The San Francisco call., 1905-05-19
Lease of Philadel-
phia Gas Works
Voted.
Excited Citizens Protest
Unavailingly to the
Council.
Monopoly of the lighting
Business Is Granted to a,
Private Corporation.

PHILADELPHIA May Is Amid
scenes OF disorder unprecedented in the
annals Of Philadelphia's legislative body
the City Council tonight voted to lease
the city's gas works to the United Gas
Improvement Company for term of sew
enty-fve years for the total sum of s25-
OOO,oOo the money to be paid in various
amounts before the end of 1907 Coun-
ell chambers and committee rooms were
crowded with excited citizens protesting
against the lease to the United Gas I'm
provement Company, from 1 O'Clock, when
the proceedings opened in the finance
committee room, until after o'clock
when the Select Council passed the bill
and sent it to the Mayor
The climax was reached when the vote
in Common Council was announced after
three hours OF debate The moment PTesi-
dent George r. McCurdy of the Common
Council announced the vote, a great up-
roar was started in the gallery, which
was crowded to the door. From all over
the gallery came Misses and the cry
'-Tbieves,''
A squad OF police cleared the gallery
The agitation against the passage OF the
bill resulted in the Common Council
amending the measure so as TO provide
for a slight reduction in the price of gas.
The amendment as adopted provides
that the price of gas from the date of
the lease until January /, 1911, shall be
81 per thousand cubic feet, the same as
present price: from 1911 10 1921, 95 cents;
from 1921 TO 1886, 90 cents; from 1896 to
1885. IS cents, and thereafter until the ex-
piraton of the lease in 1880 50 cents
Mayor Weaver is expected to veto the
bill and in that event both chambers
probably viii pass il over his head
The vote in the Common Council was "a
TO g. and in the Select Council 81 to A.
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 case to the
courts.
The committee of nine tonight is
sued the following statement:
TO the citizens of Philadelphia: You
received to-day the most insolent af-
front from your Councilmen ever given
to the people of any great American
city. Despite reason and respect for
the rights of the people, the City Coun-
ciI voted to confer upon corpo-
ration the unhampered control of your
gas works. Your committee appoint
ed 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 i'm
possible the consummation of the
greatest steal ever attempted.
~(a) By assemblage in every ward:
By personal demand and pressure upon
vor1r local Councilmen
"Cb) By full 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 will block the final attempt to
complete the conspiracy when the or
dinance is again considered after the
Mayor has vetoed It"