The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-03-04
THE REVOLT AGAINST DEAR GAS.
IN, Y. Bulletin.l


The gas companies almost everywhere, We
see, are, after . fashion, accepting the situa.
tion-that is, they are following the example
of the Brooklyn corporation in reducing
prices. though it is certain we are utterpg the
convictions of majority of their customers
when it is asserted that the reduction as yet
is absurdly below. what it ought to be- con-
sidering the reduced cost of labor, the COM
parative cheapness of raw material, etc. The
growing popularity of the cheap and handy
Illuminating oils is an admonition to the gas
companies they would do well to heed. 1t
means, first, that the reduction has not gone
far enough, and second, that unless the COM
panies responded to the reasonable expecta-
tions of the public, the public will persevere
in the endeavor to get on without them, and
then where will their dividends and their
stocks be?-though perhaps tina. is private
affair, and none of the pubiic's business.
The Baltimore and Philadelphia companies
are yielding to the pressure, but the complaint
there also is that they have not gone far
enough. The reduction by the latter is from
80 80 so l5-not much of concession, it
must be admitted, though it is " und erstood "
that the quality Of the gas is to be improved.
Throughout New England we observe the
popular disposition is not less m lrked to en-
courage this now almost general revoltagainst
dear gas Thus, the thrifty little city Of Lynn
has resolved to abandon its u Sc in Lighting the
streets and to substitute kerosene, not only as
o matter OF economy, but as securing alto
gether more satisfactory light.
Other towns and cities will probably follow
If the eX pertinent is, as there is bat little
doubt it will be, satisfactory. As if taking the
alarm at this proceeding, We see it an
nou nced that the Boston, Roxbury and Cam
bridge Gas Companies are giving notice OF a
reduction of rates. But there as here, the
reduction does not go far enough. Visitors
to Boston meanwhile are struck with the
rapid multiplication Of sores for the sale OF |
kerosene oil and kerosene lamps, the demand
for which, among business men as well as
families, WAS never SO urgent.
Many improvement are making in the lat |
ter to render them ornamental as we'll as USE
fuL As to their safety, nobody seems to have
any question about that now. It may be that
t'the gas companies know probably they |
do know" their own business BEST" bat if |
that be so, it strikes one as q singular sort of
business management that has pursued pol. |
icy which has thus raised up formidable |
competition which threatens to cut down rev. |
enue to point that can scarcely fail to in-l
spire with uneasiness the many worthy peo. /
pie who have capital invested in it. u
No doubt the gas companies mean well |
enough and want to do what is right, but the |
trouble is, like good many other well-mean-
ing people, they have shut their eyes to the |
fact that the day tor fancy prices has gone by, |
and that, as most other Of the necessaries and |
comforts Of life are coming, or have come,
down to hard pan, it is no use trying to keep |
up gas rates to the war standard. Rowing
against the stream may be q fine dem0nstra-
ton Of courage for little while, but the |
boatman in the end must accept the inevitable
and go the other way, or be swamped. He
has no other alternative.