The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1878-01-19
| to charge among the Current expenses what
is cassed as expended en- CONSTRUCTION
viz, 80, ,745 (befng about one per centum on

Deficit. ...........................$ 29,5GG
showing, therefore, that the gas-works do
NOT, ss after paying all expenses, and also the
entire cost Of lighting the streets andpublit
buildings, yield large net revenue to the
city. which is derived from the gas-con'
sumers.'' Very far from it. For inasmuct
as the gas-works, being owned and worked
by the city, fell short by the sum Of S29,5GC
of the amount they cost the city for theiI
maintenance for the year 1876, it is clearly
shown that this amount (sa9,560) was the
actual cost to the city for lighting ats streets
and public buildings, loithoW an allowance
of any tind for 7'isk; Of capital orer and
dboue the amount Of interest actually paid
6y the city.
In the next place we should endeavor to
ascertain, Is this fair proportion OF the
cost to be paid by the city +! Il presume that
no gas company whose business 1t is to
make and sell gas, and who would sell at
$3.50 per thousand to the general small
consumers, would hesitate q moment to
sell to any one consumer whose consump-
ton is over 20,000,00O feet year at 81 per
thousand.
If so, the gas consumed In public build
ings-viZ.. 2.361 900 fect-would COSTS 4.122
The street-lam2s. in view OF the fact that
The large expense attending the private
consumption. Stcn rs Cost Oh netcrs
lsay $4,000, andthc maintenance of our
inspectors department., bi-clerk, and
paper aud printing for bills tsay $4,000,
being In no wise incurred on that ac-
count. The gas ought rca sonably to be fur
nishcd for them at say $50 for each
lamp-viz.. 1.1S0 lamps-at $50 cach..... 23,GOO
s2s,322
The two items added make what the
street-lamps and public buildings ought to
cost-viz., S2S, ,322-and therefore shows
that ii the city paid to the gas-works this
full allowance for all gas it consumes the
works would still fall short TO the amount
of Sl,2SS OF paying back the charges lcgiti-
mately made against them.
AS it may be charged, however, that my
estimate OF the cost of lighting the street.
lamps is placed foo low, will mention that
contracts have just been awarded in New
York city for the four months ending
April 80, 1878, which includes all the longest
nights OF the year, as follows:
South OF Grand street, to New-York Gas
Company, at Sc each, or SIS per annum !;
between Grand and Thirty-fourth streets,
to Manhattan Company, at Sc each, or SIS
per annum; between Thirty-iourth and
Seventy-ninth streets (portion OF, to Mu-
tual Company, at $500 each, or S20.70 per
annum; between Thirty-fourth and Sew
entv-ninth streets (portion oD, to Mutual
Company, at So each, or S24 per annum !;
Twenty-fourth Ward, seventy-two lamps,
to Yonkcrs Company, at So each, OF S36
per annum.
Considering our peculiar facilities for
manufacturing gas, resulting from cheap
labor and cheap coal, ought we not to fur
nish it to the corporation for less money
than priuate companies charge New York
city
But let lis look at this matter in another
light. The amount OF gas turned out from
the gas-works, rs per the report OF the
Superintendent, is in round numbers 19,-
CAT, 900 feet, the cost of manufacture OF
which, as shown above, being the actual
amount paid by the city, including interest,
is S190,142, makes the actual cost OF cach
thousand feet OF gas turned out s2.39. Now,
in view of the fact that the gas-inspector's
department., bill-clerk, and the cost Of man
uHacture and repair OF meters, which have
estimated at the low figure OF $4,000 q
wear, is expended almost solely on account
OF private consumers, is it unreasonable that
with $3.50 as the net cost of every thousand
feet manufactured the private consumer
should pay to the city Of Richmond (Which
in its corporate capacity takes all risk OF loss
of a capital of $1,000,000 invested in this
work. the advance OF eieuen cents per thou
sand on its actual net cost as above?
will present the matter in still another
form. Ii very large proportion OF the
expenses attending the gas-works are in
Cured for the sole purpose Of accomlno-
dating the private consumers, is it not fair
to say that the price Of gas to the city for
all its purposes should be at least twenty
five per cent. less than the amount paid by
private consumers II so. we find that in
round numbers S0,000,000 feet OF gas is
consumed, one fourth OF which is con-
sumed ny the city.
The $4,000 900 feet consumed by private
con- umers at $3.50 would yield ......S15 O,0OC
The 20,O0000n feet consumed
by the city ut S2.5 .S50.0O0
Less twenty-five per cent........ $4,000
Total receipts from gas would Le..........S1S
Total receipts from coke and meter COIL
ncctlonS. Io:foe
Total receipts. .........Sl97,9O(
Now, as the actual cost OF manufacture