The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1871-02-07
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His appendix B presents the proht ana loss ac-
count for the year:
By balance 3lst December. ,o -,
461s3 lsSs; rece;nis IN 1870 ios4S1 81
Expenditures. ....... l35,ol5 4Z- ol4S- "
$40 4o4 Al
peduct three dividends. 45, ,99G 90
The bonds OF the company, given In settle
ment Of the'interest on the shares held by North.
eru stockholders, which had been condscated by
the Confederate Government, and after the war
restored to those stockholders, were payable In
New York on the 1st Of January, 1871. and provis'
ion, out OF the earnings OF the company, has heen
made to meet both the principal and interest,
amounting TO sl5,525.
During the year three dividends have been de.
clared. The omission Of dividend Up April arose
from prudential considerations. The city fadTe'
Gently assessed a very large amount, IN the lorm
offs tax, upon the company, and the directors
we're not unmindrul that the bonds referred to
above would have to be provided for before the
close Of the year. With these facts before them,
and with business large portion OF which lot
the year had yet torbe developed, the directors
were OF opinion that no other course was open to
them.
To meet the demand caused by the increased
consumption Of 9ssthis winter up to the present
time has taxed the calactsy Of the works to their
utmost and they %ooifs6e unequal, without en-.
largement, to supply similar rtncrease next sea-
SON. Such an increase 1t Is not unreasonable to
expect. and the contingency should be provided
for. The engineer in his report. refers to the
necessity OF takiug down the old even anu re-
torts and replacing them by new ones; and ne
suggests the equal necessity Of enlarging the con
nections throughout the works. These Improve
ments should be accomplished during the ensuing
summer.
The Mayors annual report to Council, present:
ed on the 10Th Of January last, contains the fol-
lowing paragraph:
LIGHTING THE STREETS.
The city is but lmperrectly Illuminated. There
were originally. over twelve hundred lamps,
about hall OF Which are now IN use. Tie number
has been much increased during the year past, as
the necessity seemed to require, ouL WIN uo
elimination IN the price, which is still $40 per year
ror each lamp. More light has been deemed eA.
tremely desirable. 1t would not only conduee
greatly to the comfort and convenience oil the ln-
habitants but It would afford additional safety 10
life and property. To this cnd proposition was
made to the Gas Company, at conference he.u
by It's committee With the committee ol CouEci
on Iyhtiug the streets, TO light the entire city,
and at q rate which was deemed equitable, mas
much as twas quite equal 10 that pau Oy any
other city. aud above that pal1 oy some even VI
our neghbOring ctic5. But their counter pTo.
postions were deemed so cxtravagant as TO make
it evident that ihey considered themselves
monopoly. 1t, therefore became almost qu;s-
lion oil morals, whether TO regard lhe RlonopUlt'
and let the people have light. or To discard ",
and keep the people In darkness. AT any rate,
the conference ended without result, and no SUBJ
sequeut negotiations have been attempted.
With concurrence OF opinion with the Mayor
on the advantages OF increased light, and with a
knowledge OF the importance OF economy In the
financial arrangements OF the city, the directors
10 not admit any responsibility on their part for
the alleged failure OF the desired increase Of light
On the conirary, thu desire on the part OF Council
was promptly met, aud in spirit which the di'
rectors, after full consideration, deemed liberal.
The meeting ref cred to by the Mayor was heia
on the 81 OF September, 1852 upon his own invita-
ton. aud the inquiry was made at what price Tue
Gas Company would light all the lamps In tile CITY
-l2s0 In number. The Gas Compa 1y's committee
offered to light all as s3s per lamp for tile year.
The Mayor said that II the offer we're made S3S'
the price paid before the war, his committee would
report the same and recommend to Council TO
light the entire number at that price. The reply
made 10 this was that the Gas Company, in mani
ing s3s, had made an offer as low as 1t could
AFFORD and that 1t was comparatively lower than
tho price paid before the war, lnasmueh as the
currency had deprecated upwards Of 80 per ceat.,
and the cost of manufacture increased in the same
ratio. The Iberality Of the offer will at opce be
understood, il the amount SIS be ereduced to It's
gold value THAT in which the price was laid be-
fore the war; which would be about twenty nine
dollars, (s2s) six dollars ts6l less per lump than
that. paid before the war.
The result Of the conference was tina, the Coun.
cll's committee would take the offer INTO consld.
GRAFTON, and when they had come to a determine
tlon upon 1t, that they would r.w the coDfer'
ence. Since that time the Corucll's committee
have made no communication to the Gas Com.
pany's committee upon the subject.
The Mayors reference to the rate OF lighting In
other cities is not strictly appropriate as the cost
OF manufacture OF the gas, the ownership Of
posts, lanterns, service pipes, the expense OF re-
pairs, and the responsibility and expense Of
lighting aId extingushing, varies IN different
ciies and Tire rate Of meeting these incidents de-
peuds upon the facts in each case. In this city
the Gas Company Is the owner, and bears all the
expense aud the responsibility. The city is re
iieved of all trouble and responsibility In these
matters It's oaly care is to meet the bills under
its contract.
The Mayor furtherstates :'thst the number to
lamps has been much increased during the yea
past, as the necessity seemed to require, but witt
no diminution irishe,prfcein &c,
On The lst January. 1870, the number lighted %
~. $500 -. ,'-
| On the 1st January, lS!l, the number lighted :,
was 'o'
Increase In the ear. q
| In reply to the Mayors allegation that the GA
Comrany evidently considered itsell monopoly
the following facts are presented: At the close 0
| the war, Wien the consumption was small, ant
| the leakage in consequence OF the impaired con
dttiOn Of the mails. considerable, the charge 10
gas was $40 per 1000 cubic fpet. AS this evil wa
| partially remedied, the price was reduced 10 So
and as further improvement was made 10 81, thei
10 SO. then TO SIS. and lastly to 81. This actlol
4 was pure voluntary, and arose from desire ol
the part OF the directors TO place the patrons o
ticahle. In conclusion, we beg to state, that now
as heretofore, the G IS C'mpany's committee
ready to meet the Councils committee whenevc
it may suit them to appoint q time.
All O! which Is respectfully submitted.