The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-03-08
FIGHT OVER CHEAP GAS BILL.
RtI\ES t\D NiLEi an nj 4
LOSE SENATE fONTROI.
Majority of for Il Motion That Pre-, EN- ed
consideration OF the Fitzgerald Meas
urr- Bedel's tmst rr,lam Avenue Tract,
Blll Is Beaten In an Unusual WAY.

Albany, March Two Of OdelPs tri-
umWrate OF legislative leaders again to-day
! had 10 beg to get their way in shaping legis-
| lation. While they secured their point
still It was only by a bare majority of one.
! md then beca use the appeal had been made
! that longer session to-day would lead
| 70 deferring committee hearings sched-
| uled for this afternoon. II was expected
that the Fitzgerald 70 cent gas bill for New
| York city would be disposed OF to-day
Senator Malby. one OF the Odel leaders
was anxious 10 have the bin reported
by the Miscellaneous Corporations Com
mittee. but he was not at all anxious TO
have ii touched to-day. II was a coinci-
dence that on the day that this bill was 10
come up Big Tim Sullivan paid hi- first
visit Of the session to the Legislature He
conferred with the Tammany Legislators
and when he was asked about the gas sitls-
ton said:
What we want is cheap gas and plenty Of
it
The Senate spent long time in dis
cussng the Esberg bill providing that
Supreme Court Justices in New York county
shall he pensiOned a. official referees The
bill was finally ordered to a third reading
by decisive vote The Fitzgerald bill
was the last one on the calendar and the
Tammany Senators. backed up by Senators
Cassidy. Wilcox. EHommedieI. Barnes
Coggeshall, Gardner and DTescher. en-
deavored To keep the Senate in the Com
mittee Of the Whole until the Fitzgerald
bill was reached aud disposed of Raines
and Malby didn't want that but there are
a number of Republican Senators who be-
lleye these two are trying 20 keep gas legis-
latiOn in their own hands. With the vote.
OF these Republican Senators. the Tam
many Senators managed 10 Leaf senator
Raines's motion that the consideration
OF bills in the Committee Of the Whole be
postponed.
Then Senators Raines and Malbv re-
sorted TO imporuning their Republican
colleagues not TO desert them. and Senator !
Rainess motion that the COMMITTEES rise
and report 10 the Senate was carried bv !
the bare ma joTity Of one. When the senate |
stood adjourned and the Fitzgerald gas |
bill was tin in general orders on the Senate
calendar Senators Raine~ and Mdlhy heayed |
a sigh Of relief
For the first time in a good many years
a bill was killed in the Assembly, to-day
by striking out the enacting clause This
was the Bedel bill which aimed 10 permit
the relocation OF two tracks on Amsterdam
avenue in New York city by the Third
avenue railroad Minority Lender Palmer
said II was simply an effort 10 defeat a de-
cison Of the Appellate Division the matter
now being In that court The bill was
general in its character. and upstate mem
bers offered amendments to have il apply
only 10 New York city
This was agreeable TO Assem- blyrnsn
Bedell. who said that that was the purpose
II the bill. However. these amendments
were defeated. Assemblyman Agnew
Rep, \. - was the leader of the nova
nent 10 kill the hill hut he was not clear
~ TO what he wanted to do He moved
y recommit, which was what Assembly
nan Bedel wanted However. this mo-
ion was defeated, and then the motion TO
'trke out was made by Mr. Agnaw and
vas carried by vote Of 81 10 Al
The request Of the Assembly Judiciary
Committee for an extension Of time from
darch Is TO April 10 make a report on the
AZ estl gallon into the charges against
supreme Court Justice Marren B. Hooker
vas granted to-day by the Assembly. I
speaker Nixon was asked il the leoIs-
ature would be in session on April ;. and
he Speaker answered that there was no
oubt that il would he. II il accepted
hat the Legislature will be here until the /
middle Of April.
Despite the Injections Of Senator Grady ,
lssemblyman Phillips bill giving a nom
esidenr the right to maintain a divorce
ction in this State passed the senate bv
vote Of IS TO 20.
4 bill introduced 10y Senator Brac kett !
ompeis life insurance companies TO file
18th toe State Superintendent OF Insurance
inety days prior 10 The fling OF the an =
ual report. :
A bin introduced by Senator Hawkins
lakes new county Of The Bronx. TO be
nown as Bronx county. :