New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-02-13
TO ABOLISH GAS BOARD.
STEVENS PUTS IN BILL
ActiOR FOlIouCs No Recommendation
for Cheaper Light Here.
[By Telegraph to The Tribune

IBy Telegraph The TrfbuneI
Albany. Feb. Ex-senator Stevens. head Of tbs
gas investigating committee, introduced to-
night bill repeating the act under which ths
State Gas Commission exists. and doing away
with 1t entirely This action follows the heels
OF the first report OF the commission, which mads
no recommendations Of any sort for reduction
of the price Of gas in New-York City. Willis
there had been all day much unfavorable COM
ment the report OF the commission. such rad
ical expression OF dispeasure rather Un-
expected
The bill. Senator Stevens says IS an acknowl-
edgment of the failure Of the State Commission
to fulfil its mission While il is hurlihating to
him as chairman OF the investigating commits
tee, he believes that such move is necessary To
insure the carrying out OF the plans the In
vestigating committee had TO reduce the price
of gas in New-York City.
The sentiment of the Senate seems in favor of
the bill Senator Stevens intends press IL.
and is likely to find behind him active support
Senator Grady declared tonight that he con-
CURED heartily in Senator Stevenss attitude.
Senator Brackett said that when the bill Great
ing the commission first introduced he op-
posed IL. and then changed his mind. Now. be
had come around 70 his first way OF thinking
'I am IN favor Of this bill.'' said he. TO my
way of thinking. have too many commits
sious and the sooner some of them abOi-
ished the better"
MR.. STEVENS EXPLAINS BILL
Explaining his bill after adjournment. Senator
Stevens said:
The joint committee of the Senate and As
sernbIy appointed To investigate the condi-
the city of New-York. of which had the honor
10 be the chairman. submitted with the report or
it's investigation several bills. and among them
a bill TO esta blish a commission or gas anu
electricity. This commission was given power 10
regulate the price of gas and electricity ana
certain other electric services throughout tne
entire State. and also have the power to provide
for the control and supervision or gas ana eieC-
trio light corporations throughout the State. In
fact il was intended 10 be a real commission,
and given ample power TO do somethlng-
to adjust differences TO right wrongs. and gener-
ally TO ameliorate the condition OF the suIrerlns
public throughout the Stlte-
In theory it was intended TO protect the pub
Iio from being Overcharsed, and 10 permit cor
porations to make just and honest cnarss
for the gas and electricity furnished 70 tts con.
sumers; to take into consideration the cost OF
production largely dependent upon tne loCatiol-
of the operating plant. the volume of the gas ana
electricity consumed and the cost or Je nlaJeridL
and all expenses entering into the production
thereof But in practice il is most humiiating ror
me TO admit II has fallen far short Of nv eNpec-
tations. at least. The special joint committee
reported bill giving TO the people of the city or
New-York So-cent gas IL believed that II was
warranted In doing this by the evidence OBJ
tanned from the officers and managers Of thu
companies investigated.
MANNER OF DEFEAT WELL KNOWN.
The manner in which the bill was defeated in
the House is well known TO all, but we believed
that. Notwithstanding the defeat Of the St-cenI
gas bill, the people would ultimately be relieved
of the exorbitant price now charged by some ac-
ton 10 be taken by the commission During
their long continued sessions. and from the evil
dence submitted TO them. our belief in the move
has been strengthened. owing to the fact that il
has been currently and continuously reported
that the price of manufacture would be shown
TO be even less than that reported by the COM
mittee and now after months of delay. they
submit report which is in a large measure a
compilation of facts and figures familiar all
No recommendation has been made by this COM
mission, and we only informed by them that
the people In the city of New-Yor< receive sAs
at as low a figure any other citizens of the
State, and apparently they should oe satisfied.
They have evidently failed TO take into con-
sderatiOn the fact that the gas companies in the
city Of New-York, by reason of their enormous
output and also the close relations existing be-
tween them and the Standard Oil Company. ara
able to buy the raw product at lower figure
cost OF manufacture for the same reasons ia
proportionately low. and owing 10 the density OF
portionately smaller and therefore they are
Justly entitled 20 lower rate OF charge It
seems TO me that the commission has proved 10
be of no value TO the rublc. and is an expensive
luxury, and therefore should be disposed OF at
the earliest moment possible 1 was greatly in
hopes that their recommendations would he af-
firmative: 10 appears To me they negative a
commission OF this kind should be composed OF
men acquainted with the subject with which
they have to deal otherwise their efforts ara
due TO failure. II is now up to the legislature 10
pass the So-Cent gas bill. and In future act for
themselves rather than to delegate their Doves
AGNEw OFFERS AMENDMENT
In the Assembly the sO-cent gas bill. intro
dueed by Mr.. Agnew. was on the calendar but
when IL came Up Mr.. Agnew offered an amend
ment. fixing the price in the old village OF West
Chester. part OF The Bronx at 81 Is
where now IL is 81 - As the bill stands now
the price in all New-York. save a few places In
The Bronx. Coney Island and Richmond is ,o
be S0 cents In Long Island City. Pelham and
East Chester the price is not specified In tha
old town OF Gravesend II remains at 81 - In
williamsbridge and Wakefield a sliding seal,
is enforced. which by 1909 hxes the price az 81
This amendment gave ASsemblyman Palmer n
chance To attack the Gas Commission ON its re-
NIAGARA nnNs lEp AA,,A,r-,