Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1879-11-19
THE BRIDGE IN DARKNESS.
Neither Gas Nor Oil Lamps IL
lume the Way.

Since the action of the City Council
in ordering the gas 10 be shut off al the
lamps on the suspension bridge, that
great thoroughfare has been in compar-
alive darkness Heretofore, the Bridge
Company has paid into the city treasu-
~, as stated in yesterdays REGISTER,
SIS per lamp per year for the gas con-
sumed, and S. for lighting and extin-
gushing each lamp,-making, for the ten
lamps, Sl5O per annum Tor the gas,
and $50 per annum Tor the labor
of lighting and eXungulshing the lamps.
This differs from the price which the
city agreed to pay but has not lately
paid) for lighting the streets, We believe,
to the amount of $3.50 per lamp each
year-SI2,50 being the contract price,
and vet DR.. Baird is reported as saying
that the Bridge Company has been get
ting its gas at less than half price. If
this is so, how much greater the swim
die which the city fathers are perpetra-
ting upon the private gas consumers,
who are compelled TO put their hands
into their pockets and pay for
lighting the streets, which expense
should be borne by the taxable proper
w Oh tile tllNs II - dbopAuNNAN VII JuoA W
require the consumers OF gas to light
either the streets Of the city or the pri-
vate property OF money-making corpo-
ration; and the injustice is no greater in
one case than the other. 1t is an injus-
uce that should no longer be inflicted or
tolerated. The consumers OF gas in this
CITY have been compelled to purchase
and paw for the gas works and, in equl-
w, they are to-day owners OF them.
But, legally, they are not; the title is in
the city, although the city never paid one
cent for them. So much of the
private property of the consumers of gas
has been confiscated by the city, that
the men OF wealth should be aided to
that extent in escaping taxation. After
compelling the consumer to buy and
pay for the gas works, and all OF the
extensions and Improvements thought
to be necessary, they are further taxed
10 light the streets and bridges.
Mr.. Alfred Caldwell was right in
claiming that the Bridge Company
should pay for its gas like any other
consumer; but he must, in justice, eX-
tend the same principle to the streets OF
the city.
Superintendent Lawson OF the Bridge
Company says We were wrongly in
formed as to his action at the gas office
on Monday. He did not exhibit any
letters from lamp establishments, thus
intending to convey the impression that
the company would light the bridge
with oil lamps; but we cannot see that
he would have been a very bad fellow ii
he had. The public who patronize the
Bridge Company will probably say that
Mr.. Lawson and those for whom he acts
should lose no time in placing oil lamps
upon that important thOroughfare, Ithey
are not willing to pay the price Tor gas
that other consumers are compelled
to pay. The same company does light
its other bridge-the one over back
river-with oil lamps, and We see no
reason why it might not, with as little
delay as possible, light the suspension
bridge in the same way. The owners
of the bridge should be thankful that
there are more ways than one by which
they can obtain light. Good oil lamps
may be inferior to gas as illuminators,
but they are superior to candles.