Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1867-02-21
RUTLAND HERALD.
MONDAY, FEBRUARY Is, 1866.
The Gas Question.

company will not Ie-erct their works
the question arises can our village and
its people do without gas7 Our expert
ence of the past week with other arti-
dcial ligh. has convinced rs beyond a
shadow o. doubt that We can not, and
Az the old company As we have said,
thinking that they have done their Just
share towards furnishing gas to our cit
liens. and have not been sufficiently re-
munerated for their pains do not feel
disposed to longer supply our comma
nity with that most necessary light, tits
but lust and right, in lieu OF It's ncces-
sity that its procurement be discussed
by our citizens, of whom the greater
portion must be interested parties
TIE stock of the present company Is
divided into six hundred shares with
par valuation Of $50 each, and OF these
six hundred shares, representing 3 cap
ital of $4,000 tut forty or an interest
of s. 600, is owned in Rutland, aud in
view OF the stock ny,ng principally held
by non-rysidcut>, can 1t be wondered at
that they do not feel such an interest in
supplying as good a quality o, gas as
they would were they citizens 0! the
place. and as such, had 10 share their
proportion OF It's merits or dement's by
the light it Afforded AZ their residences
or places Of business. We think not,
The S2S which these nou-resIdcn's
have thus invested, is invested by them
in what they presumed should be a pay
rH7 interest, and If it. has not proved so,
we do not think they are to be blamed
for not throwing good money after what
has proved to them TO be bad, and thus
endeavOr to raise the standard Of gas IN
terests in Rutland.
We are assured by the superintendent
of the present company that until within
the past year the members Of the gas
company of this place have never real
lied cent on their investment, and
tnen only about four per cent. on the
amount of their capital, which was prin-
elpally devoted to the cancelment Of old
debts contracted by the company in
years when It's revenue would not meet
its expenses. This certainly presents no
cheering prospect, as we have intimated,
for the company to re-lnvest in Rutland
cas- stock, and we do not think there are
many of our capitalists who, wore they
placed in similar position as they,
would feel like re building their manu-
factory and re-furnishing the Rutland
public with this best OF artificial lights.
But the great cause of Rutland gas
stock not proving fruitful source Of
investment to the stockholders, we are
sure, was that the quality OF gas fur
nished was so poor that cur citizens did
not feel like encouraging what they
Justly deemed to be little better than an
outrage on the public, and the stock
holders being nOn-resdents and unable
to fully comprehend the exact state Of
affairs, have allowed them to go on from
bad to worse until we fud them In the
position which they were when the
works of the company burned a week
ago yesterday morning.
That the best quality of gas can be
furnished the people Of Rutland at as
moderate prices as elsewhere, and afford
as good profits by as prudent manage
ment, admits Of not cavil of doubt,
and in view OF such :act We hesitate
not in saying that the unanimous voice
OF our interested citizens would proclaim
to let rs have it by all means.
But how shall we have it? This il a
question which appears to rest with our
own citizens. The Rutland Gas Light
Company refuse to re erect their build
ines for the manufacture of gas, but
wish to dispose OF their stock at almost
any price, and the question arises shall
our citizens take hold OF the matter and
purchase the c0mpany's stock and here
after conduct the affairs of the gas in
terest for their own benefit, or shall
new company be formed who will fur
nish our citizens with an inferior quality
Of light, and pocket an annual dividend
on invested capital OF from five to fifteen
per cent. ? We think the former course
the wiser one, and believe that S25 5000
or $4,000 invested by the corporation in
the manner alluded to would prove not
only source of revenue to the village.
but would give much better satisfaction
to the public than they have had at the
hands Nft ho
is no reason why our gas works should
not be controlled by the village authori-
ties as much as the water works, and
we truss and believe our citizens will
see the necessity OF calling q village
meeting 70 discuss the matter, or taking
such other steps as will hereafter ensure
US plenty OF good coal gas, :or expert
ence has taught US that We want none
fafb0p % -