New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-05-19
RIoTING AS PHILADELPHIA COUNCILS SELL OUT CITY.
POLICE CLEAR CHAMBER OF CITIZENS WHO SHOUTED
ETNn "THLETES" WHEN Gas "GRAB" PASSED.

Philadelphia, May 1S-Amid scenes Of dis
order unprecedented in the annals of PhiIadel-
phias legislative body, City Councils tonight
voted to lease the city's gas works to the United
Gas Improvement Company for term Of seven
ty-f1ve years. for $25. 100000. the money to be
paid in various amounts before the end of 1907.
Council chambers and committee rooms were
crowded with excited citizens protesting against
the lease to the United Gas Improvement Com
pany. from l o'clock when the proceedings
opened in the finance committee room until
after o'clock when Select Council passed the
bill and sent it to the Mayor.
The climax was reached when the vote in the
Common Council was announced after three
hours of debate. The moment President George
McCurdy OF the Common Council announced
the vote great uproar was started in the gall
lery, which was crowded to the door. From all
over the gallery came Kisses and cries Thieves"
The outhurst somewhat startling to the
presiding officer, who made a vain effort TO queu
it. Finally he sent for a squad of police to
clear the gallery. This started the disorder
anew. Ths crowd continued to hiss and call
the councilraen thieves and other names until
the police arrived and started to clear the gal
lery AS the people moved out they sang un-
complimentary songs. In clearing the gallery
there were several clashes between the police
and some of the spectators. but no one was
hurt
All through the session of Common Coun-
ell there was disorder In Select Council there
were so many policemen on duty that no one
dared to interrupt the proceedings There was
neither a cheer nor hiss when the bill passed
that body.
The agitation against the passage OF the bill
resulted in the Common Council amending the
measure so as 10 provide for slight reduction
in the price of gas. The amendment adopted
provides that the price of gas from the date of
the lease until January !. 1911 shall be 81 a thou
sand cubic feet. the same as the present price;
from 1911 to 1921 % cents; from 1921 to 1886.
80 cents! from 1885 to 1856. So cents. and there
after until the expiration of the lease in 1880 SO
cents
WILL PASS OVER MAYORS VETO.
Mayor Weaver has announced himself as un-
alterabIy opposed the lease, and in favor Of
a postponement OF the whole question until 1907.
when the first ten years of the present thirty
years lease to the United Gas Improvement
Company will expire AL that time the city has
the right to take back the works on payment
to the gas company OF the amount of money
expended In improvements. Mayor Weaver is
expected to veto the bill and in that event
both chambers will probably pass it his
veto The vote in Common Council "A to
9 ard in Select Council 81 to 4. There is only
one Democrat in each body, and both voted
against the lease.
There is some talk among citizens who fought
the lease to take the matter to the courts
The proceedings of the day began at l o'clock,
when the Finance Committee held public
sion TO hear protests from citizens organiza-
tions. There was a large crowd. and disorder
began almost at the start. The committee had
before it two propositions from the United
Gas Improvement Company and the other from
f. 3. Smith 6. Co, bankers of this city, repre-
senting New-York and Philadelphia capitalists.
The Smith bid differed from the other in that
1t proposed to share the profits with the city
al the rate of one-third for ten years. and one