New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-03-18
rHY TELEGRAPH TO THE TEInusE.]


Albany March 1.-THE legislative investigat-
ing committee which is to reveal gas secrets
in New-York City was named to-day as forecast
in this mornings Tribune. Senator Il. u
Stevens was elected chairman at the Heeiihs
this afternoon and the committee VIII assemo4e
in the Murray Hill Hotel Tomorrow nlght at o
O'Clock for the first formal session. The mem
bers of the committee from the Senate are, De-
sides Mr. Stevens. Senators Grady and Page,
and from the Assembly. Messrs. Apgar, MeffltI
Agnew and Palmer The final makeup Of the
committee was not decided until O'CLOCK TINS
morning. when Senator Stevens reluctantly
agreed to serve 1t was fully agreed between
him and Senator Page that this arrangement
was mutually satisfactory, and Senator rage
Joined In the effort to persuade Mr.. stevens 10
accept the Craftsmanship.
The contest for the chairmanship between the
friends of Senator Elsberg and those Of Senator
Page made the choice of third man seem the
wisest solution although the first agreement
was that Mr. Page should be chairman More
over, the fact that Senator Stevens, In ado1tiol
to being an experienced legislator, was also an
expert on the problem to be solved, contributed
to the result. The Esberg suggestion was never
seriously entertained, as it recognized that
if the place went to a New-York man IL was
rightfully due the introducer of the resolution
and 1t was Senator Pages graceful waving OF
his right that opened the way to the solution
The committee will meet in NewYork to-mor-
row night to decide the question of its counsel
to formulate a request to Mayor Mcclellan 10
assign rooms in some court building for the IN
vestigation and to plan the details Oh the CAM
naign It will meet again Monday. Then
there is likely to be adjournment for Few
days while subpoenas are served and prepara-
lions made for actual work These preliminaries
tod SiT1S
until the evidence is complete, when the COM
nittee will report back. This report is generally
believed to be due in the first or second week of
April But there is no limit of time fixed In
fact the exact latitude of the committee under
the resolution is now the subject of some debate.
The first burning question after the gas issue is
whether an investigation of telephones is posi-
BILE under the resolution. On this question there
is a wide diversity Of opinion, but such an in
depreciation is not unlikely.
There is an interesting circumstance connected
with this phase. Certain Senators were I'M
willing to vote for any gas investigation legisla-
ton that did not carry a telephone inquiry,
Among these was Senator Drescher, OF Brook
lyn. whose vote was necessary to the passage
of the resolution in the Senate. On the pledge
of Senators Malby and Raines, given at the con-
ference at Senator Stevens's house on Monday
night, that the telephone phase was included,
Mr.. Drescher agreed to vote for the Page resolu-
ton and fulfilled his part Of the agreement.
There is now, however, some question raised
about this phase, and the proposition is made
to have the scope of the committees activity
tended in this particular.
SENATOR STEVENS OUTLINES PLANS.
The attitude of the members Of the commit
tee on the subject they to investigate and
the manner in which they to approach the
work were outlined by both Senators Stevens
and Page to-day. The former, in discussing the
matter said:
"I took the position the committee re-
IuctantIy and made it clear at the outset that