The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1878-04-24

The gas war, the fight between the gas com
4panies and the people, has broken out once
more In the West. This fight is q never end
ing one; there has never been time In the
histOry Of our country when some American
city was not engaged In bitter contest with
its local gas monopoly; for gas companies are
with scarcely an exception. monopolies; a
new gas company will rarely establish itself
I'm place where a company is already In ex-
stence. Competition cannot therefore, be de-
8ended on to secure fair prices. There are. IL
% true several cities-New York, st. Louis
N1d others, for instance where more than one
company exists, but in these cities tho various
9mpanies wisely forbear to wage war against
tch other they divide the city between them
Ike victor does q conquered country,
@ledging themselves, under no circumstances,
Ii o invade each others territory. In Detroit,
NJ 0wever, two rival companies did get into an
sarnest warfare about year ago. laid their
Raains along the same streets, and offered
|sheir gas cheap to all, to the intense delight
nd satisfaction Of the citizens, who for the
lrst time in American history. secured gas at
Reasonable rates.
But such luck as this is very rare. 1t is
yidet that the people cannot depend upon
ompetiton of this kind for cheap gas; the
lly way IN which they can secure this article
cap is by a constant fight for their rights,
resorting occasionally to candles and pc
,leum, and by State or city legislation re-
raining the gas companies and making them
! sep their charges within proper limits
i This last Is the system of warfare being
Il lISllnu inst now in tho Woaf i, a uyor
10 very similar TO that waged by the Gran
rs against tho railroads, when they fixed
maximum of freight TO DO charged by the
road companies. Akron, Ohio, led off in
slight, that city fixing the price of gas at
so thousand and the gas company re-
Ting the ordinance. Peoria, H., has fol
ed, and made a similar reduction in the
&c of gas; and Washington City, Balti-
e and Lancaster, Pa. are trying to do the
,,e thing. Other cities are equally excited
! this question A bitter anti gas war
ssails in indianapolis; and in Chicago an
APT is being made torid the people of the
,opoly character of the gas com panies, by
wing free competition in gas to ALL In
all through the Union there seems to be
neral demand that in view of the present
times the cost Of gas be reduced AS to
mode of warfare selected in Akron. it may
tated that similar contest waged in
and some years ago terminated In favor
le people.
ISt Louis and Philadelphia the gas com
es We're fought i'll the courts and signally
en there. In st. Louis the city has Just
Jned possession of the gasworks by order
&c Court of Appeals. Philadelphia has
downed her gasworks and although they
damaged by a corrupt political ring. the
rhas been singularly successful with them. |
fts furnished citizens at cost Of So 80. !
\ large sum is cleared annually, SO that
t,st all Of the S14 100000 that the works !
sAally cost the city has been paid up
iAsidering the fact that the United States |
aalpresent poor, that the whole country is |
D. t5ralized, it is strange that it should be
ing the highest price for gas of any civil |
Jcountry on the globe. In Europe the
hage cost Of making gas Is eighty-four
Ga thousand feet; the price charged GUS
Yrs is 81 OF in Berlin, 81 % in London
Gin Paris. In Boston the charge Is So 50,
wv York So IS, and in New Orleans 80 /