Daily Republican., 1881-05-21
THE GAS QUESTION.
Some Reasons why There should
Not be Opposition in Gas.


MEssRs. EDITORS The Wilmington
r Coal Gas Company of this city, having
been in existence for the last thirty
years managed by our citizens, its stocl
being held principally by them, has a
all times identified itself with the in
terest and improvement of the city by
extending its mains to outlying districts
for the public good, without any imme'
diate remuneration other than keeping
in advance Of the public improvement
and thereby advancing the interests OF
the city. For years this company paid
not dollar in dividends, but as the con.
sumption increased it began to pay, for
the more it sells the cheaper gas can be
produced, and Us a consequence the
cheaper ii can be sold. As the consump-
tiOn gradually increased it has lowered
the price from "a per 900 cubic feet to
the present price, Sl.So This reduction,
bear in mind, was hot made through
any pressure from competition in the
business, bui from sense of obligation
to the community whose interests were
always considered identical with the
Company'S. feel satisfied in referring
to the past record for the truth of this
statement. The intention is to continue,
in the future, the same line of conduct
and policy heretofore pursued, namely
To manufacture and sell gas us cheaply
as practicable, lowering the price as fast
as the increased consumption will war
rant, SO that with the rapid strides the
city is making in wealth, population
and intelligence, the time may not be
far distant when the company may sell
gas ut Sl.2j per 200 feet. Among the
$50 gas works in the United States at
the present time where does this com
pany stand , 1t stands third at the
present price, q position creditable to
the company.
Furthermore it intends to stand at
the head of the list on and after the first
remain without opposition.
If the history of this company is as
have described it to be, is it good policy
then to open, as it Were, the gates of our
city and admit horde ofspeculators to
dig up Jur streets dnd alleys for the pur-
pose Of layingduplicate pipes, etc, to do
the work that the present company is
more than sufficient to do, with its
present mains, thereby doubling the
capital to do the work that our capital
is sufficient to do. If competition
meant aS these men would make you be-
lieve, cheap gas to customers, then the
citizens Of New York, Brooklyn, Jersey
City, Newark, n. j., and others ought
to revel i'll luxury and contentment for
they are blessed by having from three
to eight companies each, but the con-
Sumers of those cities instead of being
contented, are loud in the denuncia-
tions of their conduct. The consumers
in those cities have now to pay for the
sake of opposition from $2.25 to $2.75
per 900 cubic feet.
Such is the case in every city in the
United States where opposition were
allowed to enter. There is no such
thing as permanent opposition in gas
business. 1t may exist fora few years
but as stockholders are only human,
like other individuals, the opposition
soon terminates and q price is set
which will reimburse the companies
for the folly Of competition. 1t is a
ialacy to suppose that stockholders
will act so benevolently as to allow
their stock to remain unremunerative
while it is in their power to make it
productive. A gas company of neces-
sity should be a monopoly, ,as it is differ
ent from other branches of manutaC-
lures; it cannot export Il single foot OF
gas outside of its mains, it is, as it were,
walled in. This is not the case with
other branches of manufacture and in
dustry, which have the world us a
market
The consumers Of New York city pay
to-day over $4,000, 900 annually rs the
price Of opposition; Newark over SliO,.
900; Jersey City over 5000, 900 and 50 on
with the others. These are only Il few
of the many instances that show at
once the folly and suicidal effect Of Op-
position in gas manufactures. Will
those spectators be kind enough to tell
me where opposition exists to-day in any
city of the United States or where they
remained over few months in opp0si-
ton? viii they name citywhere OPP
position ever existed that our company
does not underSell from 20 cents to s.
per thousand cubic feet?
Will they state where, or when, they
have built gas works, or successfully
conducted II gas mandatory? They
cannot answer in the affirmative; they
never built any gas works, and they
know nothing of its manufacture, or its
cost. believe our citizen directors Of
this new company are simply agents of
those foreign spectators, who, seeing
the fabulous fortunes parties have
made in gas specializing, are endeavor-
ing, through our citizens directors, to
commence specializing in Wilmington.
THESE same foreign spectators with
one or two other companies in tow have
recently endeavored to get per mission
from the Camden City Council to lay
pipes, &c. This has also been done in
the east, in Washington, PottSville and
other cities In neither Of those places
could they get permission, although in
each of these places the price OF gas is
i'll excess Ofwhat it is here. Being thus
batfted they are said to have COncell-
trated their whole power and such in
Hllence as they command in our city.
W hat the result of such power and in
tluence may be, time only can tell
1t Is not on record where party of
SPECTATORS nave ever gone INTO city
for the purpose Of doing an honest legi-
innate business: if such instance exists
would like to know where to find it.
with its opposition of but
Yesterday, is to-day a combination, and
the same is true of other cities. 1t is an
admitted fact thai, if
stranger offers to supply you with an
article at less than cost price, or even
It cost, it is not u legitimate business,
here is something back Of it which be-
,ones manifest in due time.
If the statement herein contained is
lchallerge contradiction
would it not, to say the least, be very
niudicioGs in our City Council to allow
hese men to dig up all of our streets at
heir mere bidding or request, and for