The evening world. Newspaper, March 3, 1903, Page 3

©" Giant Monopoly Which Has the Entire i: its Grasp, and No Resident of Any): th Wher? been published. : GAS AND ELECTRIC L IN THE SHAMEFUL PLOT THE FAMILY TREE OF THE GRASPING GAS TRUST, SHOWING WHENCE IT DRAWS ITS VITALITY. BPLBODDLL}NDOOSHHDOHOS OHHH OSS HHGHH HOH SHH LHHHHFHOGHOHOHHH PHSHOGHHHESHFHHHOHOOSH ¢ I the Corporations Now Linked in One City i Borough Is Free from Its Oppression. Attorney-General Has the Power to Grapple): with the Illegal Combination That Holds Up the Public and End Extortion by Break- ing Charters of the Companies. / (The attention of the Attorney-General of the State of New York, of @ieLegislature of the State of New York and of the city authorities is re. Spectively called to the following facts, proving that there is a Gas and Electric Light Trust in this city controlled by the Standard Oil Company. * With the authority vested in him and the assistants furnished to him, “the’Attorney-General should be able to verify and amplify the facts pre-' sented below, which are necessarily but skeletonized. The Evening World ‘has gathered these facts with great difficulty, because of the secrecy sur- rounding the operations of the Standard Oil Company and the safeguards | adopted by the men instrumental in the formation of the Trust. This outline of the conditions surrounding the service of gas and’elec- tric light and power to the people of New York is convincing. Under the law the men running the Trust are liable to prosecution, The Evening «World has already shown that gas is sold in New York at exorbitant rates, that defective meters and overcharges are the rule, and it appears to be} ‘ + gq ne for the State authorities and the men elected by New Yorkers to look | ‘ many for their interests to take some action looking to the dissolution n of the charters of the law-breaking concerns: ONE BIG HOLDING COMPANY. In the Corporation Directory of New York City can be found the name of the New York Gas and Blectric Light, Heat and Power Company. Fol- lowing the name is this announcement: “Name changed to the Edison Company, which see. No. 55 Duane street.” The New York Gas and Electric Light, Heat and Power Company, which cannot be located at this time because it has been merged into the Edison Company, was practically a holding concern, which took in and as- similated all the gas and electric light and power companies in Greater New York. Although it was apparent''to the people of this city that, following the gas war, when the rate was cut to sixty-five cents per thousand feet, the gas companies of the borough of Manhattan had combined, and although it was apparent that the gas and electric light companies of the borough of ‘© rooklyn had combined, the full extent of the combination has never be- oe sada ct zg ol dts TREY {HE WORLD: TUESDAY Vxu...., IGHT COMPANIES JOIN HANDS ___ 2c H 8, 1903. FOR FLEECING THE PUBLIC, informVith the skill born of experience, the men who got together the big- sie and most oppressive monopoly under which the people groan covered “buy, bf Movements with secrecy that remains almost impenetrable. There so many ramifications surrounding this gigantic combination that it is wrnard matter to get to the bottom of it. PALL IN THE GRIP OF CONSOLIDATED. It may be stated with authority that the New Amsterdam Gas Com- » Dany, the New York Mutual Gas Company, the Standard Gas Company, the Northern Union Gas Company, which supplies the Bronx, and all the ‘ other gas concerns previously allied with these companies are now controlled 1 by the Consolidated Gas Compiny. The reports of these companies are oe made to the Consolidated, and no move can be made by them that is not the subservient menial who accepts a ercising his abusive bent, she had this bill or we yank your meter out, see?’ 0) bh “ -bexerns, but when the consolidation was effected they were merged into the eilynited Blectric Light and Power Company, which was a corporation ex- Ameting only on paper and formed for holding purposes, Later on it was froiethered in by the New York Gas and Electric Light, Heat and Power ‘ ~ Mectric Company were absorbed by the Brooklyn Union Gas Company, The ‘approved by the Consolidated managers. The Brush Arc Light Company, the Mount Morris Electric Light Com- yany and all the subsidiary companies previously absorbed by the companies Tiave been taken in by the New York Edison Company. The Consolidated “Jas Company and the New York Edison Company are manufacturing con- ‘8#ompany. All the Brooklyn gas companies and the Queens Borough Gas and electric light