The daily Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1878-1???, 1879-12-13

On n street corner would "kick' very
gracefully and artisticaly about the little
matter of paying even forty cents month
for the accommodation of their nelghbors,
while our better disposed people wouldcon-
tinuc the lighting just about one week
when it would "iizzlcn out
For our part, if we are to have any light
AT all, we favor the cheapest kind and he.
live that oil, if much cheaper than gas,
should be given trial At this season OF,
the year, when the sun sets early, it is all
most impossible to see the sidewalk after
seven o'clock, if the sky happens to be over
cast with clouds, and when on such nights
we grope our way along the DARK streets
we have no patience with the man who
will consoingly whisper into our ear that
''its a saving to the city" Cairo, with a
population OF over eleven thousand--in the
dark Cairo, situated AZ no city in the
United States is. Where yagabondS Of
every class congrcgate, from the North,
East, South and West-in the dark Cairo,
with four police officers to protect and
watch over the lives and property of eleven
thousand souls--in the dark This MAY
be O. X. We don't say that it isn't. We
have never been Knocked down ourself (be.
ri
mousse and never expect to be. But
does this sound right. We believe
that thclc are innumcrabIc ways in which
the city mag save by the use Of light the
cost thereof either directly or indirectly.
Its reputation abroad is improved, thieves
and robbers are deprived Of their most eff
fectual weapon darkness, and our people
whose business requires them to he out on
the streets after dark can walk upon the
sidewalk without cropping their way or sud
denly dropping headlong into the gutter
The heavy expense attending the light
ing of the city with gas, in the past, ina,
stimulated inquiry as to the original cost Of
that article the comparative cost of coal
oil light, etc. We have asccrtancd that
Pittsburg coal can be delivered at the ShS
works here for about $3.50 per ton. But
the gas works now use Big Muddy for
which they pay only $3.50 per ton and
find it As good for their purpose Is the
Plttsbtrg. One pound OF coal will pro-
ducc four cubic feet OF gas. Thi, is
equivalent TO 5000 cubic feet 10 the ton.
We take it, and firmly believe that We
are right that the coke and tar will more
than pay the expense attending the process
Of publication; and that the cost of plac-
ing the gas in the holder need not exceed
$3.50 per 5000 feet. II, then, we allow a
loss of 30 per cent. to cover leakage and
condensation (Which is considered extrava-
gantly high, We can very closely
approximate to the cost involved in
the production of gas in Cairo
Although a cheaper quality Of
coal than Pittsburg is at present being used
by the gas company, yet, We will make our
estimate on that coal
ton Pittsburg coal delivered .... 81 40
Placing gas in holder, ....,.....,.. 30
Tota! cost,..,..,..,,,...,. ST 30
Allowing that the loss, as above stated,
amounts to 30 per cent, We have here the
sum Of Sc 80 as the cost Of 1000 feet Of
gas in the gas.omctcr-Obout 81 90 per
1000 feet.
After making the above calculations, we
yesterday called on Mr.. Gerould, of the Gas
company, for further information with the
intention of laying the same before our
readers this morning. Mr.. Gcroud kindly
gave us all the information asked, Under
the last contract, with the city, he said
five feet burner was used and that the city
paid the gas company SO 30, lamp, per
month, Cor the gas consumed, ior keeping it
in repair and for lighting and eXtinguish
ing the same. But that he would now sub
nit proposition To the city asking only
Sc 50 lamp. per month using the same
five feet burner. But that the keeping the
lamps in repair and the lighting and oxtln-
gushing OF them should he done by the
city
We fear that this proposition Of Mr..
Gcrould's will not meet with the favor Of
the council, for it j, actually but very little
less than the old contract.
A street lamp using Il five feet burner
will, il pushed little, use 1900 feet per
month. The cost Of this amount at 81 90
per thousand feet would bc...... 81 50
70 this sum add the cost Of light.
ing, the wear aud tear on ma.
chinery and repairing, per month 81 90
And we have the total cost Of n
five feet burner per month -----
brought down to..,,,,,.,,.... =! :
Thus il will be seen that if "Grurcs will