New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-03-13
Gas Expert Says Commits
SiOner Williams Blocked
Contract Award.
Mitchell DIRECTING
AN INVESTIGATION
Ladders. Momand SANDER Suit,
Involving City Official, De-
cided for Defendant.

Some inside information as to the al
legged effort of the United Gas Improve
ment Company OF Philadelphia, own
ing most Of the street lighting COM
/ panics In the country, 10 prevent lower
rates TO municipalities by shutting Of
possible competition was given in a
suit just decided 10 the Supreme Court
/ George Marcellus Landers. ex-presi-
dent OF the Connecticut Senate and
former Mayor Of New Britain, sued
Ragland Momand, a gas lighting expert
and inventor Of lamps, for SANDER.
Momand accused Landers OF favoring
the Philadelphia company while he was
president Of the Pressure Lighting
/ Company. Of which Momand was vice
president The jury gave a verdict in
favor OF the defendant on the ground
that Landers suffered no damages.
In the course Of the seven-day trial
there was heard the cry Of crushed
rival, whose offer TO light the streets
of New York and other cities at lower
rate than the United Gas Improvement
/ Company would have entAiled loss OF
81 800 900 q year 70 that powerful cor
poration.
/ Incidentally, tho trial revealed that
the Office Of Commissioner Williams OF
.bo no,ar+r,o - Nrotor C,.,rI- Cac
and Electricity is being investigated by
Commissioner Wallstein of the Depart
ment OF Accounts on orders from
Mayor Mitchell. This investig CATION is
due 10 complaints that Commissioner
Williams has favored the Wolsbach
Company Of America. subsidiary OF
the Philadelphia company. in awarding
contracts for street lighting.
Williams Accused.
Complaint was made by the Public
Lighting Service Corporation, Of which
Momand is consulting engineer. That
company put in bid for lighting Man
haitian streets i'm 1914. The Public
Lighting Service Corporation offered
rate of 90 cents lamp. against the bid
OF 50 a lamp by the Welsbach COM
pany. Three times. II is charged. Com
missioner Williams rejected all bids,
which delayed matters six months.
Finally. when the Commissioner was
compelled 20 award the contract 70 the
Public Lighting Service Corporation as
the lowest bidder IL is alleged he inn
posed such arbitrary conditions that 10
was impossible for the successful bid
der to carry out the terms of its con-
tract. Commissioner Nilliams's sccre-
tary was an interested spectator at the
trial of the Landers- VI Omand suit.
Landers's action for $4,000 damages
was based on letters which Momand
wrote 10 former Commissioner Thomo-
son. and later 70 Commissioner Will
Jams. saying that Landers had acquired
a large interest I'm the Pressure Light
ing Company for the purpose Of ruin
ing it and eliminating II as a COM
petitor Of the Philadelphia company.
II was pointed out on the trial that
the United Gas Improvement Company
had 100000 lamps, for which u was
receiving SIS year. Momand's offer
Of SO a year would mean an annual
loss Of Sl,50O.0O0.
Subsequently LAnders and directors
of the Pressure Lighting Company
friendly 70 him ousted Momand from
the concern. of which he vas general
manager. as well as vice president.
This action was followed By suit over
possession Of the company's records.
Collision in Bids Charged.
On January s, 1914. after Landers
had obtained complete control OF the
Pressure Lighting Company, Momand
wrote TO the Commissioner of Water
Supply, Gas and Electricity objectlng
TO an award TO the Pressure Lighting
Company or 10 any OF the subsidiary
companies OF the Philadelphia concern,
under d bid by Lsnder5 Of Sl2 for
Brooklyn lighting. Momand said that
il had been arranged that the Pressure
Lighting Company was TO bid for e,OOJ
TO 10000 lamps in addition 10 those 1t
already operated in Brooklyn al rate
not to exceed $1,000 year. He said
that Landers had bid Of sl2 sub
mitted. knowing that the Philadelphia
company would submit bid for just
fraction less.
@Momand charged that there was col
fusion in the bidding, and that 10 &C
cept the bids would be a great mis-
take and a costly one 70 the city, IN
that il would be giving It's seal Of sp-
proval 70 the collusive and fraudulent
acts OF the bidders and go far toward
enabling the United Gas Improvement
Company TO restore the non-competi-
tive conditions in the letting OF New
York City gas lighting contracts en-
loved by il and its dummy allies Tor
wears. until the writer introduced the
Pressure Lighting Company into the
situation last year and secured the
contract for the Brooklyn lamps at a
substantial reduction in the price TO
the city"
This letter was turned over TO Lam
ders By the Commissioning. Counsel FOR
Larders asked Justice Dugro TO set
aside the verdict in favor Of Momsnd.
The court reserved decision and asked
for briefs on the motion.