companies were absorbed by the Edison Hlectric Illuminating Company, which in turn was merged into the Kings County Electric Light and Power Company. Then the Kings County Ogmpany and the Brooklyn Union Company formed a combination which was Vitted into the New York Gas and Dlectric Light, Heat and Power Company, WHOLE CITY IN THEIR POWER, Here we have the gas and electric lighting companies on both sides of the river and in the Bronx controlled by the New York Gas and Electric Light, Heat and Power Company, a concern which had desk room in a small office and was dominated by Rockefeller interests. The grip of the Standard Oil Company being firm, the whole business was merged, accord- ing to the Corporation Directory, Into the Edison Company. Now to the connection between the concerns, ‘which can be made ap- parent in a few words, notwithBtanding the safeguards that have been erected about the operations of the Trust. The dominating figure in the combination was Anthony N, Brady. He is president and a”director of the Edison Company, of New York; @ director of the New York Gen eng Wier’ | Light, Heat and Power Com- pany; a trustes of thy’ 4945 that - Company and a director of the East Rivo-= 6B oud City; the Edison Electric Illumi- nating Uc «ings County Blectric Light and Pow ©ompany aBOOTH HURT. .wam Gas Company, is y Next we in” a. .sarrison EB. Gawtry, president and trustee of the Consolidated Gas Company, is a director of the Bast River Gas Company, of Long Island City; of the New York and Queens Borough Electric Light and Power Company, the New York Edison Company, the New York Mutual Gas Company, the Northern Union Gas Company, of the Bronx, and the af United Electric Light and Power Company. ‘The Consolidated Gas Company, with a capital of $71,593,700, has on its Board of Trustees William Rockefeller and Anthony N, Brady. Frank Til- ford is a trustee of the Consolidated Gas Company and president of the Standard Gas Company. James Jourdan is president of the New Amsterdam Gas Company and a director of the Northern Union Gas Company. And so it goes. The community of interest sticks out |- every line of the published gecords @f the concerns implicated in the trust, and there are certainly records on file at Albany that should enable investigators backed by the power given by statute to dig out additional information. How the consolidations were effected in Manhattan and Brooklyn, the MAN F FLECTRic Lica as ME MUNICi Pay SUBSIDary es friend wrote the the month concerning his dill and tention was paid to tt. I have been told that both alr SEND YOUR COMPLAINTS OF GAS EXTORTION TO THE EVENING WORLD. eo other pressure are uned to ¢ meters, and the quality ts poorer @ : The Gas Trust says there are no complaints of over- })°"*" a : | charge from its victims. To refute this statement The Locked Thin Man's Gas Metem 53 ‘To the EAltor of The Evening World: Evening World will print all complaints sent to this office. Each communication must have name and address of the writer, not for publication unless desired. Write only on one side of the paper. Tam in business, with two stores. gas blils are certainly outrageous. m sho: months, when I keep open until late evenings, If the bills are mnt pm on time in walks the gentleman to lock the meter. One time, after my Dil: paid, this gentleman came in and los! the meter. When I called at the Moe and showed my reosipted bill 1 no satisfaction. A coal, but for eas we had to burn wind. When I turned on the gas It would whistle and blow the tips right out up Jess they fitted very tleht. While T was away In the fall my bus- band was heme during the day, and each month he paid a gas bill running from $3.50 to $4.60 When I returned tho company sent me a dill for $16.50 for three months’ gas, saying through the mistake of the bookkeeper they had only sent the bill for one meter for the three montha previous, and I could pay at the rate of $5.60 a month. At the time my regular bill was $12.60 and $18. The second month after I falled to make my $5.60 payment they turned off my gas from the street and sent me a bill, also a bill I had paid the week before. Mrs. G. H. Wad a Terr: Time with the Gas. To the FAltor of ‘The Evening World If the gas people say they received no complaints they must have over- looked a letter I #ent to the superin- tendent after receiving my December gas bill. We had a terrible time with the gas during the month of December; tt was so poor we could soarcely see to read. T sent to the office on four different oc- casions to have {t attended to. but the men sent to fix it could do nothing, At