Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-06-15

The Committee on Gas, in their report to
the City Council on Tuesday evening, sub
mitted the following communication on the
subject from the Cleveland Gas Light and
Coke Company:
OFFICE OF THE CLEVELAND GAS LIGHT
4 COKE Co. Cleveland, June IL 80.
Messrs Diron, Christian and Let0is, Com
naittes Of Council Of the City Of CleUeland ::
GENTLEMEN The Board Of Directors
of the Cleveland Gas Light and Coke
Company have considered the PROPOSE
tion made by the Honorable Council through
you their respected Committee, viz: First
To contract with US for the supply of gas to
the street lamps for one year at the rate of
SI5 per lamp per annum. SecOnd-For the
supply of Gas TO the city for the same time, as
may be wanted for city purposes, by meter, at
81, so per thousand feet. Third-To furnish
gas 10 the citizens generally at 1925 per
thousand feet. And Fourth-That in case
CT our refusal so to contract, the same terms
will be offered to any responsible party who
will undertake to comply with them.
In reply first to these proposals generally,
we desire to state, with all due respect to the
Honorable Council, that the terms on which
our Company was organized, and our proper
ty to a large amount has been expended,
were permanently fixed by the Ordinance
of March Q, 1849, and though the price of
gas for use by the city for lighting the streets
and otherwise, is proper subject for con-
tract from time to time, in conformity with
this Ordinance, we do not recognize any
right on the part of the Council subsequently
to legislate as TO the prices at which we shall
sell gas to private consumers.
Our last contract for lighting the street
lamps was made in April, 1855, for period
of five years, by which we were to charge
Sl7,5 per annum for each lamp, including
the lighting, extinguishing, cleaning, care,
and ordinary repairs Of the same; each
lamp to consume four feet per hour, and to
burn 22O0 hours per annum, in accordance
with the astronomical tables prepared for
| lighting the streets of Cincinnati and if it
/ should be found necessary to increase the
amount of gas consumed by each lamp, las
was contemplated, and is really necessary
| with lamps at so great distances apart,) the
price was to be increased pro-rata. This
| contract was based upon the Ordinance be-
| fore referred 10, which provides that gas shall
| be furnished to the street lamps at a price
not exceeding that paid for the same either
| in Buffalo or Cincinnati. And though the
| price charged in the former city, with double
| the uuIuDeT OF pElNdL6 COuhuulSEb anu near
! " five times the number of street lamps, is
more than 90 per cent. greater, yet in the
! latter, where the cost Of coal is 81 per cent.
| less than ours, and the number of private
consumers and Of street lamps is more than
four times as large, the price was then, and
still is, S17, so per lamp burning 2200 hours,
and feet per hour; and our contract was
| therefore made at the same rate, and has
been fulfilled at an actual loss 10 us Of more
than 81 per lamp per annum, $500 in the
/ aggregate during the term Of the contract
The necessary cost Of labor alone, in lighting
cleaning, &c, without the cost Of burners
repairing, &c, with our present number o.
lamps is 81, "a per lamp; and in eight Other
Cities the only ones Of which we have been
able TO learn that are lighted by contract, the
average price paid for the same service ii
$4,l2Z per lamp per Bnnum. This leaves
us but Sl4,565 and proper estimate Of thG
cost of repairs, burners, &C., would farther
reduce it at least below $14 per lan3, or 81, ,5I
per thousand feet for the gas. Wehave beer
ct some pains 10 ascertain the cost Of light.
ing other cities in mparison with ours. anC
have given the results in the aecompanyin.
table marked "No. ], ," to which we beg leayi
to refer, having been unable to find any on,
Except Pittsburgh and Allegheny, wher,
the sales Of coke amount TO more than tn,
purchases Of coal,) in which the cost o
lighting is less than IN Cleveland and in u