Los Angeles daily herald., 1873-12-28
A Plea for Light.

lie Clty Vi 1Oo <AhSOAS' 40 S~FF
with gas works and yet the streets are
unlighted. The benighted pedestrian
must feel his way about town, by the
aid of bull's-eye lantern, or run the
risk of breaking his neck over our un-
even grades, in total darkness. Nu-
merous buildings in the city are light
ed without the aid Of the Gas COmpa-
nv. Some have gas machines and
manufacture their own gvs. Others
resort to coal oil lamps, and as many as
possibly can, avoid patronizing an in
stitution that is ordinarily supposed
to be a great public convenience. That
there Is some reason for this Is evil
dent. Our people are neither penuri-
Gus, nor old fogies, a I'd the fact that
we are practically on exhibition all
the time, being visited by thousands
of people from the Eastern States,
makes them the more anxious that
the city should put its best foot fore
most The explanation simply is,
that the quality of the gas is SO bad,
and the price so exorbitant, that no
one will use it who can help doing so,
and the city authorities do not feel
justified in incurring the expense, even
for a matter so important as lighting
the streets. Some years ago the Com
mon Council of this ring-ridden city,
granted to one of its favorites the exclu-
sive right for twenty years to erect
gas works and lay pipes in the streets.
No stipulations as to price or quality
were made, but the citizens of Los
Angeles for a score of years were
turned over to a soulless mOnopo-
ly, to be bled to the extent OF
their ability to stand the drain. The
result is easily guessed. The gas, man.
ufactured from all manner Of garbage
is miserable stuff and it is sold at an
exorbitant price. It smells like a de-
cayed skunk, and the room where 1t
is used is all the time filled with a
dense smoke, injurious to the lungs,
and rpinous to the eyes. For this
abominable stuff, our citizens are OBJ
liged to pay 81 SO per thousand. twice
as much in fact as good gas could be
sold for, and three times what it costs
to manufacture good article with
small gas machine.
five wish to have our city lighted,
we must pay Sc per month for each
lamp or $72 per annum. The people
Of Sacramento are growing because q
contract has been made at So so per
month, and almost anywhere the lat
ter sum would be thought ample pay
for lighting the streets with a good
quality of gas, manufactured from coal.
We see no means of escaping this out
rageous tax, short of breaking up the
monopoly. We must either put up
with the exactions of the gas company
for thirteen years, or by a united ef-
fort, either overthrow it or bring it to
terms. 1t is the opinion of eminent
lawyers, several of whom have held
high judicial positions, and are there
fore well qualified to judge, that there
is no foundation in equity for this
monopoly. They hold that the City
Council had no right or authority to
grant such exclusive privileges as
were given to this company to the
manifest injury of the public, and it is
their belief that the Courts will refuse
to sustain such an invasion of the
peoples rights. II single indi-
vidual, however, undertakes the
task of fighting this monopoly.
1t is matter that the whole
community is interested in, and the
joint efforts of all citizens should be di-
rected to the accomplishment of the
needed reform. Not only have we a
right to complain of the quality and
price of the gas, but the location of the
works is in itself nuisance that calls
loudly for abatement. They are right
in the centre of the city, within a
stones throw of our principal hotel,
and surrounded by handsome resi-
dences. Even if the gas were made
from decent materials it would be in
tolerable, but when the grounds are
made the store-house of rotten grape
pomice, and all manner Of filth and
garbage, it is simply astonishing that
the people will put up with the con-
tinued presence of the nuisance. The
depreciation of property occasioned by
the presence of the gas-works is itself
a serious matter, and We see neither
reason or justice in allowing it to re-
main. The attention of all well-wish-
ers of our city is called to this ques-
tion. Our columns are open to tenn
perate discussion Of the subject, wheth-
er the views expressed agree with our
own or not, and no one need complain
that he cannot be heard.
-1---
THERE are some people who are
never satisfied unless they can have
their own way. The Express has un-
dertaken tn FIGHT Gen. Ranninp,s hat