last {t went completely out and would not light. We had to use oll lamps and lanterns for a week. At the end of a week, after I had gone over to the office in a rage, the super- Intendent sent a man over at night who seemed to know his business, for we have had gas ever since until last week, when {t went down again, and we had to go back to the ot! Jamps for four evenings, I reoolved my December gas bill on the 16th of January, and {magine my sur- prise when it called for $7.30. I would not have minded the size of the Dill {f wo had had a full supply of gas ree- ularly, But to think we had to pay that $7.30 after being put to so much inoonventence. Talk about highway robbery! I con- sider $8 of that money stolen from me. Mrs. J.C. Alexander avenue and One Hundred and Forty-second street. Last month I placed $4.75 in their meter, which ts @ quarter meter, and when the collector called to take the money away ne claimed that the meter did not register right, and that I had to pay him 81 more, which I did, because he threat- ened to lock the meter, ‘The next day @ man took out the old one and put in a different meter. Was I justi- fied in paying the $1 extra? Mrs. MITCHBLL. No Redress for Big Jump. To the Editor of The Wrening World: I am one of the sufferers from Gas ‘Trust methods. My bill for December, 1902, was $1.90 and for January, 1003, it was $5.90. My famtly {s much emailer now. I know I burn less fas. Inclosed is the teply to my complaint. It reads: “In reply to your -favor of 2ist inst., relative to bill for gas supplied to your premises at above address, would say that an examination of your account and a comparison of the Indexes taken fails to show any error in bills as ren- dered.” A SUFFERER. ‘To the Béltor of The Wvening World: ‘My gas bill ¢or October was November, $7.00; for December, live in a seven-room fiat. ‘Tt are 50 per cent. above any bili I ceived from the company. The complaint rk simply, you when asked “why” the bill crease. It's like a case of pute calls in Wall street. They put up and call you for something you | had—or turn off the gas. ROASTED, No Wonder She Complains. ‘To the Editor of The Evening World: My gas bills have been #9 awful these last few months. were %.00 and %% for three I only use two durners and heater. A B,G She Had to Pay for New To the Editor of The Brening Worlds. My gas bill tor December was had a new meter put in because my were so high, although I did ngt enough gas to cook with. I had to« In the dark, so we would have light in the dining-room. The only in the kitchen was from the gas atov I think T had to pay for the new: It seems the company thought body was using more gas than course coal was high and the didn't mind as long as they could ie warm. My bills average @ dollar this year than last. 2 A TRUST V Skimps on Feod to Pay for To the HAitor ot The Evening World: ” Ca 1p ZPDRPDPIDDDOSBDDOOH IG + PH HAGHHD Tried to Fool Gas Company. ‘To the Editor of The Bvening World: For months my gas bills have been heavier than usual at this season of the year. Some time ago, on leaving home for three weeks, I decided to tert the dealings of the gas company by not notifying It of my absence. As I anticipated, the next bill did not make allowance for the absence, there belng only 30 cents ters to pay than on the preceding month. Needless to gay, I made a complaint and tersely put my case before the company, stating that my motive was to make a test case of {ts dealings. A collector called very Promptly and demanded payment, show- ing me a letter on which was written: ‘Collect at once or turn off the gas.” A friend, who was present, advised me not to pay, but it was Saturday and my suppiles already in the house, so I was absolutely dependent npon the gas range, ‘This winter the bills have been raised to a much higher amount, though I am rie? DDVPDPDDIDIHM HV VHD GOS HHS HO od Trust. My Dills were formerly # highest I ever paid up to last ‘ver. Since then the Sills ane” Trust is bearing fruit is evidenced in many ways, but a particular instance will show how widespread is the annoyance caused by @ revelation of the methods of the combine. A member of The Evening World ataff lives in New Rochelle. His wife had occasion yesterday to go to the office of the gas-company that supplies Westchester to make a justifiable complaint. When she gave her name to small salary for the privilege of ex- remark thrown at her: “I know you. Your husband is one of the fresh ducks on The Evening World that 1s scaring up a ‘stink’ against the gas companies. You pay that GAS TRUST DRIVES A ROM BUSINESS. J. J. O'Brien