The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-09-08
The Question of Gas.

To the Editor OF Inc heraiu'
do mol intend to enter into discussion
of the gas and water guestiou', but to illus
trate NY views of the subject bog leave to
submit statement of tho history of tho gsi
works ia Wheeling, West Virginia:
In 1850 company was organized to sup
ply the city with gas. The right for twenty
years was granted, the city reserving the
right to buy tho works q. the expiration Of
that time. The company WIS limited TO
three dollars and fifty cents per thousand,
which price il kept to tho end Of their char
ter Ia 1871 the city took charge of the
works, paying tho company seventy.sx
thousand dollars, for which the city issued
that amount of per cent. bonds, payable on
or before tho expiration of twenty years.
The citizens took the bonds (Which have all
been redeemed, and the money was paid
over to the company. AT frat the city res
duced the price of gas to two dollars and
eighty cents, then TO Two dollars and thirty
cents, and then TO ono dollar and eighty
cents, and finally TO one dollar aud twenty
cents per thousand with ten per cent oil, If
paid in the office within ton days after the
first of each month. When the city took
charge there were nino hundred consumers,
and IN 1877, six years after, there were over
two thousand. Iu addition to pipes, etc,
the city made extensive Improvements in the
works, and, if | nm not misinformed, the
price WAS afterwards reduced TO ono dollar
per thousand, with a still larger increase of
consumption | will add, that The
coal used was brought from Pittsburgh.
think that high rates Of gas or water
prevent those living oil the lines of pines
from asking to have the pipes extended, wkile
only part of those living on tho lines of
pipes can Afford to take them Therefore
1t is not high rates tina, pay but low rates
and the consequent large consumption. For
instance, no ono would suppose our street
railroads would pay with faro a, ten cents
yet in the outset they charge ten csnts
The poor could not afford 10 ride, and i. v !,
cheaper for the rich 10 keep conveysnces of
their own. Again, the deficit in tho post
Office department has grown gradually lees
as postage mas been reduced AID | notice
that some Of our wisest statesmen ore of the
opinion that TO reduce postage still lower.
the department would become self sustain.
ing. Ae lie now, only apart of the people
receive the benefits of COS aad water, val all
are ,sIed, and this can't DO helped unless the
rslos are put down 50 low that tho people
can't afford to use anything els. No ono
would dig n we'll make cstorn or even ra-
pslr ono or burn oil, II il were not cheaper
to DO 30. Admitting that having gas ia your
house reduces tho fire rick, and having wa,sy
in your houre from tho works reduces the
risk only apart of the community is ben.
eilIted. II y family can dispense with ono Of
thl servants becsu,e To have all tho con.
yenlcnces of gss and watar Ia the house at
low ra,es, only part Ct the community can
avail themselves Of that advantage. cant
say that nun Ia favor Of Increasing our oeb,
but there lie difference between debt with
no resulting income and M investment for
profit. Admit, for the sake OF argument, ihst
the city, It she were the owner, would de-
rive 10 revenue from gas nor water and tssl
the interest upon the bonts would DO q tax
upon US, Ills no Argument against tina city
owning thc gas mud water works for il We
can rOduce the general expense OF living, II
matters very little how we do 1t II no ope IA
wronged. Olr expenses living arc made up
ofiervanu' hire, gas, water. Insurance, take.
and email allowance of meat and bread,
and II We can reducs tho Goa,
of all but tho latter from Aty
to one hundred per cont, tho rusuil
would not DO unsatisfactory. l think IL /,
tho wish oftho people that the city purchn,t
both the gas and water works ilt can b,
done NJ n fair valuation, when the work.
would no doubt become self-sustaininv.
1 w. @. SICKLRs.