, 1872-11-24

AAA%k~A4 AeAA4t~NAA-~~ N~|ef
GAS AND GAS COMPANIES.
The Common Council has been agitatcd dur
Ing the last two weeks upon the subject of gas
and gas companies. There have been organ
lied in this city number Of companies that
profess willingness and strong desire to serre
the people With gas. To do this, they need and
demand the privilege of laying pipes in the
streets, alleys, and avenues Of the city. To lay
these pipes necessitates the tearing up OF the
street pavements and Sidewalks not only for
the laying Of the mains, but for the introduction
of new seryice-pipes into the buildings The
public at large taye but one interest in the gas
business. They want good gas in plentiful sup
ply, and at cheap rates. It is entirely inmate
,sial whether this gss Is furnished by al old OF
new company, or by Smith, JONES' or Robinson.
Experience has shown, however that the manu-
facture of gas and it's service are expensive The
cost Of laying pipes aud establishing gas works is
an expenditure that must precede the manu-
iacture and service Of gus. company that
has it's pipes already laid, and has its works
established and in full operation, manufactures
and de1irers gas up to an amount to defray the
cost Of making and interest On the money in
vested in laid pipes and works, has clear profit
OF all it receives for gas beyond that amount.
II TWO companies occupy the came area, each
having its full amount Of service pipe,
each its manufactory Of gas, each
its compliment OF employees, then
the cost Of producing the gas and
delivering it in that ares is doubled II the SER
vice in q given area be one million Of feet per
month, and the receipts from half that amount
will defay all the cost OF making and delivering
the whole, the company has clear profit Of 100
per cent on it's business; II that same amount
OF gas Is furnished by two companies, and the
cost Of production to each ia equal to the sum
received by each company, then what would
have been profit is expended. The public
does not receive any benefit, and the
price Of gas remains OF necessity the
same. We believe that in every case
where new gus companies have been formed
the anticipated reduction resulting from coupe-
tition hiss failed; the new company has either
Fought out the old, or has sold out to it, or has
purchased division Of territory; in no case,
however, has there been any relief to the public,
either IN the quantity, quality, or price Of the
gss. The man or company who is willing to
furnish gas to the people at less than cost, or
sEho has failed to collect from it's customers all
fits outlay, NTH liberal profit, has not yet turned
up, and probably never will.
We have two gas companies in this city, who
'furnish each separate ares. The prices they
demand for gas il considered, and p1obab1y is,
exurbitant. They are understood to be rich
4oorporationB. II they would furnish gas at less
price, the demand for additional gas companies
would probably cease. II new gas company
the city, erect and maintain gas works, aid after
expending this immense amount Of money fur
n1sh gas at 80, 10, or 50 per cent cheaper
than 1t is NOW delivered for by existing compa-
MES, then the old companies, who have already
been reimbursed for all their past expenditures,
can certainly sell it at even less money.
Laat spring. the Common Council undertook
to legialate upon this subject, and, after months
Of labor, finally agreed upon 81 ordinance grant
ing permission to new companies, upon certain
restrictions, conditions, and penalties, for the
protection OF the public. That ordinance was
unsatisfactory to the applicants, and the matter
dropped. The Council, On Friday LAST, as re.
eult of their deliberations, revived this matured
~ nj
However satisfactory this ordinance may be, it
does not present full solution of the whole dit-
fculty. One great want at present is
any power in the Common Council to supervise,
Investigate, and control the existing gas COM
panieB. Had the Common Council the reserved
power Of supervision and a control over the re-
ceipts and expenditures OF these companies;
with authority to take the franchises they poa.
eess, and to lease the same, OF to place the sup
ply Of gas like water under the control and di'
rection OF the Board OF Public Works, or other
municipal authority, then gas could be fnr.
nished to the public at fair price. Our present
gus companies hare refused to disc1ose to the
public their stfairB; they constantly assert
that they do not make any money. It is pit,
to compel them to carry On burineas at 3 loss
Let them furnish statement OF the actuA cos
Of their property; let them offer to manufactur.
and deliver gas at fair profit on the capital thu
invested; and agree that the price Of gas ahal
be regulated BY the Common Council from tim
to time, upon full and open exhibit Of receipt
and expenditures, and then there would be n
controversy upon the subject Of the price o
gas. The Common Council has NO power oye
the present companies to compel such q pro
ceeding, and, warned by this great deficiency
it ahould vote away no additional franchise
without reserTing this power, and the pore
even to take possession Of the gas establish
nent and business at price and in manne
specified in the law. 1t all events, the commo
Council, which has been pottering over the sub
iect for several years, ought not, in the dyiu