, 1866-07-02

dcers- ~ the matter now stands, the city
can secure no supervision over this important
matter, excepting snch as this company shall
choose to concede It. If the streets are not
lighted, no penalties can be imposed for tue
neglect, and as the compensation paid Il not
governed by the actual consumption, but
based on estlmatcs,it IS not necessary even for
the interests Of the company that the street
lights should be burning.
a further reason, and one of great weight,
Is 10 be found In the fact that all these gus
pipes have to be laid IN the public streets OF
the city. The lnylpg. rs-layinc, and repair Of
these involve the removal Of the payings and
interference with the travel. It is serious
injury to we'll constructed pavement to have
1t broken up in this way You can never re-
store It 50 as to make It as seryiceable aud
enduring Us It was BEFORE Now, the public
authorities have the control Of the water and
sewerage pipes. They can, BY law. compel
these to be laid At the time when the street
Is to be paved II vonld be much more con-
sistent with the public interests that the gas
pipes which are to be laid In the sama st1eets
should be under the same control, and subject
to the rules ard regulations which the public
interest and safety may require.
Agnin, IL is the true policy Of great city
like tbs that TIE bcucdts Of gas hight should
be extended as widely and as rapidly as pos
sible. A mere private company Is governed
wholly BY the question Of profit. But this
should not be the sole criterion which should
govern in matter affecting the general in
tcrest. Gas is the safest light, with respect
to liability to fires, which can be used, and 1t
Is the most convenient and satisfactory. At
the enormous price now charged 1t is, to &
great extent, beyond the reach Of the poorer
classes. 1t ought to be the light Of the me-
chanfc aud artfzan. as well as Of the man Of
wealth. It ought to be carried into tho
homes and workshops Of the common people
and If it were furnished by the city at the
mere cost Of manufacture, 1t would unques-
tionab]y be the cheapest, aa well as most de-
sirable hight which could be used, and would
be universally introduced.
In such case, too, it would be much more
rapidly extended into the streets Of the less
densely populated portions Of the city, carry
ing light into places which have long been in
darkness, and that too with less expense to
our citizens than Is now paid to maintain the
existing lines Of street gas lights.
But, perhaps, the strongest and most con-
l4Vll1ur 4CASVA VI All u tA2L III L4C ANAS RAV-
posed, the cost ofgas would be very greatly
reduced. At present it is manufactured aud I
supplied to the city md the citizens for the |
purpose Of making money for the business,
mud, as Ii believed, ut IN enormous profit to
those who are engaged in it. In the plan
proposed it would be supplied at Its actual
cost. Our people do not want to pay any
profit on the supply Of watcr or Of gas. They
a1c both necessaries to our city, and our eiti-
zens, and they may rightfully ask that they
shall both be furnished to them at the small
est possible cost.
Nor are there any practical difficulties lu
| the way Of the city assuming this work. It
! could be put under the charge Of the Board
J Of Public Works, and, if found advisable, u
special Gas Commissioner could be added to
that Board, charged with the special super
vision Of this particular department. There
would be no need Of any multiplication of al:
| fees or officers. It Is probable that the OIL
GERS now employed In connection with the
Water Works could readily attend 10 the Is
suing of gas permits aud the collection Of gas
dues, or If not, additional clerks could be
added for TINT purpose. The additional ex-
pense to the city In salaries, and other
charges which would arise from the whole
business, would be comparatively small,
while the saving, both to the city and the
citizeua, would be very large.
The business Of furnishing gas as proposed,
would involve far less Practical difficulty, and
no more OF detail, than has been connected
with the work OF furnishing water, busi-
/ ness with which our city government has
been charged for so many years, and has con-
| Quoted with SO much system and efficiency,
| and so much to the satisfaction of the entire
community.
| We cannot sec, therefore, that the plan
proposed involves auy serious practical DIFF
hculty or objection, or that there ia my sub
stantia1 reason which can be urged against
its adoption, and it is one which certainly
commends Itself to every class Of our citizens,
except the stockholders In the Chicago Gas
Company.
And II some one Of very tender conscience
] and superhuman goodness should feel disposed
| 10 make the objection: TINT the effect of the
proposed measure would bo to depreciate the
value Of the stock Of the Gas Company,
answer, that the Legislature have the same
right TO authorize the city to supply Itself
and its people with gas rs It had to Ineorpo-
rate the Peoples Gas Company in 1859 for
the same purpose.
The present company could go on If it
chose or, II il was satisfied It could not do
| so to any profit IN competition with the city,
1t could dispose of It's works and pipes to the
city at their fair narket value. It would be
for the interest Of the city to purchase them
| at their actual valuc and In that event, no
loss except that Of the longer continuance Of
this monopoly would fall on the company.