The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-03-22
THE NEW GAS ORDINANCE.

To the Editors Of the Exchange:
In your paper of yesterday there appears an ar
tice over the signature of "Gas Consumer" the sug
gestions OF which, you say, "are worthy of serious
consideration"
With your permission, therefore, will proceed
to fairly consider them, merely promising that an
in way interested in the Gas Company except as
consumer of gas, and in no way connected with thu
new scheme of Incorporating another Gas Company
east of Jones' Falls, to d arrange streets there
The first proposition of 'Gas Consumer" state.
that the plain English of the gas BILLS, "The Mayor
and City Council pledge the faith of the city thai
they will protect the Gas-Light Company of Balt
more in an exclusive grant of the right to lay down
gas mains in Baltimore for period of fifteen years
under penalty of being forced to buy the Com
pany out" Now, say, with due Difference to your
plain English "Gas Consumer" that there is nc
such proviso in the ordinance, and he must have
been greatly excited or prejudced when he wrote
his views, or extremely ignorant of what he was
writing about.
The next proposition is: 'The only condition re.
quired from the Company is that they will run
mains to the extent of five thousand dollars when
required by the Councils" This Suggestion" goes
still further than the first, to show the ignorance
of your "Gas Consumer" and join in his re
quest for the reprint of the BILL hoping that if he
will read it again, he may possibly comprehend it
In order that the public may understand the OBJ
ject of the ordnance will try to explain it in al
few words as can.
The Gas Company is required to lay, annually
dt lls own expense, IN SUCH streets, lanes, alleys
thoroughfares and places as the Mayor and City
Council may direct at their pleasure, their gas
mains to the amount of SIC, 900, for fifteen years
so that the design is to have every part of the city
thus lighted, without reference to direct taxation
limits. And inasmuch as the city may possibly
order the mains to be laid in such places as NAV
not be profitable to the Company, and thereby the
latter may lose its capital so invested the city SIM
ply pledges its faith that in the event of any other
company, or person, being privileged to use the
streets for supplying gas to the city, then
the city will refund all such money to the Company
which have been so unproftably employed at the
instance of the Mayor and City Council; provided
however, that the Gas Company shall pay back to
gas upon all such mains until the city is entirely
reimbursed. The simple ordinance is this:
l. The Gas Company shall lay $4,000 worth Of
main per annum, equal at current prices to 8 ID
miles per annum for Is years.
2. 1t shall be laid where the Mayor and City
Council shall direct
3. Should the Mayor and City Council allow any
other par ties to the streets for similar purposes
it will pay back to the Gas Company whatever
money was expended by them, pursuant to this
ordinance.
4. The Gas Company shall also return to the CITY
SIS for every consumer of gas onsuch mains until all
such money as may have been paid by the city to
the Company Tin consequence of granting other
charters) shall be again refunded to the city,
say it is fair and honest BILL and defy criticism
as to its merits, but trust that it will come from
some one whose mind is entirely uni aundiced.