The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-04-29
REPORT CUTS GAS TO rs CENTS
STEVENS COMMITTEE Also Low
ERS PRICE or ELECTRICITY.
Est Establishment OF a state Lighting Com-
mission Of Three Recommended With
Power 20 Fin the standard Of Quality
the HIS won't 60 IN UntIi Monday.

York city lighting investigating committee
tonight held a four hours session lasting
until midnight and formally adopted its
report, which will be submitted to the
Legislature tomorrow. The report recon-
mends the reduction in the price OF gas
from 81 to Is cents per thousand feet, a
reduction in the price Of electric light rom
is cents 10 10 cents kilowatt and the estab
Hshment Of a State Lighting Commission,
TO have the same control and supervision
Of gas and electric lighting corporations in
the State as the State Railroad Commission
has Of railroad corporations.
The committees report will recommend
legislation permitting New York city to
establish a municipal electric lighting plant
using only the power which can be gen
GRATED from the water which il impounded
in Ulster county and TO an extent sufficient
only for the purposes Of increasing New
York city's water supply to an adequate
supply.
This the committee believes will not be
more than sufficient to afford electrical
energy to supply the lighting facilities
required by the city only. This precludes
New York city from taking water from
Ulster county 20 an extent that will enable
the city to supply elect rio light to private
consumers,
The Public Service Commission is to COM
prise three members, 10 be appointed by
the Governor, and its powers and authority
will be similar 10 that exercised by the
Massachusetts Lighting Commission. Be-
sides the above recommendation the COM
mitter's report makes Others giving the pro-
posed new State Public Service Commission
authority 10 fix a standard Of light TO be
furnish ed and 10 make rules regulating the
pressure Of air through gas pipes.
The committee in its report points out
that il is just ss important that the gas
companies should be supervised by central
State authority rega riding the quality and
quantity Of gas that is pushed through a
pipe as il is TO fix low price.
The minority members read the report
for the first time tonight, which was re-
sponsible for the lengthy meeting Of the
committee. They left the committee meet
ing without signing the report, and it is ex-
pected that they will submit a minority
report. Although it is said that the report
will be submitted to the Legislature to-
morrow, il was said that the bills carry
ing out the recommendations Of the COM
mittee will not be introduced until Monday
night, as they are still in the course Of
preparation.
AssembIyman Merritt insisted upon one
thing in regard to the State Public Service
Commission, and that was that the eX-
penses Of the Commission should be paid
out Of the State Treasury, and not assessed
pro rata upon the lighting corporations
as are the expenses Of the railroad COM
mission and the banking and insurance
depa rtments which are paid by the cor
porations which they supervise respec-
lively.
The committee makes a strong recon-
mendation concerning the inspection Of
gas and electric meters and devolves the
duty Of performing this inspection upon
Commissioner Oakley Of the New York
| city Department Of Water Supply. Gas and
Electricity.
The delay in introducing the bills carrying
| out the recommendations Of the committee
Is the result Of an attempt to draft general
measures which will not necessitate them
being sent TO Mayor Mcclellan for his
approval as would have to be done with
purely city measures. 1t is believed that
some Of the bills to carry out the recon-
/
| framed except in a manner which will
necessitate them being sent to Mayor
| Mcclellan as city bills,
Senator Stevens and his colleagues we're
! too jealous for their own welfare in sitting
| up all night at the Fifth Avenue Hotel in
| New York last night in order TO get out the
report. Senator Stevens supposed that the
| report was to be handed in 10 the Legis-
| lature to-day For that reason he had
| himself, his Republican colleagues and his
! counsel work until O'Clock this morning
, on the report. Then they hustled for the
! Empire State Express. hoping to get here
before the Legislature adjourned
| But they we're frustrated at every point.
| The Odell triumvirate Of legislative leaders
wanted to see that report before il was
handed m ana they did n ot propose 20 let
! the Legislature see It until they had cast
! their ga gle eyes over the secrets contained
! In the voluminous looking document that
/ Senator Stevens carried with so much
/ care, embra cling 5000 words.
I The Odell triumvirate, Speaker Nixon
I and Senators Raines and Mslby, had yes
! terday impressed upon the members Of the
! Legislature that to-day would be a regular
/ working day Of both houses instead Of the
! usual short session that characterizes
| Fridays, and each house had a calendar of
| bills But something changed that pro-
/ gram, for to-day was most unimportant
/ one in legislative matters. Speaker Nixon
! rushed through the calendar Of the Assembly
keeping one eye on Majority Leader Rogers
! and the other on the clock all the time
The Empire State Express Is due In Albany
at llI3 O'Clock. Al 1914 o'clock the As
| sembly ad journed until tomorrow morn.
! ing at 10 o'clock.
4 soon as the Stevens committee reached
. here il went TO the Hotel Ten Eyck. ano
| then Senator Stevens called up Sena tor
! Raines on the telephone and told him the
| report was ready 20 be presented. He hRc
I teiegraphed Senator Raines TO this eifect
before he left New York. Before the com
mittee could 60 the two blocks from tn,
hotel TO the Capitol the Senate had ad
jouTned.
The minority members Of the committee
Senator Grady and Assemblyman Palmer
had not as yet read the report. senate
stevens announced that the committe,
would meet in the Senate Finance Com
mittee rooms at O'Clock this Afternoon
TO permit the Democratic commit eemeI
TO read the report, AZ that hour the Odel
triumvirate entered the Senate Finance
Committee room and considered the repor
with the Republican members, the Demo
cratic members being excluded.
/ -. - A.