The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1905-05-19
STEAL PASSES
CITY COUNCIL
Philadelphia Gas Works Leased
For Seventy-Five Years.
CITIZENS GREATLY EXCITED
MATTER MAY BE TAKEN INTO
THE COURTS.

n PHILADELPHIA, May 1S-Amid
scenes of disorder unprecedented
in the annals of PhiladeIphia's
legislative body the city council tonight
voted to lease the city's gas works to
the United Gas Improvement company
for a term of seventy-five years for
the total sum Of S25, 100000. the money
TO be paid in various amounts before
the end Of 1907 Council chambers and
committee rooms We're crowded with
excited citizens protesting against the
lease to the United Gas Improvement
company from 1 p. m, when the pro-
ceedings opened in the finance commit
tee room, until after o. m. when the
select council passed the bill and sent
it to the mayor
Den of Thieves.
The climax was reached when the
vote in common council was announced
after three hours of debate. The mo-
ment President George r. McCUrdy of
common council announced the vote a
great upTOar was started in the gal
lery- which was crowded to the door
From all over the gallery came Kisses
and cries Of Thieves"
A squad of police cleared the gallery
The agitation against the passage Of
the bill resulted in common council
amending the measure so as to provide
for a slight reduction in the price OF
gas.
Slight Reduction in Price.
The amendment as adopted provides
that the price of gas from the date of
the lease until January 1, 1911, shall be
one dollar per thousand cubic feet, the
same as present price; from 1911 TO 1921,
ninety-f1ve cents from 1921 to 1886, nine
" cents. from 1886 to 1856 eighty-five
cents. and thereafter until the exDira-
tion of the lease in 1880. eighty cents.
Mayor Weaver is expected to veto the
bill. and in that event both chambers
viii probably pass it over his head. The
vote in common council was "a to and
in select council 81 to Z There is only
one Democrat in each body and both
voted against the lease There is some
talk among citizens who fought the
lease Of taking the matter to the
courts.
Plain Statement.
The committee. Of nine tonight issued
the following statement:
To the Citizens of Philadelphia. You
received today the most insolent af-
front from your cOuncilmen ever given
/ TO the people of any great American
city Despite reason and respect for tbs
rights Of the people the city council $
voted to confer upon a corporation the
unhdmpeTed control Of your gas works.
I Your committee, appointed by town
meeting, now calls upon you:
First. to awaken to your injuries,
which are.
Insult to your declared opinion and
( the expressed wish of your mayor ask
( ing for delay.
Theft of your property
'Enslavement for three generations
to "A gas monopoly
Second. TO rise in your might and by
personal, Unceasing effort make impos-
Sible the contamination of the greatest
steal ever attempted.
A-By assembIage in every ward by
personal demand and pressure upon
your local COuuCilmen.
"B-By fun and immediate use of the
cards and literature distributed by the
committee. as well as other forms Of
written protest.
"C-By preparing for great rally
that viii block the inal attempt To com
plete the conspiracy when the ordinance
/ is again considered after the mayor has
vetoed it,