The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-04-04

Gas.
The question of cheaper gas is being
extensively agitated these times, East
and West The New York and Cincin-
natl papers have had a great deal to say
of late Thereis a sort of rebellion
against the high prices paid and the
enormous profits pocketed. No cont
dence is felt in the meters of the COM
panies. They are believed in many
instances to do great injustice to the
consumers. The New York Tribune,
commenting on the subject of gas and
gas bills, says that "the fact that gas
bills steadily increase, while gas-light
grows DINNER and poorer, are unpleas-
antly familiar to the residents of our
own and other Cities" In the Tribune
Office the American improved gas
light" has been adopted. and the follow
ing test was made with it as compared
with the regular meter measurement:
In the composing-room city gas
was burned six nights, using six feet
burner, during which time the meter
indicated a consumption of %, 800 cubic
feet.
AhC vi Ald StltElGdn
proved Gas-light was then applied, the
SIX feet burners taken Off and replaced
with three feet burners-when the me-
ter indicated a consumption of IL 200
cubic feet for six nights, or an average
of 1850 cubic feet against 4, 1873 feet
city gas. The illumination was much
more perfect, and in every way salts
factory, with a remarkable reduction
in the temperature of the composing
room, which was so great as to cause
serious Inconvenience during the
test with the six feet burners of city
gas.
Oar FIve-TwenIy Bonds Isl Europe
Increasing Confidence Among For
eIgn InVesters-
From the NerD York Tunes
The faith that has grown up in Europe
in the stability and conference OF the
American Government, and in the
strength of Federal finances, is evil
IDENTIFY of kind not to be affected by
political movements, or by internal
changes affecting our system of admin
istration. No better proof of this could
be given than in the recent persistent
advance OF American securities held
abroad. Five-twenty bonds were quo
ted as high as 75X in London on Satur-
day last, and yesterday morning they
opened at 20, though in the course of
the day there was slight falling off,
caused doubtless by reports from this
side about the Russo-American treaty.
Within the last four months, compri-
sing the stUrmiest political times since
the close of the war, these securities
have advanced iUe per cent. in England
or say from 20 to 75-which Is GER
tainly remarkable, in view of the
volume of them held abroad, and of the.
forward from this country. This large
rise has moreover taken place in the
face of Threatened impeachment; in the
face of all the uncertainty and confu-
sion that have prevailed about recon-
struction; in the face of the widest
financial propositions in Congress, and
in the face of frightful schemes for the
enlargement of the national debt. If
confidence has thus increased in our
power and stability during the last half
year, then IL may be considered certain
that it can be adversely affected by
nothing less than the actual break
down of the Government itself.
Were these ve-twenty bonds to con-
| tinue to advance in Europe as they have
done since December last-that is TO
say, were they to advance ut the rate of
five per cent. in four months-they
would be at par before the close of
next year, and we should then be ena-
cACAA " SpGCA6 BuI-
ments through the aid afforded us by
the Investments from Europe. III
The power of the European market
for the absorption of American bonds
is of course greatly beyond what has
thus far been tested; and although, if
things were quite to sOur liking, we
should prefer that all, or most OF the
gold interest semi-annually paid upon
them, were disbursed to American hold
ers, yet as long as they stand so far be-
low gold as they do in our own market,
we cannot find fault with the willing
ness of others to take them at our own
valuation. We have no particular fear
of too great a quantity OF them getting
abroad, even though the export We're
dou bled; but if American capitalists
have any fear in the premises the means
of prevention are, for the present at
least, in their own hands. It Is only
requisite that they be held higher, and
still higher, until they reach virtual
equality with gold. There is no doubt
that even then they would be first
class investment for European capital
| istsj but we shall have no occasion to
grudge them all they may be able to
hold on. these terms. The exchange
which Is now going on, of SeVen-Thir-
ties into Five-Twenties, will certainly
enable us to supply our own people
with AN abundance for their own pur-
poses, in any event, for some years to
come.