The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-07-09
raE CITY AND rHB GAS QUESTION.

lions, toward fusncial reform and general
resrenchment They are to be commended
for the lsudable disposition. and, If they ey.
idencs wise, just and judicious course Of
action, they are TO be congratulated on whats
ever achievements they may attain to. At
with the Water Works company, so with
the Gas company, they have
soms differences In the matter Of what the
city should pay. In all these questions there
should be no guess work, no hsrum- scsrum
assertions, but they should be
regarded and treated like the
business propositions Of everyday
mercantile life. Ga this same page we
have expressed some of our views on the wa
tor works matter, and have done so frankly
and freely with the lights before us. We do
not know how fully the members of the city
council have enlightened themselves on this
subject If they have proceeded in their
treating with the gas company upon the hy-
polhess that because last year or the
year previous, reduction was secured,
ergo there ought to he a reduction this year,
they have gone off upon an illogical tangent
in hap hazard manner. lion the other hand,
they have duly apprised themselves of what
Ia fair price for the article and have
consequently based their position in the
existing controversy, then they have
indeed acted like business men.
In all business transactions government or
private or any public corporation should
be treated and should treat MS an individual,
bound by moral oblig atoms as strong in the
one case as in the other. A government
swindled means nothing more nor less than
its citizens swndled, for it is the latter from
whose pockets come the expenses of the
former. By parity Of ressoniog,s govern
ment, or corporation should treat as fairly
asd AS honorably rs a person. Our city
fathers, for instance, in all their contracts,
should sec to it that the city shall receive the
largest amount Of bentfi.s o. tho lowest |
reasonable cost. The reverse of this rule |
would DO confscation, either through |
superior power or surprising shrewdness.
WHAT'S desired is fair, reasonable, proper |
figure for each party to give, or to receive
respectively. Applying these principles
to tho matter in hand with |
tho gas company, we find that
the question at issue is whether 1856 per
annum per lamp shall DO rsid rs proposed |
by the council, or $40 as iiared by the COM
pany. If we mistake no there arc now just
100 lamps in the city ta.s Is difference
oil $500 per snnum for the total number of
lights. Now is $40 per snnnm per light a
fair figure for each of the contracting parties
vi the cost Of the mar ufacture of gas We
are entirely ignorant, but by reference to
some documents in our possession we find
that by actual tests and we'll guarded OK peri.
ments, a city street light will average some
200 hours through the year. These data
were secured by consideration of the vary
ing lengths of the night, the phase
of the moon, the state of III, weather, etc.
A FIVE foot burner would therefore consume
1000 feet. This, at So per 1000
feet, would cos! S33 per lamp. The prizes
now charged TO private consumers is SO 90,
or say $500 per light. Now the gas COM
pany, rs wo understand the case, proposes
to furnish to the city, At $40, which Is jlst
about tho figure charged to individuals, less
The allowed 5per cent. discount for cash.
Blu. too company urge that the expenao of
lighting each evening and distinguishing in
Tho morning., tho wear and tear of the posts,
he loss of glass cssiogs by storms, the clean
ng of these, o.c., the gres. waste of gas by
,esvy winds etc, which arc all just SO much
If expense beyond tha! incurred
IN serving private houses, that they would
prefer to cell to tho city 1T SO 90 per 1000
feet II tho latter will take charge Of and
furnish all except tho gas supply. Now
then, the question arises is this 50 90 tax a
fair one or no,2 For determination of this
In tho absenco Of any figures as to the cost of
such works as ours, of tho necessary expenses
for working the same, etc, wo can only be
guided by N comparative view with what is
elsewhere imposed. We are not advised Of
tho preSlnt prices In our chief cities, but
two years ago, Ia Austin, Galveston, Hous
ton and San Antonio, 1t was $500 |
per 1000 cubic feet. We believe how.
ever, tha! this has been reduced, |
although wo arc assured that tho figures of !
each cithose cities, as also those Of Sherman
and Fo't Worth, are higher than those taxed |
here This though Is question OF fac,
quickly aieottsinablc. 50 of prices in cities
OF other states similarly located and condi.
uoneina Dallas. Those, also, arc Of rosdy
reach by cur city fathers. aud should be en-
qnistd of. In Ssward's "Americau Gss
Making" a compendium Of gas data,
published in 1878, I've have
no later one), We And reported
tho ptc@ per 1000 feet for Selma, Ala.
400; for Huntsville, $3.50; Helena, Ark,
So 90; Rome, Ga, $3.50; New Orleans, 50 70,
Columbus and Nachez, Miss, $3.50 to
$500; Brooklyn, N. Y, $3.50; Saratoga
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