The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-30
GAS QUIZ WILL BEGIN TODAY,
CONSOLIDATED TO TELL ALL
4BOTT THE COST or LIGHT

And show lis Hooks hack &c 1873 II the
Committee wants Them-Wni Produce
without = subpoena Any witness De-
Sired-NorP Than 100 SubpGnRs Out.
The first public session Of the Gas investi-
eating committee will be held in the Al err
mems chamber at the City Hall beginning at
10 O'Clock this morning Most Of the mem
bers Of the committee came down from
Albany last night and a meeting was held
behind closed doors at the Murray Hill
Hotel.
Senator Stevens. the chairman, said that
the committee would sit every day except
Sunday until the task was finished, More
than 100 witnesses, including the officials OF
practically every gas and electric light
company doing business in this city nave
been subpRnaed.
Chairman Stevens would not give the
names Of those to be called to-day. lhey
are all commanded TO appear al this morn
ing's session and to bring tho books OF the
corporations they represent with them As
there are over thirty companies involved
il Is expected that a special room Will nave
to be set apart for the books and that SeNeIaI
moving vans will b. required 10 convey
them 20 the City Hall.
The reports that the Consolidated Gas
COMPANY officials would refuse TO answer
all questions regarding the cost Of produ"-
ing and distributing It's products were
denied Yesterday By John A. Carver, "hiet
counsel for the company, and hy several "i
It's executive offlcers Said Mr. Carver
We have no desire whatever to hinder
or obstruct this investigation and the com
pany will produce any witness desired
by the committee without subpoena. The
fact is that we are goin g 70 give them
the information they want. OF course,
this dOes not mean that no resistance will
be offered TO any attempt TO 60 into the
private Affairs Of the gentlemen connected
with the company. Az a matter Of fact
most OF the gentlemen interested in the
company have no practical knowledge
OF the manufacture Of gas and therefore
could not give the committee the lntoIIna-
I ton il seeks.
Has the committee power to commit
witnesses for refusal to answer questions
/ Mr. Carver was asked.
Undoubtedly il has he replied. 1t
was different in Comptroller CIRCUITS inVes-
tigation. We resisted him because we did
not believe he had the necessary authority
20 carry on an inquisition Of that kind.
Yes, the company will be represented
by counsel at the hearing. / cannot say
what our line OF action wall be 1t ~ the
other side that makes the attack and we
cannot very well do much until their line
of action is disclosed
Books? Wen give them all the books
they want, said an official Of the company.
we have got books running back TO 1923
and they can have them all
Charles r. Hughes, the senior counsel
for the committee, remained at his home
all day yesterday preparing for the exami-
nation Of witnesses this morning.
senator Stevens said that the investga-
ton would he conducted in a strictly bust
nesshke manner and that the committee
hoped TO he able 70 make a report 10 the
Legislature before II adjourned.
The members Of the committee are Sena-
tons Stevens and Page and AsSemhlymen
lRnew. Apgar and Merritt, Republicans
and Senator Grady and Assemblyman
Palmer, Democrats.