The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-11-20
TnE CAS- QUEsTIOR.

back, too, Is the cost. Here at least
gas IL 10 far from being the cheapest
light that II Is the dearest; and Il Is 80
costly luxury that many families In
moderate circumstances are driven 10
usO the cheap burning fluids, which,
Adulterated III they too often are, arc
little less safe than Sunpowder.
Very few, perhaps, have ever sat
down to figure up the aggregate OF their
GHs bills Tor year or for term Of
years. Itany one Will do It, he will be
aStonlshed at Its magnitude, no matter
how sparlng or generous may have
been the consumption. People growl
savagely about their tax bills which
come around once year; but II their
gas bills came all in lump like their
tax bills, what would they do : But d.
vlved Into twelve parts they pay their
tax for light with comparative cheer.
rulnesS. or course, light, accompan-
led by convenience and safety must
cost something. What We hope 10 show
bsI"rr wa are done with the question Ia
that 1t COSTS II great deal too much. The
problem whether It cannot be supplied
much moro cheaply than now Is one
that concerns every householder and
business man In the city. 1t Is one
that ought not TO be allowed to pass out
OF sight ill the city IL In IL situation TO
solve Il.
AbnuL year ago the then Mayor
was directed by order Of Council 10
notify the Gas Company that as soon
HI the ciLy's right to do 10 accrued Ahe
would avail herself OF the option to
purchase the Gas Works. From over.
sight or neglect the order was never
obeyed. The present Mayor Is not
likely to fall In obedience TO the order
oilAst Tuesday night; nevertheless, 1t
Ia desirable that the community bear
the matter In mind, and that there
shonld be more popular Information on
the general questlou OF gas supply
than now exists. We do not expect 10
furnish very much, bnL hope to be
abIe to stimulate the inquiry Of
others who have more time and op.
porIunlty 10 look into tho matter than
ourselves.
There Is scarcely city OF the Union
which, since the invention OF gas, has
not had Its agitation Of the gas ques.
ton, growing out Of the struggle for
monopoly and large PROFITS on the one
hand and for cheap gas and close mar
gins on tho other. Wheeling had her
agitation many years ago, In resistance
TO the exacLlons Of tho Gas Company,
but 1t could not get down 10 the root OF
the matter or effect radical remedy,
because the company WAS secure in Its
privileges aud the city tied up for 30
many years ahead.
Nearly 20 years ago this Company
Was chartered 10 manufacture and sup
ply gas In this city, having the exclu.
Stye right 10 use the streets and alleys
for 20 years. and being un restricted as
to the quality Of gas furnished or price
Charged. OF course nobody need buy
their gas who did not choose, but az no.
body else could CROSS u street or alley
with Ens pipes, there could be no COM
petition; for not I'LL recently was 1t
found that gas could DO made so oheap.
ly as to jusIlfy lis manufacture within
the limits OF square, and the fact Ia
not considered established yet.
The presumption is that these yalua-
bic franchises were granted to encour-
age what then seemed a doubtful en-
terprISe:. but, however It may haye
looked then TO the city council, Il
proved an exceedingly profitable In
veSlment. Precisely how profitable
nobody but the stockholders know. A
few days ago we heard gentleman,
WIN holds little stock, remark that II
had grown up 10 be about double It's
original value. A few months ago sew.
oral shares were sold at public outcry
In front OF the Court House, SIS shares
bringing $45, or $50. When the stock
maintains such value as this In the
face OF the fact that the Company's
privilege ls auro 10 be terminated In
less than two years, and the property
hold at Its bare value, probably less
than cost, we get lively conception OF
the kind OF dividends It must pay. II
Ia pretty certain that these dividends
have recently been somewhere above
80 per cent-not far from S3-and how
much larger only the stockhelders
know, and they doubtless think no one
else has any business to inquire.
We fully concede this Company the
legal right to make the most 1t can
out OF It's franchises while they last,
even to the last cent. As corporation It
Is not to be expected to care for the In.
terests Of It's customers whose interests
conflict with It's own. We doubt
whether In charging such high prices
and thus limiting consumption 1t has
done the best for Its own business, but
otthatit Is the judge. And II were an
ordinary corporation we should rscog-
nlEe lie right 10 privacy In lts affairs
and respect 1t. But this Ia corpora
ton invested by law with special and
extraordinary privileges. By It's char
ter 1t is complete monopoly, and by 1t
the ordinary rights and privileges Of
Others are restricted to their damage.
1t Is this fact and the fact that the In.
terests OF this Company and those Of
all the balance OF the community arc
OF necessity arrsyed against each other,
which give the public right 10 all the
Information attainabls concerning lis
operations and profits. II Is to all In
tents and purposes public institution,
for II exercises powers and prerogalives
that belong 10 the public, vested
in 1t for the time by special en-.
actment. For ourselves wo have
no hostility to this Company, and