ITEMS OF INTEREST January 16, 1909 Issue

ITEMS OF INTEREST

The United States Supreme Court has decided that the laws of New York state requiring the Consolidated Gas Company of New York city to furnish gas at eighty cents per thousand feet are legal. The gas company declared it could not afford to furnish it at that price. The court rules that the company cannot include in its list of property and good will its franchises, a free gift from the state, but which the company values at over $12,000,000 and on which it claims it must earn a fair return. "In this case," says Justice Peckham, who rendered the decision, "the complainant has a substantial monopoly of the gas business of the city of New York, and those who wish to use gas must take it from this complainant. In this case, as there is no possibility of competition, there should be no allowance for good will."

The Government's suit against the various railroads in the Union Pacific system and the half dozen men who control their affairs came on before a special examiner of the United States Circuit Court at New York, Jan. 5, for the actual taking of testimony. The Government's bill, alleging restraint of trade and competition, was filed in the district of Utah early last year.

It is expected that the coming sessions of the Legislatures of five New England states, Maine, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, will be particularly interesting this year, as the incoming governors in each state will recommend uniform legislation in the matter of forestry, fisheries, and automobiles.

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EARNING AND GIVING
January 16, 1909
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