Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-11
WOULD CRUSH GAS TRUST
SUIT TO GUST NEW YORK COM
PANY FROM FRANCHISE RIGHTS
Court Is Asked to Compel Consolidated
to Abandon Streets It Has
illegally Used.

NEW YORK. July 1l.-Attorney General
Jackson Instituted a suit against the Con-
solidated Gas Company yesterday to Gus.
that corporation from the exercise OF five
franchises held by subsidiary companies
on the ground that all Of these franchises
have expired. but are still being wrongfully
used by the lighting trust
The subsidiary companies whose fran
chises have expired and which therefore
are illegally using the streets and avenues
Of New York for their pipes and mains are,
according to the attorney generals COM
plant, as follows:
The New York Gas Light Company
The Manhattan Gas Light Company.
The Metropolitan Gas Light Company.
The Municipal Gas Light Company.
The Harlem Gas Light Company.
All of these corporations together with
the knickerbocker Gas Light Company.
were taken over by the Consolidated Gas
Company when that corporation was char
tered. September %, 1854. The purpose of
organizing the Consolidated company was TO
merge the various constituent corporations.
Franchises Have Expired.
The complaint alleges that the New
& rk Gas Light Company was chartered
u " II, 1898. and that it's franchise ex-
pt ed May II, 1853. and its rights to use
were never held and owned. and not
now held and owned. by the defendant, and
that the defendant has never been, and Is
not now, entitled to use the same and to
exercise the rights and privileges conferred
thereby, and that the said franchise and
consent is not now, and has not since
hitherto been conferred by law upon said
defendant
The Manhattan Gas Light Company was
chartered May 5, 1873 and May D. 1913.
chises expired May II. 1888. and May s..
1865. respectively, according to the COM
plant.
The Metropolitan Gas Light Company was
chartered December ~. 1898. and the fran
chIse expired December -. lsSSS.
The Municipal Gas Light Company was
chartered December ~. 1888, and the fran
chise expired December -. 1888.
The Harlem Gas Light Company as
chartered February l. leJ5. and its fran
chise expired February l, 1901.
Attacks the Consolidated.
The complaint then charges that the
Consolidated ''pretends to be the owner
of an alleged franchise granted the
Knickerbocker Gas Light Company under
the laws of 1871. This franchise was
granted to certain individuals who, the
attorney general declares. never exercised
any of the rights conferred. The COM
plant then charges:
Ihat the defendant does not own, and
has never owned, said franchise, and is
not entitled to exercise use. and has
never been entitled to exercise or use, the
rights and privileges. If any, thereby con-
ferred."
The complaint alleges, that whatever
rights or privileges were given the Knicker-
booker have been forfeited by non-use and
by failure of the individuals named in the
act to carry out their end of the agree
ment.
1t is charged that none of the franchises
specified has been renewed enlarged or ex-
tended either by the state or the city of
New York
The complaint further alleges that the
Consolidated company, notwithstanding the
expiration Of the franchises is wrong
fully and unlawfully' using the pipes and
mains of the companies which have no
legal existence. = =
The court is asked to GUST the Consoli-
dated from further exercising the rights Of
the expired franchises and to perpetually
enjoin it so there can be no repetition of
the offense.