Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-18
EXPERTS WILL
HELP IN GAS
|NQU|S|T|ON
Commission to Probe
Thoroughly
Mayor Harper Tells Chairman That
There Must BE No Whites
washlng-open Sessions
Likely

The gas inquiry will not be white
wash.
Mayor Harper told the commission
SO yesterday though he has not yet
been invited to take official part in the
inquiry.
Chairman Lyons will go to San
Francisco to get the services of an
other expert and if he cannot be had
another from the east whom the mayor
has In mind will be engaged.
Messrs. Lyons, Wallace and Yonkin
of the commission are filing all the
complaints they get and may call on
many Los Angeles residents for testi-
mony when the open hearing is held.
For the present Roderck Mckay
Will assist the commission as expert
and Gas Meter Inspector Cabell
Read will furnish suggestions and data
and third man will be selected, who,
being away from the ground, is more
likely to be impartial.
For the present the identity of the
San Francisco man is kept quiet. Nc
Kay worked for the Los Angeles Gas
company for years, then went to the
Lowe people and Is now engaged with
the water department. He has val
liable data, but has already told the
commission he would rather be ex-
cused, as much of this Information
was CLEANED while he was an employe
and he Is not quite sure that he is do
ing the right thing by a former en-
ployer. If the commission takes the
responsibility. however, the blame will
not be his, he says.
Will Inspect Plant
There are many issues involved in
the inquiry, and in order to handle
them exhaustively Chairman Lyons
talked to the officials Of the company
yesterday to see If they would permit
I,a IN
plant. They were invited to call at
any time.
Later when President Robert Loucks
of the Consumers association, just
formed, asked Manager Vance for
similar privilege it was denied.
You are coming out to make trou-
ble," was Manager Vance's greeting,
land we see no necessity for your
coming"
Points at Issue
The principal points to be discussed
and reported on are:
In what respect is the gas supply
short and how can it be remedied?
How can the heat units be increased
at once without cutting off any portion
of the city from the gas supply pipes?
What recourse have consumers whose
bills are unjustly increased?
How soon can new pipes and new
generators be installed?
Is the inefficiency of the plant due to
a scheme to unload 1t on the city?
How can sulphur and other impurities
be eliminated?
Mayor Is Interested
Mayor Harper said last night:
Il had some talks with the members
of the commission today and they are
looking up the laws and consulting ex-
perts.
'We want to get at rock bottom facts
The law enables us to do this, l UNDER
stand.
"The situation is serious for the con-
sumers and we want to avoid q recur-
renee of this trouble.
II have not been invited to assist the
commission as yet, but am willing to
do all can to get relief for the people,"
Consumers Help
President Loucks of the Consumers
association said:
"What we ask is that the inquiry be
held quickly. Most of us know that the
service is rotten. We want action
quick. The policy of the company will
be one of delay. The more experts the
city gets the more likely is the delay
What we ought to do is to draw up an
ordinance and pass it in two weeks.
The inquiry can go right along.
1--WE need a pressure of from one to
three inches. Now 1t gets as low as
one-twentieth of an inch. This pres
sure should be uniform and constant
at all hours, day and night.
I'VE also want the heat and light
units increased.
I'VE want sulphur and other injurious
substances eliminated.
I'VE are willing to aid the commission
in any way"
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