The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-28
GANG SURRENOERS
Continued from First Pd1e.

McNichol Durham's right hand man;
and Councilman Charles Seger. his second
lieutenant, Chairman DeHaven OF the
Finance Committee OF Councils, A. S. l..
Shields, his legal adviser. and former State
Senator and Boss Dave Martin.
The conference at Durhams was short.
Presently all went to the Office Of Senator
Boies Penrose. The discussion was sharp
1t Is asserted that Thomas Dolan, backed
up by the majority Of those present, insisted
on Durham going ahead and making good
his promise to place the gas lease ordinance
high and dry in spite Of Mayor Weaver's
public opinion or anything else. It Is known
positively that Durham, in speech OF less
than Ave minutes, brought Dolan and the
others to his way Of thinking and secured
from the president OF the United Gas In
provement Company his promise to write
at once and despatch to the presidents OF
Councilst he wit hdrawal ofthe lease PROPOSE
ton. =! 90.
Durham is reported to have put the case
subst antially as follows:
BOSS DURHAM GIVES Up.
There is a possibility that We can go
into the council chamber next Thursday
afternoon and pass the ordinance over the
Mayors veto. The probability on the
other hand is that we would fail dismally
and be confronted with the danger Of our
organization going to pieces in every ward
Of the city. Furthermore, even II the or
dinance should be passed 80 much i'll feeling
will have been aroused. so much bitter
ness and luminosity developed. that new
enemies TO the organization will spring
up on every side. Most certainly We would
lose heavily. In each case to press this
proposition means stirring up forces that
it would be unwise to rouse"
McNichol and seger backed Durham
with further arguments. Dolan gave In,
drew up letter to Councils and sent Dave
Martin over TO the City Hall to ask Mayor
Weaver il he would consent to the With.
drawal of the gas lease ordinance.
Martins appearance in the Mayors office
produced as much commotion as the eX-
plosion Of torpedo would have caused.
The office became packed and ears strained
at the door. Martin was closeted with
the Mayor for fifteen minutes and emerged
smiling, The Mayor appeared at quarter
Of o'clock bubbling with good humor
He greeted the reporters with Weaverian
Jokes, but remained silent as to the purport
Martin returned to the office OF President
Dolan. where the conferees had gone, and
told Dolan that everything was lovely.
q. G. is LETTER OF WITHDRAWAL.
Then Mr.. Dolan sent this letter. which
is signed by him and addressed to Presi-
dents Ransey Of Select and McCurdy Of
Common Councils:
DEAR SIss: On May IL. 1905. Councils pa ssed
an ordinance extending by f,fty-three years
the term Of the lease OF the gas works to
the United Gas Improvement Company.
which FIXES the price Of gas at 81 90 for Ave
years. aa cents for ten years. ao cents for
fifteen years. s5 cents for twenty years. and
so cents thereafter. and provided for the
payment to the city Of Philadelphia Of an
advance without interest for the sum OF
soS 900 ooo
Though this ordinane was not in full accord
With the letter ri this company OF the goth OF
April. 1907, addressed TO the chairman of the
subcommittee OF the Finance Committee.
the modfica ton would have been accepted
by this company.
Thi. proposition was plain business one
In the opinion OF this company it was one
the city could and should accept. Among
the rea sons in support of it were the follow
ing.
According to the reports nled with the City
Comptroller each year. and audited by his
department.. the amounts expended by the
United Gas Improvement Company in add.
tions extensions. improvements, DC. under
the lea se have averaged u, aas. 900 per annum.
Assume that the average for the future
will be ssoo. ooo per annum. the total for the
period Of the whole term as extended would
be $40. ooo, 400, plus the amount now due this
company Of So. ssa. ssl ~. making a total Of
81 s43, sslis,
During the year 1904 this company furnished
without charge lo7 .3ss 900 cubic feet Of gas to
public buildings. Assuming that there will
be no increase in this supply in future years
ian assumption Of course which will not be
borne out by facts>. and assuming a cost OF
al cents per 1000 cubic feet for the gas 40
furnished. the value of the annual supply
would be ssS, 4ss, or for the supply during the
whole of the extended term. N.0ll, 500.
tSixty-one cents per 900 cubic feet Ia the
cost as shown by the published report Of the
committee OF the New York Legislature
which recently investigated the books and
affairs Of the Consolidated Gas Company of
New York city, Of the cost to that company
the LEI gest gas company in the United States)
The street lamps In service Dec. 81, 1904,
all of which were furnished with gas. lighted
and cared for without charge. We're p ,43e
Assuming $40 per lamp per annum as the cost