The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-01-05
THE GAS QUESTION.

tate our city, is the approaching darkness
which threatens to eclipse us on Monday
night by reason of the summary closing of
the gas works by Ben Harper. The
primary cause of this closing off our illu-
minating facilities is to be found in the &C.
ton of the Council on last Monday night.
That there has frequently been an injustly
high price charged for gas in this city no.
body can deny, and consequently any action
towards the reduction of the price was at
such times the result of . popular demand.
That there has been any general de-
sire on the part of the people to have the
price of gas reduced from the moderate
standard at which it was noao fixed does not
apsppear. The original ordinance by which
gas works were established In the city of
Rock Island, provides that the privileges of
laying pipe etc, be granted "Wm. Herrick,
Baker and Hayward, their associates sue
cessor or assigns; and they shall furnish 70
the city for public lamps and to the innaoi'
tants for private use gas at rate NOT eA'
ceeding $3.50 per thousand cubic feet !"
This was in the year 1855. Mr.. Herrick
ct al proceeded to put up gas works and to
furnish gas to citizens and the city at these
rates which they shortly found themseles
unable to do, and quit. Their Successors
and assigns up to Ben Harper, found max
ing gas losing business. In 1857 the price
of gas was $3.50 per thousand feet and con-
tinued at that rate until 1864, and the makers
of it barely paid expenses, some years run
price of $500, and a popular measure was
set on foot to reduce it as extortionate.
Since that time the price to consumers has
been reduced to $3.50 per thousand, at
which rate moderate profit was made, a
profit which, shown from Mr.. Harper's
books. most any mercantile man IN town
would deem insignificant The city coun-
ell, on Saturday night, as they had right
to do BY the ordinance establishing the gas
works, reduced the price from $3.50 TO 81
to private consumers, at which rate they
would compel Mr.. Harper to make gas for
the city and lose money by ii. Now, Mr..
Harper AYERS in his communication TO the
council that anything less than $3.50 per
thousand would leave him without profit
Mr.. Harper might have overstated the case,
but he says moreover that he took pains
patiently to go over his books with the in
vestigsting committee.
A rate of 81 50 per thousand may be q
high price for gas. Mr.. Harper may make
a fortune at it if he lives long enough; but
if $3.50 includes simply the cost price Of
material and labor, and moderate profit,
then 81 so is not too much, notwithstanding
the action Of the sspient councilmen of
time. The question then arises, was there
a general demand .just noac for the reduc-
ton of the price of gas as extortionate. It
does not appear that there Was.
The last question that any sensible indi'
vidusl can ask with view to forming an
opinion as TO whether or not we are paying
list of the prices of gas elsewhere as obtained
from authentic letters written to the mana
gers of the respective works.
In Dubuque the price OF gas is s. so per
thousand feet. The city contains IS lamps,
which by contract are furnished with gas al
$3.50 apiece.
Iowa City So per thousand to consumers!
Bloomington, H., s. per thousand.
St. Paul, MIMI, So per thousand, , per
cent. deduction on bills paid within the
month $4.75 for public lamps per thou
sand.
Burlington, Iowa. $3.50 per Thousand to
consumers and $3.50 for lamps burnt til
midnight.
Galena, H., SIS per thousand.
Davenport, 50 per thousand.
Now, it seems from the foregoing that we
are not undergoing any special persecution
from the gas monopoly. We say that this
is simple question, one that there need De
no complication about. No man can be
expected to make gas for Citizens for
nothing, much less lose money to accom-
modate them. Amy Legislation towards
such an end is oppressive. On the contrary,
if Ben Harper is making an unjustly large
profit from his gas, let the council By their
action reduce it TO just and adequate one;
and if they have, as Mr. Harper and several
disinterested parties aver, by their late &C
ton reduced the price of gas so as to cut of
his profits entirely, in all decency let them
reco nsider that action. 1t should be re
membered that in working gas apparatus a
large expenditure il inevitable. 1t costs as
much to make thousand cubic feet of gas
as it does TO make ) 900. The price of gas
Is therefore entirely regulated by the amount
consumed. IF there were twice as many
consumers, and if each one consumed twice
as much as at present, gas could be made
proportiouately less. Let the council
consider these facts and act accordingly.
P. J.. CABLE, ESQ, left for the south
vesterday IN rerpain duripu the winter