Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1882-01-02
GAS VS.. OLE.
A Few Facts for ,hs People.

Edtor Morning Meas: As an addition to
your local relative to the question Of 'Gas
vs.. OIL" beg leave to present the follow
lowing facts in reference to the proposed
change in lighting the streets of our city:
The last contract with the Savannah Gas
light Company-which was for the period
of three years-expired Saturday last, max
ing period OF thirty-two years that the city
lamps have been lighted with gas. Hereto
fore It has been the custom of the city au-
thoritiee, thu ugh the Committee on Gas, 10
grant a conference with the officers of the
gas company, to arrange the terms of q
new contract on o fair and equi-
table basis, some time before the
expiration Of the cid o. previous one, AS
early as last summer, tn company asked
such a conference with the Chairman of the
Committee on Gas, at which it was stated
that the matter would be considered. A
few days later, the company was Informed
that the subject would be postponed until
the fall. Nothing further was heard from
the city authorities by the gas company
until the earlier part Of this month-the
last Of the year and the last of the contract
when that company was asked to make a
'6id'' to light the street lamps with
gas one year. First, TO light them
as now, by the phases OF the moon. Second.
to light them all night and every NIGHT
Proposals were at once made as requested.
and the charge per lamp was less than had
been asked and allowed at any time within
the past thiTty-two years. After making
such proposals, the gas company was led
to the belief that the Committee on Gas in
tended to bring the oil lamp in competition
with the gas lamp so long used IN our streets,
and 70 give the preference to the one which
would cost the least There could be but
one decision of the question If It rested on
such a basis. 1t is well known that our
houses, offices, stores and streets cannot be
lighted with gas at the same cost as
they could be with oil Yet, In
domestic and business life we do
use the former on account of its great con-
venience and superiority. At one time Hthe
tallow dip" was used by the poor of our
country for lighting their homes, ut even
then all who could afford the expense used
the sperm and the wax candle. Our sister
cities OF the South-Richmond, Norfolk,
Wilmington, Charleston, Augusta, Atlanta,
MscoD, Columbus, Montgomery, Mobile
and others-light their streets with gas, but
1t seems that our beloved and venerable city
OF Savannah has become too poor to afford
gas. She is reduced to the sad necessity of
using oil for economy-the "tallow dip"
Of our dav.
When the President Of the gas company
was l0lOTm6u budJ bu6 OOuulJkCe on Ja5
had probably decided TO report In favor of
the oil lamp for the sake Of economy, he
sought an interview with the Chairman,
whom he found so busily occupied that 1t
was inconvenient for him to grant an inter.
view of sufficient length to e satisfactory.
He proposed to the Chairman then to APP
pear before the City Council at some con
venient time to present his views In full,
but was told that the committee had fully
hot ha nt
think that it was important to appear be-
fore the Council-that he, the Chairman,
would state what had been said by the
President Of the company on the subject.
At the meeting of the Council held the
following daY the use of the oil lamp was
recommended by the Committee on Gas, as
had been anticipated, and In the discussion
some Northern point, appeared before the
Council to represent the brilliant qualities
OF said oil lamps The report of the com
mittee was adopted by Council.
Understanding that the decision was
made on account of the cheapness of the
oil light, and the great necessity which
rested on the city to introduce economy
wherever It was possible, the President Of
the gas company sought an interview with
His Honor the Mayor, and learned from
him that the action Of Council gave him
authority to sign q contract with the repre-
sentstives of OIL, but the action was not
mandatory. In order then to cave cur city
FROM ralrogFRdc iue-6, so indicative of
a@ poverty, r yrss pre- Yosed that the Gas
e7Dpsuy would iigh- he street lamps, IS
1cal~ The recent con set, Tor less amount
pcs lomp than wes proposed by ihe oil
erH paDY, and rnet tlfy should b. nzate-
Win gas every night and sh rieat fct
ueDty dollars '5r eaoh lamp per aurum.
3 price pf1posal Ger e o.i lamps
1I AanGE @ ta I'd sa tbe tes ar
under advlsemeuU @E~ -sH4 Wth ae
Committee on Gas before signing any con-
tract. Il seems that Notwithstanding such
conference the decision is likely to be made
in favor OF a foreign party, although the
gas has been offered at the same or less
This fual proposal Of the gas company
Will be carried out in good faith II 1t be
permitted, but It will be done at a consid-
,sf-.saS fsssaa.l~+T loss to the company. It's
long association with the city and its inter-
est In The eity's dignity have induced the
offer that can be carried out only at a sacri-
tice.
Such are the main points connected with
the remarE able retrograde change now pro-
posed. Before closing this subject, we
would make one suggestion, viz: That a
question of such great concern to our peo-
pie should be again submitted to the Com
mon COuHCli lOI TtCUuSlubIdtiOus UblOT6 III
contract is closed with the representatives
of the oil company.
1t may not be smiss to remind our citizens
that the party offering us gas Is the Savan-
nah Gaslight Company, home corpora
ton owning much property IN our midst,
on which taxes amounting to about IS 600
are paid annually into the City Treasury
greater sum than the profits realized by the
company on any contract In one year for
lighting the street lamps; whereas, the
party offering oil /, from abroad, owns no
property in our city, pays no taxes, and can
take wings and fly away when he fails to
carry out his contract In satisfactory man
ner. LIGHT.