Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1859-05-03
DAVENPORT. IOWA. TUESDAY MORNING. MAY 3. 1852
s The ouly authorized" feels


himself agrieved by an insult offered 10
him by one Bissell, q" Hydraulic Engineer"
or a. Grove" calls him. Lo,o draulic
Bi.ssl," The facts. as We learn them. are
~ follows :-Biseell, very anxious to ever
come the impression upon the Government
Bridge Commissioners by 'thsf" excursion.
invited them TO take . ride up the river and
feat down through the draw in skif. Mr..
Hajpht of whom the horses we're hired,
wished the authorized" to ride up and
drive back the horses. This, " Grove" very
generously consented to do, but ~ he was
getting into the carriage, Bissell seized him
by the collar and pushed him out, at the
same time intimating, in an insulting man
ner. that he was not wanted there. "Grove"
was struck dumb at this outrageous treat
ment and did not recover his powers Of
speech until the carriage had drove of.
When he had overcome his astonishment
and composed his ruffaed garments. and
when the idea began to creep into hif head
that such treatment was not altogether
compatible with the dignity Of an only
authorized" he swore "big eath." that
noshiny could wipe out the indignity but
an apology. Golly. but +" Grove" ,oss mad.
His gouty feet and dignified cane stamped
with much noise upon the pavement. and
had the object Of his wrath been present at
that time. nothing could have saved him
from being severely killed. Seriously, We
think that should Mr.. Grovenbury see fit
which he undoubtedly will-to call the
aforesaid Hydraulic gentleman to an ac-
count" it is his duty to give Mr.. Grovenbury
that satisfaction due from one gentleman to
another 1t is said that Mr.. Grovenbury is
an "apt" in the dueling line, having been
known to hit barn door four times out OF
ten, at ak PAGES. What a chance for an
item" Mr. Bissell leaves a wife and sever
al children to mourn his untimely enJ.'
THE Gas MoNoPoLY.-We are not
little surprised to see the Gazetts ad
vocating the present enormous tariff fixed
by the Gas Company. The people in this
community have been very patient under
the prices established by this Company
For nearly two years they have submitted
to the extra tax of one dollar per thousand
cubic feet more than they were entitled to
by their charter, and new because there is
disposition to COMPEL them to comply
with the terms Of their grant, the cry Of
oppression ia raised al snce.
The grant to the Gas Company was .
very valuable one and like all such grants
it was not expected that it would be profit
able at the outset, but after the first few
years the revenue would be large. The
privilege is exclusive for t~enty gears. 1t
is to all intents and purposes a monopoly.
The price fixed for Gas in the charter was
fixed by the corporation themselves, the
burden, if any, was of their own making.
II it was anticipated that nothing could be
made at 81, 80, why did they hold out the
inducement that after the expiration Ct
two years, the price wonld be reduced
There is alscays profit in manufacturing
Gas At $3.50 per thousand cubic feet Every
Gas man will 90 say. 1t docs not matter to
the citizens Of Davenport whether the
Company has by bad management squan-
dered money, or lest money. 1t was their
duty t. see that their works did not cost
two prices, and If they did not do it, their
additional cost should not be borne by the
citizens. The contract was made by them
seves-they proposed to furnish Gas upon
the terms set forth in their charter. and by
this means secured the grant. They should
now stand up to it, and if they refuse the
city Council should compel them to do it,
or forfeit their charter. The talk thatthey
will not continue to furnish Gas If required
to live up to their contract, is all moon
shine The moment they refuse to do 60,
their charter is forfeited. They know this
very well. The present high rate Is to
much, and we look to the Council to see it
reduced to at least $s 80 per thousand Gu
bic feet. II they do not, the consumers
should all refuse to pay the Gas bills
That no more than 50 so can be collected,
is quite certain.
% From q friend IN the country
We learn that the grain sowed previous to
the last cold snap some five weeks ago. is
coming up as finely as that sewn in April.
Much fear was entertained among osr farm.
ers that the cold and wet would have rot