The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-03-10
The Cost and Manufastare OF Gas--E1posure
OF the Statement of tho Com mon Cou nciI.


Il has lose been the practice of the medical
faculty to write their prescriptions in Latin, in
order to throw a veil of mystery over their
profession, which "the p-ofane vulgar" could
10. penetrate Gas companies have adopted the
good Old custom, ia reference 10 the manufacture
and the cost Of gas. They endesvor 20 keep the
consumers and the public at large as ignoran, as
possible Of their art, and while their business is
10 give light, they involve i:s source in darkness
and obscuriiy, that they may feather tieir nests
unseen, and that competition may sever reach
their monopoly. The world, however, is growing
too wise for them-;he diffusion OF useful kaow-
ledge has striped gas Of is mysteries, and shown
The operations by which the raw material is con-
yerted into the manufactured article TO be so
simple that a child can understand them. The
cost, 100, Is nc reduced - matter OF arithmetic.
which any schoolboy can calculate; so that these
praspinG coafederacies can no longer fleece the
public, If the public be only true TO themse, Is,
and win not permit corrupt corporations 70 rob
them in broad daylight, ani with their eyes wide
oren. The shameless way in which this has beea
recently attempted il the Common Council, and
defeated, At least for time, by public opinion, j.
welt known to the readers Of the HsraH. That a
renewal Of the onslaught upon The pockets or the
reopls IL neditated, We have every reason to be-
l.cys, and We shall therefore Anticipate the con.
sIirscy ~ throwing a little lieh, on the subject.
The reror; oi The ma iofiiy Of the Board Of Alder
mcn on this ga Question, remarkable Instance II
how far they must have calculated upon the gull
thy Of ne public, i. indeed, they not guiisd
themsevtf ead made the 1a,splw Of others behind
The scenes Since hat. report was Issued, We have
taken The tr0ub 10 obtain accurate Information
re,st.ge to tht alleged facts upon whcS i,5 coaclu
scns are ksasd. ard we fro th1u % BE- a tissue ~
'snacitf The fasaiaiol beng, therefore, under
H.acl, liz E.sr'y ssgsrs'fuct0fe falls % IT,
co4ad.
.rheAs; thc ,iti1.ss u Wv York have e pay
sl1 nHsad q I 2 f0r .ientog r. public lamps, Is
z mater, ai.er EN-, Of very little moment provided
Icy attsia 81 re additional g. VII; Is - ml,h
Fstdsd-Aors teh.. TIE 4l&uli'y n light from
rre ot ~ pebble lamps p Brooklyn fuly double
ihe. from lsmf 81 his fis the Ess. River Eat
ihe rrfs question 3 ts Icrcd i iis. are the
bhs0tsn's 81 this metropolis q Re compelled
y ~ t. g rfr 1000 cable feet isr ~,
wien light q in eqgs,iy good l1slhy 90 ne
sly bel,eA is furnished y me Inhabitants
Philadelphia e ~ p. All a. that price
bringing 2 handsome profit g The WORKS Here
i III r1ieaithls fac, which cannot be cot ria
Fl ~ ~ species II sopbistry. N4y, more the
Philadelphia Cas- works u lst9 supplied 70 n
districts # Swing Idon, South FsrS, and Moya-
mensing upwards q thirteen million feet of gas,
st = - fer 1000 Now. e. this i exactly half
,he cost q. ca5 . View roik cansu nerg, they can
readily epreCia'e the great concern eyincsd Tor
th,i. istsre-ts i Tie action q their IA hfu 81.
vanfs. the Common Counsil
In -er'y % the fact thai gas Z manufactured ~
chesr IN Eogland !, i stated IN he report tb,t
English companies derive considerable prof.
from the sale Of coke; but that 10 this colnry, ''ia
consequence Of the competition u anthracite and
charcoal, the coke is used in the luraaces and the
proceeds u sale (of ccke) from a chaldroa Of coal
oyes and above tina, usei, is but small amount,
end Effects b1, slightly the cost Of thu gas"
Now coal is cheaper ia England ID IN anthracite
here. md. therefore, coke in that country meets
VIII : greater competition. But the New York
Gas Company consume it ia heating the firnaces
Ttep, i roy Do, they save &c much coal, which
hey would o,herv .se have TO use for that purpose
TIE fsif way 70 view The profit from coke, is 10