was driven out of bust- ness because he refused to let the Cen- tral Uuton Gas Company rob him. O'Brien kept a saloon and chop house at One Hundred and Sixty-first street and Sedgwick avenue. He used a gas stove to cook for his customers, but in October, 1591, the company wanted him to pay bills for which he already held receipts. promptly cut off, and when he went to He refused. The gas was \ eocretary re- compromise rien refuged to je was compen- for the oll that he was forced to burn and the loss of trade as @ result of turning off the gas. He owed the company $19.20, but the Trust bad $15 of his money as a depoalt on a gas stove and a meter, both of which Mr, O'Brien stil] has in his pos- seasion. As a rewult of the cutting off of the gas Mr, O'Brien had to give up his business, the company's offices the fused to roe bins, Finall; was offered, but Mr. 0’ coe t any terms until h e PUSHING BILL TO TURN THE GAS PLANTS OVER TO CITY. Urged by the Evening World's expos- ods Assemblyman Edward A, Miller has hurried along his bill providing for @ regard to the public ownership of muni- cipal gas and electric lighting plan He has succeeded in getting a first hea ing for the bill to-morrow in Albany. Minis bill was drawn by Lawyer Rt mond B. Ingersoll and has for {ts bac ers Congressman-Kleot er, Charles frederick Adams and Lawson Purdy, the well-known Single-Tax advocate. While on the face of it the measure may seem radical, It really Is conserva. | vt ce it only calls for a vote from hey pes to Yaeride whether they favor such a policy Acquire the Plant, | ould the bill pass and the popular venowa ditrmative, it ia. {urther. pro- vided that the M appoint a comny sion whieh stall Gecupy five months in determinin h the properties Co neously, ure of the Gas Trust's oppressive meth-| {1 test vote in the city of New York in| PI ts dima out remuneration, Dut $10, be opriated by the city of rh to defray all 4 penses. n presenting this bil!,”” said Mr. Mil- y, “L want {t to be thoroughly od that We are not plunging cialism or advocating anything dangerous. “It is a plain fact that the public, op- ed needlessly by these com- for municipal and it 4s therefore nothin more than right that they should hi the opportunity to announce thelr mente through the medium of a ‘vote. amore Price Not Enough. Be 4 bill, providing for 75- cent gas is all right in its way, but is not adequate, We know that the companies can manufacture gas tap sand feet and oT a hand profit, ould the Fitegerald bill go through these corporations will simply put on mage wind pressure, ard the poor citi- zen will be duped as he jp now. "What we should have'ts public own ership, which does nol mean public oper- ation. Let the Ay, own these plants, buy them, and, {f It is best, grant the privilege ‘of operating pri- te concerns, i then New Yorkers will have a ntee of justice, for their own ‘officers will be on hand to see n_geta the worth of his money ot pay exorbitant for ure on defec iL} them to id d wind pres SYSTEM OF ROBBERY SHOWN BY THE GAS TRUST VICTIMS. That the extortions of the Gas Trust have the gas shut off, My Inst bill, have been reduced to a system is fully | trom Jan. 6 Ul Feb. 5, 1s $3.80, proved by the complaints come MRS, DUNN. The “Evening World, Here some of Mo 67 East Eleventh etreet. (he latest ones: Ne Uae \Gamsle Pay Up or Suffer, Part played by politicians and other interesting details of the formation of |., ine wiitor of The Bvening World: the (es and Hlectric Light and Power Trust are matters to be treated later on. OVERCHARGES AND UNDERPAY. s pill ¢rom the New Amsterdam npany, Equitable Branch, from Sto Dec. 8 1902, was $3.70, From 4 until January 6, 1903, the bil! My G N Dec. It bas come to The vening World that in addition to overcharging iia | *4* 8%. 1 went to the company's of- customers the Gas Trust is underpaying its employees. The employees have organized, and there is a prospect of a sirike that will, if skilfully conducted, cause New York City more inconvenience than djd the coal strike. The 5 possibilities of a concerted and tight strike of the men employed by the Gas ‘fust cam be imegined by the most cunservative citizen, ‘That ‘The Bvening World crusade against the extortions of the Gas piv fice and took my previous bill to show and to find out what was the cause of such ao outrageous charge when I did nol wee any more ges The clerk in the office took my bill and promised to To the Editor of The Evening World I have been a large consumer of gas for nearly twenty years, I find it te no use to send a complaint to a gas com- pany. The rate is