The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-06-14
BALTIMORE.
THURSDAY, JUNE IA, 1860

,,,ororoly," says an old writer, t'has
~ irsenarable incidents-the raising of the |
= the deterioration of the commodity and |
aba mpoverishment of artisans and others |
Tho Gas Company of this city is an admirable
illustration of the truth of these propositions. 1t
ovocts high price for a commodity of question
oble quality, and from having enjoyed exclusive
privileges for long series of years, it has been
able to put down all attempts at competition. 1t |
is emphatically a close corporation in the literal
meaning of that term. All of It's operations
have been covered with an impenetrable veil of
secrecy. 1t is a concern that has invariably
rejected all scrutiny into its management, and
refused all information with regard to its working
expenses In the statistical tables, which are to
be found in various commercial reviews and
works of reference, showing the comparative cost
and market price Of gas in theleadng cities of the
UNITED STATES, there is no statement from the
Baltimore Gas Company; and in one of the
works to which we have referred the remark is
made that the Baltimore Gas Company "Geclned
" to give the information which it had been re-
specially asked to furnish" The only natural
inference to be drawn from this is, that the Com
pany is making extraordinary profits, and that it
does not wish the extent Of those profits to be made
public 1t is one of the peculiarities attendant
upon the manufacture Of gas, that the more i'm
pure the gas is, the greater amount consumed will
the meter register. 1t is, therefore, vastly more
profitable TO the Company to use cheap coal, of
low Illuminating power than a dearer one which
gives more brilliant light IF the quality of the
gas were always of uniform purity, a meter
properly constructed would faithfully register the
number of cubic feet which had been consumed
within given time; but this condition is. how
ever, rarely attained, and to a Company which has
the monopoly of lighting city, is not at all desra-
BILE since il makes more money from an inferior ar.
ticle To the many complaints that have been made
from time to time, both with regard to the quality
of the gas and the unreliabity of the meter, the
Company has never vouchsaled a satisfactory an
swer IT has turned deaf ear to circumstances,
and has resorted to counermining whenever the
opposition to it threatened TO become formidable.
When the subject was brought before the City
Council the Report of the Committee 10 which it
was referred, and which was adverse to the Com
pany. was quietly withdrawn by the Chairman
of the Committee, before action was taken upon it,
ties apply TO the Legislature for an act of incor-
poration, we find the Gas Company asking for
authority to increase the amount of its capital
one million of dollars For what purpose this
was wanted none but the Directors knew. Some
simple-mnded persons imagined that the Company
must necessarily be poor and under heavy cx-
penses and that additional funds were needed to
to meet the cost Of putting down new
mains and of conducting the works with
more efficiency. Nothing of this kind was
contemplated. 1t may surprise many of our
readers TO learn how very economically this mo-
nopoly manages its affairs. For twenty-six years
it has been at charge whatever either for laying
down the mains in streets newly opened, or for
the pipes which are carried into private houses.
The whole cost of these has been regularly saddled
upon the property holders, who have thus been
compelled TO furnish the Company with n consid-
cradle portion of the means required for carrying
its operations. In view of the very general
dissatisfaction that prevails in the community with
regard to the price which the Company has been
in the habit of charging for gas; but more especi-
ally in consequence of the strange DISCREPANCIES
that occur between the gas bills of one quarter and
those Of another-Often heaviest when much
lesser quantity of gas has been used-the organi-
cation of new Company, upon more liberal
basis, is matter well worthy of consideration.
From wealthy corporation which has shown
all times an unwillingness TO conciliate public sen
tmen no concessions of any real value are to be
expected, and it can only be forced TO adopt
more generous line of policy under the pressure of
n well directed connection What itS nroGts
have been may be surmised when we state that
but recently the Directors distributed among the
shareholders dividend in stock equivalent to one
hundred per cent. Those who have been aegriev-
ed by the high charges of the Company will find
something suggestive in the mere revelation of this
fact