New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-03-11
NETWORK DAILY TRIBUNE, TUESDAY, MARCH II, 1851

The other members OF the Committee were ap.
pointed early in 1850, and made their report to the
Board on the 18th December last That Report
was adopted Immediately concurred in by the
Board of Assistants, and would have become
binding as contract, had not Mayor Woodruff
seen fit to veto it. The Report was then recon.
mitted, when Aid. WooD, of the Special Commit
tee having ceased to be member of the Board,
Aid. DoDGE was appointed in bis place Finding
it impossible to concur in the views Of the ma.
jorty, AID. D. presented this Minority Report
The facts which form the basis of his opinions are
given with great precision and clearneas.
A yearly statement of the operations Of the
Philadelphia Gas Works, compiled from the pub
Gshed Annual Reports of the Trustees is given
for the years ls4l to 1850, from which it appears
that the profits Of those works during the past
nine years were s5ll,642 80. The price OF gas
in that city from September /, 1876, to the pre-
sent time, is 22 cents per 100 feet and 81 25 per
1000 cubic feet. The rate from January l, 1885,
when the works were established, to September
1876, ranged from 35 to 25 cents per 100 feet uu-
dergoing gradual reduction, until it was fixed at
the present rate OF 22l cents. The price charged
Tor the public lamps in Philadelphia is $50 each;
add 81 40 for lighting and extinguishing, and the
price OF each lamp is S22 40. These lamps are
arranged to burn feet of gas per hour, which, for
$500 hours, the time proposed In the New York
contract, would make TO- 100 feet, which, at
S22 40, is 81 80 per 1000 feet From this it ap.
pears that, so far from charging lower price for
gas In New York than in Philadelphia, for the
public lamps, as is claimed by the majority OF the
Committee, the fact is exactly the reverse. Phila
delphia pays 81 80, and New.YOrk is to pay 81 81
for 200 cubic feet-a difference of 43 cents, or 81
per cent DlOre.
In Philadelphia, the public lamps are lighted
many more hours than in New York. They are
under the charge of the Police force and in cloudy
or rainy nights, and at other times, at the dscre-
ton of the Police Captains of Wards, they are
lighted. For this excess Of lighting, no charge is
made
In New York, on the contrary, the lamps are
lighted and extinguished by the servants of the
Gas Company, a party interested In consuming in
the public lamps as little gas as possible and it
is notorious that so early in the morning are the
public lamps extin guished that the Police find it
a difficult part of their duty to prevent and appre
bend burglars and other marauders who take ad.
vantage Of an hour or two in which the streets
are left in almost total darkness, to perpetrate
their Outrages unseen, and in comparative secur'
ty. The Gas Company says the Report by this
close economy, saves a few thousand feet OF gas
per week, at the expense OF the entire communl
tS in more than one respect This is at time
when the lamps should burn till daylight. 1t is
also well known that during large portion OF the
time when, by the almanac we depend upon the
moon TO light streets they left in the most
uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous dark
ness by reason Of rainy or cloudy weather or be.
cause the houses obstruct her light when she is at
q less altitude than As degrees. If on such coca
sions the public lamps are lighted it is at pro
rata increase Of compensation to the Gas Compa-
ny. The Report urgesthe great Importance OF
change in the arrangements OF the public lamps
of this City, soon as practicable; and recon-
mends the adoption OF system similar to that
practiced in Philadelphia
The Report then details the reasons why the
minority cannot accede to the conditions OF the
contract reported by the majority OF the Commit
tee These reasons are, first: Because 1t makes
no sufficient arrangement for dispensing with the
use of the present oil.lamps. Secondly Because
article of the proposed new contract is OBJ
jectionable inasmuch as 1t pretends TO deprive
the Gas Company of the possession of any mono
poly by allowing other parties to come into COM
petition with them which the Report considers
delusion from which the public at large could de-
rive no benefit. Thirdly: Because no provision
is made requiring the Company to furnish gas to
private consumers at fair and equal prices, or to
protect them in any way against abuses on the
part of the Company. Fourthly Because the
rate of SIS per annum for lighting the public lamps
would operate injuriously upon private con.
sumers, who would be called to pay portion OF
the expense that should be borne by the public
treasury.
Finally: The Report expresses the opinion
that all the streets of the City should be lighted
with gas as soon as practicable, as the interest OF
our citizens and the protection OF property re-
auire; and that in so doing the rights OF private
consumers hitherto entirely overlooked, SHAH be
reasonably protected A large number of valua-
BILE tables add to the value of the Report