Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1860-08-30
The Gas Ques.Ion IN Cleveland.

little interest In the community, and the or
ganization OF new Gas Company, with q
view to cheaper light and coke, meets with
much favor. Some Of our most substantial
citizens are connected with the new Cleveland
Gas Light Company, and at the last meeting
Of the City Council a communication was
received asking permission to lay down pipes
in the streets Of the city, and referred to the
Committee on Gas. At the same meeting
an ordinance was introduced, which fxes the
price to be charged by Gas Companies to pri-
vate consumers at not over $l.75 per 1000
feet and for lighting the streets at npt over
$l25. Any company, refusing 70 accept
these prices, to forfeit all their rights and
privileges in relation to the use Of the streets
for the pipes. Some ordinance of the kind
will be heartily approved by the people.
The Gas Question has been for some time
in the hands of Special Committee of the
Council, the result of previous negotiations
for reduction of the price of gas not having
been satisfactory, The Special Committee,
after full examination of the subject have
reported in favor of purchasing the present
Works or erectinga City Gas Works, as be-
ing the best and most economical plan, and
we append their interesting and well consid-
cred report
TO the cty Council of the City of OlsOslaald.
Your committee, to whom was referred a
resolution of this Council directing them to
ascertain the cost of erecting City Gas
Works, and the ezPense Of laying down main
pipes for conducting gas through the streets
Of the city, and whether in their opinion,
the best interests of the city and its citizens
would not be promoted by the erection Of
Gas Works by the city, beg leave to report:
That they have had the subject under con-
sideration, and have carefully examined all
the questions bearing on the matters sub
mitted to US, and have become perfectly sat
is6ed that the best interests of the city and of
private consumers, can be more thoroughly
and completely secured by the erection OF e
City Gas Works, to be owned and controlled
by the city, than by any other means. The
great importance of this subject, in conse-
quenee OF the large pecuniary interest to the
city and the citizens, has led your committee
to give it that candid, careful and thorough
examination, which would enable them to
determine what would be the most proper
course for the city to pursue in order to Sc
cure the greatest benefits to the city, and to
satisfy the just expectations of our citizens
who are demanding good light at reason
able price.
From an examination into the history of |
Gas works in this country and Great Britain,
your committee would state it is an undenia- |
ble fact that in all the municipal corporations |
owning the Gas Works within their limits, |
gas is furnished for public and private con- |
sumption at much lower rates than is furnish |
ed to the city or citizens where the works are |
not Sc owned That in all places where the |
works are owned by the corporation, they |
have been, and are still, a source of profit.
The two great objects to be attained by the |
city owning its own gas works are-cheap !
and good gas to its citizens, and an additional !
source Of revenue to the city. The most nota-
ole example Of these results is the city of |
Manchester, in England. There gas is fur |
nished to consumers at As Cd per thousand
cubic feet and since the works have been
owned and controlled by the city; the reve-
fs
after paying all expenses, amounts to the /
sum of 8s4O, 600. The results are similar in
this country, although the profits are not so
large.
Your committee venture to make the as
sertion that not place can be found where
the works are owned by the city, town or
village, that they have not, in every instance,
furnished gas cheaper to the consumer, while
at the same time they have been a source of
revenue to the city.
In view of these facts, your committee can
come to no other conclusion, than that the
best interests of the city and its citizens re-
quire the city to own and control the gas
works within its limits --~--
Your committee would therefore report
that @ E9rks Is QeyDqf4tgy Years, S can be erected
at a cost not to exceed the sum Of fifty thou
sandI4li1nrs5 and included in that sum is an /
amount sufficient to lay down five miles of
mains. The average cost of mile of main
IS about two thousand dollars. Could the
funds be obtained at once to extend the mains
twenty-five miles, great benefits would re-
suit to the city, for the reason that labor is
cheap and seeking employment, and gas pine
can be Obtained at a lower rate per ton than
at any former period. No more favorable
1me than the present can present itself to
the city or its citizens 10 embark in an enter
prize so beneficial to them in a pecuniary
point OF view, and one which viii so greatly
add to their prosperity. Taking the first
quarters payment for lighting the city as a
oasis for an estimate, the cost of lighting the
'ity for the year 1860 will amount to the snug
'um Of $4,000. This sum has to be taken
rom the general fund annually, and it will in
'rease annually. Now this sum in six years,
With the increase properly belonging to it,
would build a gas works and lay down more
niles Of pipe than the present Gas Company
AVE laid.
Your committee, believing that the interests !
f all the citizens of the city are paramount
the corporate interests of few individu- 4,
Is, would recommend that the city purchase :
he gas works owned by the present Company, T.
t their fair valuation; but if said Company ,,
7lil not sell, that then the city proceed at
nee to erect gas works of their own The
rue interest of the. city and its citizens de-
land it, and your committe cordially recon-
lend it.
All of which is respectfully submitted.
C.L. RUSSELL, Chairman. b
The Annual Report of the Pittsburgh Gas e
Ompany, recently published, presents some 5
icts and figures which may reflect some light =
n the gas question here. 1t shows the prof /,
ableness of gas manufacture there in a strong 0
ght at all events. We present some of the b
ems. 4
The total length of pipes now is about % a
iles. The coal carbonized during the past tt
EAR amounted to 2O9, ,s2s bushels, and the >,
tai amount of gas distributed during the b
Ear reached 6s,13s,2l3 cubic feet. The al
amber of services to private consumers is io
s25, and the public lamps number 54s. The =, -
port states that the demand for coke and W
T has been quite active during the latter Of