The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-05-08
FEW WORDS ABOUT GAS.
ne souare-N inch space.

~
We presume that until the happy
period usually called "the millennium"
comes, (and we are assured by clrcu'
lar from Mr.. TICS. SroRRs WATERMAN,
OF Orange, New Jersey, gentleman Of
whom we must confess TO having never
heard before, that this blissful period
will begin with the frat hour OF the
frat day OF January in the year 1000 OF
the Christian cray uuregenerate human
nature will still find something to COM
plain OF, something to grumble about
The privilege OF grumbling lie
one Of the dearest rights
of the member Of society
and we must call upon our theological
neighbor on 14th street to know whethr
er condition in which there is moth.
ing left to grumble abou: and complain
OF, is quite consistent with the idea OF
that superlative happiness which is to
characterize the future state OF the
blessed.
Our topic of complaint this morning
is, the manifest injustice OF compelling
the private consumers OF gas to pay the
cost OF lighting the streets and public
buildings. At the expiration OF the
charter of the Wheeling Gas Company,
a private corporation, in June 1871, tine
city authorities took charge OF the gas
works, and city bonds to the amount Of
$4,000 were issued to pay for the ma
chinery andfor the expense of transfer
and all that sort Of thing. The bonds
bear s per cent interest payable annually
and it is provided 10 the ordinance in
relation to the matter. that a einking
fund OF 7 per cent OF the principal must
be annually laid aside to pay the face
OF the bonds at their maturity. This
makes Is per cent on $4,000 which
must be secured every year out OF the
profits OF the gas works, or ST., 400
which must be annually realized from
the Sas works, auu'e Tue QUAY ior
current expenses.
One OF the first acts had under the
new reqims was the reduction OF the
price Of sas from s. so per thousand
feet to $3.50 per thousand, a change
that was greeted with very lively salts
faction by the consumers. At this rate
of charge the revenue OF the gas works
during the past two years has been
such as not only to pay the necessary
Sll,4OO referred 10 above, but also the
handsome sum Of $4,000 which has
been expended in repairing and im-
proving the works and laying new and
larger gas pipes in come portions OF the
city and extending the supply in various
sections. This work is still going on
and it is fair to suppose that up to the
present time, the consumers Of the city
gas have paid not only the interest and
the instalmepts OF principal o. the prr.
chase money that have fallen due, but
also fully fifty thousand dollars that
have been expended in improving city
property.
The city itself is one OF the principal
consumers OF gaa. There are upon the
streets l62 lamp posts that discharge
an average of $1,000 feet of gas each
Der year. At the rate charged to private
burners this would amount to s34 81
for each post, but the sum paid out OF
the city treasury into the gas fund is
only SIPS per post. The private
consumers OF gas are thus required to
pay, in addition to their general and
equitable tax for city purposes, nearly
two.thirds of the total cost Of lighting
the streets and public buildings. They
are not only paying out OF their own
pockets the cost Of purchasing and i'm
proving the gas works, but they are
furnishing nearly two-thirds OF the gas
used BY the city, without charge, aud
paying their share of the taxes necessa
~ to pay for the other one-third.
Not a single cent has been paid or ever
will be paid out OF the city treasury
for the purchase OF the gas works. The
private consumers, OF whom there are
about l,4OO, are paying the whole
bill. 1t is they who are buying and inn
proving and extending the works to
which the whole city, as corporation,
holds the title.
Now is this entirely just and equita>
ble1 The actual money cost OF the
gas lie, as we are informed, about 81 05
Der one thousand feet, and when allow.
auce is made for the interest and sink
ing fund and the necessary repairs, it
ia found that heretofore the cost has
been about SOS per thousand. The
private consumers pay $500 while the
citv pays less than II cents per thous-
and feet for the consumption ofgas!
The conclusion we desire to impress
upon members Of Council and the pub
lie generally in relation to this whole
matter is, that the city should pay into
the hands of the Gas Commissioners