The New York herald., 1922-09-02
u i"
HYLAN CRIES FAKE
AT GAS Rate CUTS
I ays Consumers Will Find
Bills Even Higher Due to
Changed Standard.
ySSAILS PRENDERGAST
O'Brien Ordered to Drag
Chairman Into the Open
and Expose Humbug.
counsel WANTS HEARING
Recites His Long Efforts to
Thwart Companies and Their
Star Chamber

Mayor Hylan and his secretary,
Jphn r. sinnott. had another busy day
Yesterday with the long distance tele-
phone wire between Saratoga and the
City Hall. The Mayor instructed his
associates ito show up the humbug
OF the alleged reduction in the price
or gas announced by Prendergast."
THE Mayor spoke OF this as flake
re9luction," framed up in secret star
Chamber proceedings" between the gas
\ company representatives and William
IA. Prendergast, chairman of the Pub
kcl Service Commission. Hs directed
ohm P. OBrien. Corporation Counsel
tp demand public hearings and drag
1fendergast out into the open.'
I Mr.. Prendergast's only comment
,yss:
Il have seen Mayor Hylan's ex-
sremely courteous and dignifled state
Jent. In view Of what I said to the
,Fess last night it requires no an
wer."
"Really an Increase"
t1Mr. O'Brien later made public his re-
gy to the Mayor. in which he promised
~ try to do all his chief required The
Mayors telephoned Saratoga statement
blows:
4"show up the humbug Of the alleged
\ Siuction in the price of gas announced
vi Prendergast in this mornings news
etpers. The alleged reduction is no re-
Nuctfon at all. but an increase, as the
public will find out when the bills for
fgas come in on the basis of heat units
instead of candle power.
"Prendergast knows that this alleged
reduction Is only fake and tries to
forestall his own exposure by saying
fhat any one demanding a return Of the
$50 cent rate is only trying to deceive
the public.
This fake reduction was made at the
request of the gas companies themselves
and was done to forestall and delay
hearings on the twenty odd petitions for
a restoration of the so cent rate which
Corporation Council O.Brfen .filed at my
request last January with the COM
mission.
THE gas company representatives
have been holding secret sessions with
Prendergast during the past several
months. Corporation Counsel O'Brien
at my direction refused to take any
part In them, because We saw the cards
were stacked against the public. The
fake reduction announced this morning
follows from these secret star chamber
proceedings.
Tell O'Brien to demand public hear
inss on the applications for reductions In
the gas rates charged by the different
companies. which he fled with the COM
mission. Tell him to drag Prendergast
out in the open on these applications so
that the public will be able to see what
n humbug and farce the alleged reduc-
tions are"
"Cfty's Fight So Far Futtlc.D
In his acknowledgment OF the Mayors
orders Mr.. O'Brien echoed his senti-
ments. At great length he narrated his
futile efforts to force public hearings on
the Mayors demands for return to the
statutory rate and his own refusal to
sit, at Mr.. Prendergast's suggestion "in
private conference with the representa-
tives OF the gas companies and OF the
Public Service Commission, of which
stcnographic minutes were not to be
taken"
Mr.. O'Brien recited that neither the
books nor the plants of the companies
have been opened to the citys repre-
sentatives :" that 'the permission
granted to the companies to change TO
a British thermal unit is against our
vigorous and formal protest !" that its
adoption as the standard means that
hr InA t. H.
increase In the price OF gas to the con-
sumers;" that IL means "a reduction IN
quality without proportionate reduction
In price," and that 1T is particularly u
gross injustice to the poor people OF the
city who use gas for Illuminating pur-
poses"
VIII Compel Public Hearings.
Demanding the removal OF the Public
Service ommission---Murray Hurlbert
s5 Acting Mayor. already has demanded
the suppression OF the Transit Commits
sion--the Corporation Counsel said:
j II shall Immediately follow your dlrec-
tions. shall continue the fight which
under your leadership have been maxi
ing for the past four years TO protect
the consumers OF the city from the
rapacity Of the gas companies. shall
adopt such legal measures as are avail !
Able to compel Prendergast and the rest
II Gov. Miller's Public Service Commits
bn 70 hold public hearings and allow
testimony to be taken upon the facts
necessary to do Justice to the people |
md to fx rate for gas In keeping
sith the marked reduction IN the cost
u materials used In making gas.
II cannot refrain In conclusion from
Expressing my opinion that if we are to
ri af tHo ~ s,st,
Pcrpetrated by public utility companies
'e should have removed from public
(orvice the commission that has been
70 supine and dercllct IN its duty 10 |