supposed to be lower, but my bills are 20 per cent, higher, 1 have done everything to save gas, but still my bills go up. I got small burn- ers and shut the meters half off, but find the wheels go round just the same, P. A. GALLAGHER, No, 810 West Twenty-meventh street, Must Pay Bill, send a man to invest! . whieh they did @ week later. He sald the bill wat cormeut, ond | had We pay the amount oF uy 4 t To the Baiter of The Brening World: 4 wee very angry when the papers ) Hnd to Pay #1 Extra. To the Eéitor of The Evening World: careful to a degree; the largest bill was Tam a user of gas and beg to file my | $6, which is the Mghest I ever received protest against the Gas Company, at|in nine years residence in the city, A were fighting the Coal Trust, but never @ word about the Gas Trust, We always could get some satisfaction from our Fire-Fighter’s Story How the Strongest Man in the Philadelphia Fire Department—One the Weakest—Gained His Strength and Health, by Using ©|sufferer, follow his advice, know- Swamp-Root, the Great Kidney and Bladder Remedy. ERE'S the story of a man who was mear death's door and was saved ERE ie the etory as he gave it to a epecial sentative of thie paper: “You will hardly believe tt when 1 tell you there was = time my body was In such a diseased condition that my relatives and fi would have at no time been to learn of my death. It was all kidney trouble, for which I cure no relief. 1 was under the my family physician for a number years, but he was unable to do me. good. 1 also consulted two specialists on kidney diseases, but were unable to give me more than tem porary relief. 1 had already made Plication to Join the army, but. turned down on account of my bad physical condition, ! ‘ “L was advised to that g all remedies—SWAMP-ROOT. Kilmer’ & for @ by using Swamp-Root. If he came to you and said: “My friend, do you suffer with kidney trouble? Does your back ache? Do you feel bad all over and can't tell exactly what's the matter? Have you tried medicines or doctors without benefit? Are you aboyt iscouraged? Then do as ! did, and get well—Use Dr, Kilmer's Swamp-Root! I know it will cure you.” —— If he did this, would you be- lieve him? Wouldn’t you, if you were a Pretec al at Binghamton, bottle, and its effect noticeable that 1 went bought a s Ing that he bore living, sentient, vital testimony to the wonderful ply from my druggist i it the result that in a comparatt virtues of this great natural pia 33 om ref ly 3 remedy? came the man you me ie ——s “L served a number of ens army, and for the past four years been connected with the Fire Department. My work, army and fighting fires in has been of the most arduous, that | could not do did | not strong physique. “1 do not know what the ‘Kidney Trouble’ mean now, Sg not expect to. I cannot kf highly of Swamp-Root. A few bol of this great remedy did more for than a dozen physicians 2 (Signed) 865 Stillman St, P ELL, that is just what Hugo Hutt, strongest man in the Philadelphia Fire Department, hero of a hundred battles with the flames, is doing now through the medium of this newspaper. Hugo Hutt has been connected with the Philadelphia Fire Depart- ment for the past four years, He {s stationed at the engine house at Nineteenth and Callowhill streets, Mr. Hutt is known as the strongest man in the Fire Department and has taken many prizes at athletic tournaments for his prowess in the field of sports. Zs Ua MMM, HUGO HUTT, PHILADELPHIA FIREMAN, story. If the a of a newspaper could be persuaded to read the thousinds of ch monials which come to Dr. Kilmer’s Swamp-Root, the kidney’ He is also an ex-sergeant of the United States Infantry, having for! which now afflict humanity would be cut down 50 per cent, several years been stationed at Fort Niobrara, Neb, Mr. Hutt also served | For these testimonials all prove beyond a doubt that the with the Sixth Pennsylvania Regiment during the Spanish-American way" for kidney, liver and bladder troubles is Dr. Kilmer’s Swamp-Root NATURE'S GREATEST AID TO THE SUFFERING, SPECIA NOTICE —Swamp-Root is so remarkably successful that a special arrangement has been made by which all of our readers already tried it may have a sample bottle sent absolutely free by mail, also a book that tells all about it and its wonderful cures. Address if Binghamton, N. Y, In writing, be sure to mention that you read chis generous offer in The New York Evening World. The regular iity-ge g bottles are sold by all druggists, Don't make any mistake, but remember the name, Swamp-Root—Dr. Kilmer's Swamp-Root, and on eo Sy bottle, sa . i ND this is only one Fi le