, 1876-01-23
/ Few speculations and Some Interest,"
ing Statistics on a Subject Of
General Importance.
Hor Cheap Can the Illuminating Materi-
n Be Furnished We're the City
to Own the Works !
rrom All the Facts that Can Be- Gathered
Two Dollars Per Thousand Is
the Lowest Figure.
Giu 1t Pay for the City to Go Largely
Into Debt to Furnish It at
That PriceP

Ihs persistent knocking OF three OF four ga.
companies, all cl aiming to be bona tide corposs
tlous, It the municipal gateway for permission
to come in and put up works and lay dow
nans; the complaints Of gas consumers that
until within couple OF wesks, they havo beef
paTtng ma1lnum Of price for alnoat a mini
num of illuminating power and the substitu
ton By many Of Kerosene in their stores, shops
md houses,-haEe called the attention Of tht
public, in = very marked manner, to the "ga.
question" and in many quarters, official aDe
Otherwise, the query Is very frequently started,
''Tho city furnishes the people with water, why
cannot it furnish the people with gaa?"
Al the large cities Of the Roman Empire dur
Ing the reign OF the Caesars were supplied with
v4ter. carried from greater CT less distance in
magnificent aQueducts. built 1t the expense OF
the State. Tue portions Of those works which
h2qe survived the tavAges OF war and invasion,
the mordAnt tooth OF time, and atmospheric
changes, bring conclusive testimony to the skill
at their architects and builders. The highways
throughout isaly were also built at the expense
Of the public tfeasury.-the most renowned, the
AppiAa Way, still remaining in state Of
excellent preservation The excavations made
II 9ompeu in late yehyB have
developed the fact that over al1nost every door
portal In that city WIS 4 crane for the purpose OF
holding an oil-lamp to be III at night for the
scfety and protection Of those whose business
or inclination called them out after dark Wheth-
er these lamps we're lit By the people IS 3 FREQ
viii offering TO the good OF the body polite, Or
by ordinance OF the patses oo7ssc,7pti, IL at tie
present uugpown.
In modern times tho Governments Of all
civilized countries have taken uudeI their con-
t1ol al pubic roads and hlghways- The neans
Necessary Tor their mainteosuce are raised
either by collecting modesate toll from all who
ute them or a(se by direct taxation-in the lat
ter case making thom free to all
The conveyance OF letters from town to town
End from Que nation to another was, many years
hince. taken from the hands Of individuals and
appended 10 the prerogatyes ct tho Govern !
ment Even those whlch the Biographies arc !
pleased to denomiuate ~ semi -barbatouB !" have
their Pos1-09ice Departments. No one IN this day |
and generation has the hardihood to say that |
private enterprise can successfully copc with the |
Government IL the transmission Of mail matter, /
either IN point OF chespoeas, security. cee1lty
OF sesv1ce-
1p many Q: the countries Of Europe tho tele-
graph IS no longer Ia the lauds Of private cor
I'oz&sions. Tue Governments Of England, Bel
gum. &ud Switzerland operate tie telegraph |
lines in connection @1tn the Postal Department |
and, Judging from what Information Tux Tan.
EHE CAD EaIher At this distances from the scane |
OF operations, the service as, the man, saiis-
factory both to the authorities and the peopla-
short time ago the German GoYerumant |
"1D~4A 0~4 e'nn11 uSseo 10" o&
L. ~. r.u n1 an1 1Aut"Ais
s.s1s ~ .as Eapte eesuieo me control Of i'll thosa
WHICH naa been oa1lt and operated BY private |
cotporAlons. Ibis action On the part Of Bis
I4A1eA mas oouoh1ess oeseu largely Oh military
niac.a ,s ~ ~ one o' me prime
shsei,sea 40 ~ sss1e .nrougooo1 tho Empire as
+.t;os' saa - 4ty n tne cost OF hanepor-
r. ~. Asn 4 ana passenger, as posslole
rs,n.e ~, ~ osneuI ~ eae puouc: II HeGlum the
ea,hngt,sx e n3 aoa opelateo oy the national
nano.s.es. .as.s .sn 10 r1enen uosetomens. while
fsrs;snr. feuos .em u .ae Ian*ay hnes within lts
te'1io!y' exercises an almost absolute control
Shae ~ anu opela1eo py private compansea