The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-05-29
Gas Manufacturing in Cities Our Gas
Companies.

UbS m0nuiaCtuIIng IN cities Our Gas
Companies.
discussion is now going on in the London
press on the subject Of gas companies and their
attendant nuisarces, which has brought to light
facts well worthy of reproduction on this side of
the ocean, as they furnish useful hints to our
legislative and executive bodies as to how to
deal with these monopoes and the nuisances
which generally seem to attend them.
1t has been found that gas companies in large
cities have not only been often centres of foul
odors and diseases but that they are positively
dangerous to the crowded populations in which
they are generally placed owing to the liability
OF the large gas retoTts to explode An appalling
disaster from this cause occurred IN London
only last November, and similar accidents have
occurred elsewhere.
In England it is stipulated in all the charters
that when the profits exceed nine per cent, the
consumers shall get the benefit of the surplus by
corresponding reduction in the price, as well
as an improvement in the quality OF the gas.
And the Limitation has been so far beneficial
that, in London and other large English cities,
gas is not only very good, but very cheap. This
stipulation many of the companies evade
all they can; but still they spend the surplus,
not IN scrip dividends but in costly and valu-
able local improvements. The Union Ferry
Company, of this city, which is also limited to
ten per cent profit on its capital, instead of
accounting for their surplus spend it in magni-
not what the law contemplated; but, if the pub
llc do not get the benefit by reduction in che
fares, they do IN public Improvements.
In France, however, they do still better, as
will be seen by the following extract from a re
cent London publicatlon:-
Until the time of the Empire gas rks existed in
Paris. The Government satisfied hat their hYgle-
n C eff cts, the dangers to which they exposed
tue city, were evils thaJ shou not be tolerated.
took measures to amalgamate the companies INTO
one, and, in 1862, removed the whole process of
manufacturing and distributing gas to a distance
from the capita Thus the Government not only
freed the ty of Paris from the pestferous fumes of
the manufac ue or gas but also from the peril of
explosion In the works OF any one Of the six
panies and beyond that, 1t secured such terms Tor
the manufact tue and the supply of gas to be of
great advantage 10 the Parisians And be it noted
that the shareholders in the amalgamated compa-
nits lost nothing, although the gas consumers gained
much. The average rate of profit made by the COM
pany appt ars 10 De about ten per cent"
Au effort is now making in London to remove
the gas companies works out of the city, after
the Paris plan, Professor Robert Ayton stated
before the Scottish Gas Engineers Association
that better and cheaper gas could be supplied
tour hundred miles away from London than if
made in the heart OF the city 1t is believed
that gas will yet be manufactured at the coal
beds at Newcastle, and brought to London in
fluid form, instead OF as now il the solid form
OF coal.
And this is a matter which it is high time
were discussed bere. The cas- manufacture is
not only offensive but unhealthful. The cumpa-
MES declare they cannot help themselves, and
aDatng the nuisance. This being settled, is it
not the better plan to remove the works ont of
the city If this was done with profit to the
public and the companies in Paris, it can be
done here; and if it Is possible to make gas in
New castle to be used IN London, four hundred
miles away, the same thing can be done in the
coal regions of Pennsylvania tor the New York
market.