New-York tribune., 1905-04-16
MURPHY ON GAS MONDAY.
SUNDAY TOUR OF PLANTS.
Brooklyn Union Snbject of Yester-
days Inquiry Session.


1t is expected that Charles F. Murphy. the Tam
many leader, whose brothers concern obtained
! tracts aggregating millions of dollars from the
lighting combination. will be the star witness before
the legislative committee tomorrow.
Some members OF the committee expect to visit
some OF the gas plants to-day
The affairs of the Brooklyn Union Gas Company
occupied the attention Of the committee yesterday.
Arthur F. Stamford. assistant treasurer of the
Prooklyn Union Gas Company, resumed the stand
when the morning session opened. The academic
nature OF the session enllvened by several
sprightly tilts between Mr.. Stamford and Mr. Dyk-
man, the cOnpany's counsel. the hand. and
the committee and its counsel the other. Valu-
able advice to householders also incidentally
vouchsafed.
'Nine-tenths Of the people do not know anything
about regulating the gas pressure" Mr.. Hughes
remarked late in the session.
Should the company be charged with that?' de-
manded Mr. Dykman.
why. yes" :eplled Senator Page Why don't
you turn your cock at the proper pressure? You
are the cnes who turn It on. You turn on the
meter Why dent you regulate that by turning II
to the proper angler
THE intelligent consumer replied Mr. Dyck-
man. will turn his meter cock 10 its maximum
consumption. when he wants to burn gas In
his range he can do So ana being an intelligent
man. he will turn down the key at the burner
so 1t will not blow. And. answering the fling Of
the counsel for the committee. say that he need
not hire an expert to regulate his gas at the key
for him."
ITO make the point clear" seid Senator stevens
docs not increased pressure at tho gas urn-
er an increased consumption. unless something is
done In the house 20 stop lt?"
Yes, 1 suppose so.' was the answer.
do you notify householdors when you make a
change in the pressure?" asked Senator Stevens
No"
How many times day is the pressure
changed@'
Several times"
How does the city fare with its street lamps
when the pressure is increased? There is nobody
to regulate them when the pressure Is changed.
There must be times when the lamps blow as you
call It,"
There times when the city loses little. 1t
doesn't amount to much
do you pay your gas bills. Mr.. Hughes?" asked
Mr. Dykman.
Il do and 1 never have after experts: have
changed the gas cocks on the meters. and
am just learning why It is my bills are so big"
Mr.. Stamford testified that the surplus of the
company on December 81. 1904. s2SS2.7Ss This
had been accommodating since 1895 The company
had never skipped a dividend in that time. Last
year It paid 10 per cent. but In years before that
the rate ranged from TO per cent. The amount
paid in dividends In 1904 s4SsSS7. and in 1903
$304632 In 1902 and in 1901 there deficits. but
dividends paid.
According to the cOmpanys report to the Tax
Commissioners last June the mains. etc. on their
April 1900 Edward Ludlam. in a protest against
taxation that the total piping controlled by
the Brooklyn Union Company could be duplicated
for $240O,OO0; that many of the mains had
been in service forty years more. and that all
the mains and pipes together were not worth in
trinsically more than 81 100000
Mr.. Hughes put the sworn statement in evidence
as well ofidavit made by the witness last
year that the mains etc, could be produced new
for S2S00.OO0
Mr.. Hughes read a number Of reports to the
State Tax Commission made by the officers of the
Brooklyn Union and compared them with the state
ments made the directors to show that for taxa
ton the officers had underestimate their assets
or are now overestimating them TO justify the
dividends paid the alleged wateTed stock
To the Tax Commissioners Mr.. Stamford swOre
10 one value while to Mr.. Hughes he swore TO a
different and much higher one.
IN June, 1904 you swore that the cost OF repro
duction of your mains was $2.ssOCN Was 1t trueF
asked Mr.. Hughes ~ -,
price should have been higher
WAS il true or untrue-yeS or nO?"
II am not going say that testified 20 anything
that was not correct. AS conditions are to-day the
price should have been higher"
Then your report not true. In other words
n YOU were making that report over again WouIO
YOU alter those hguresE -, -, -.
II think / would. ] think would make the cost
OF reproduction nearly 100000 II not quite
DO You know if the people in whose name the
stocks stand really own the shares: asked senator
81 am not able TO state" said the witness.
81 can't see" said the cOmpany's counsel. what
that has to do with the case. -, -, D,
st might have good deal to do with the case,
sat5 Senator Stevens. There are such Things as
Snmmies on some stock corporation books.