. 70 certain fran
Crises Of the Con-oli at'd Ga Con any
that nav have cyuired. Mr. 30 Clplian said
that the CORPORATION Counsel was looking
into the nattcr Actions were al~o under
vay against two OF the clortrical subway
,oI,raTir. for an accounting 10 tho city.
The ADMINISTRATIVE position in tHi, ratter
was broadly thai trp civ was Icing robbed
- tbo -ul 'y,.4.t. ,..,frf..t.ia-