The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1882-04-08
corrsspOadsHes Baifimors CouHfy Union.
LETTER FROM BALTIMORE.
An Unjust Discrimination In 0as-Eiectric
Light g.-e cess Fares
Beaters Beware, Etc.


BALrinoRE, April 5th, 1882.
Gas consumers In our city are now and have been
for some weeks past complaining considerably
about their gas biils In many instances being IN.
usually high and more onerous than-under the
peculiar circumstances-they had q right 10 ex-
pect especially those rendered BY the Consolidated
or old company. The Consolidated Company,
soon as tho new or opposition Mutual Company
commenced supplying customers with gas, re-
duced ts price from - 10 81 per 1000 feet 70 all
consumers within range and boundaries where the
Mutual came In composition a. m opposition. Il
is discovered, however, by those who are wholly
dependent upon the Consolidated or old monopoly
for supply Of light, and not within range Of the
new oppositions pipes and mains, that instead Of
their bills decreasing with the shortening nights,
as they naturally should. they have almost invar-
ably increased, whilst even those where the pre-.
tended reduction l. made find very little difference.
The solution Of this mysterious problem IL account
cd for by certain shrewd economists and careful
calculators upon the pretty we'll grounded belief
that tho old Consolidated Company 10 putting on
q heavier pressure Of air-which Il is said can
easily be dene-and thereby make mp In meter
measurement from an Inexpensive power, though
ono that drives the machinery or eloek-work of
the meter as easily rs u IL were bonifde gas
Thus while the air-power Is substituted Il runs
through all the mains and pipes throughout the
entire city, and as u serves TO heighten the
pany's bills to consumers In sections of the city
where n reduction IL promised. II. by the same APP
Fiaucefs makes gnasngut cOnttdcfaDty uenror 10
consumers than u otherwise would be where no
reduction from the s2 per 1000 feet prevails, moro
| In mere promise than In reality. The matter has
caused much dissatisfaction. Il looks like making
| ish Of one and fowl Of another, and Is In every
way unfair. II makes people In half or more %
| the city pay just double what others are paying
for the same Indispensable necessity. One neigh
Dor only square distant from another gets for 81
what the other has TO pay twice that amount
There are some Who say they viii refuse to pay
their gas bills at all, unless compelled by Law,
Ill all are placed ON the same footing.
Speaking of gas. may say that the new electric
light company about 10 illuminate u large portion
Of our city with electricity. 10 busily engaged pro
pairing TO put their apparatus into practical OPP.
| Grafton. IL IL asserted by those conversant with
the mater that this light can be used with de-
cided success in country towns, cities and villages
TO decided advantage. hence your citizens Of Tow
sOntown may, ero long. find their place illumina-
ted by II. Now that you are scOn 10 have the
new narrow gauge steam railway In practical
working between your and our city, II will be In
keeping with goaheadativeness to adopt other new
enterprises and Improvements incident TO the
spirit Of progress.
All our city passenger railways are now,
quirei by the recent legislative enaetnent--eom.
puisory and particular thanks 90 owners thereof
obliged 10 carry grown passengers at cts those
under twelve years at cts, and children under
four years gratuitously. with the privilege Of ex.
acting , instead of cts. for transfer tickets
IL much better than II has been. but people gener
ally will not be satisfied until the charge
for transfers be wholly done away with, rs IL should
have been By the Law just passed.
The first ease Of wife beating under the new and
most excellent law passed by the Legislature just
adjourned. authorizing punishment by corporal
whipping for such an unmanly and cowardly Of.
fence Is som to come up in our Criminal Court.
lie IL n negro. though many miserable white men
scarcely deserving the name-havc often been
before our courts for the same unmsniy abuse
against q helpless. inofensiyc wife. Let Us hope
II this first offender under the new law be found
guilty. that his punishment may be 50 fssiisg and
elseiir, that others may be deferred from repeat.
ing 80 dsstardy crime.
There can be no doubt that our late Legislature
made \ very grave mistake in failing 20 pass
law regulating and lesaliEing primary elections,
particularly In baltimore. They ever have been
the very quintessenee Of corruption and fraud. and
must continue unless legally authorised and
controlled.
An excellent move Of our City Council has been
TO require the Board 81 Police Commissioners 10
hold open sessions for the public press and Others
hereafter. This will let matte hitherto hidden
sec the ight for criticism and scrutiny. NEsToR.