National Republican., 1883-05-03
GAS IN ALEXANDRIA.
The Corporation Makes II For Less Than We
Pay and Makes Money By It
Some Interesting Facts For Gas CONSUME
crs--The Eccentric Meter.

A reporter Of THE REPUBLICAN, took a trip
to Alexandria yesterday to inquire as to the
operation of the gas works in that city. The
process of manufacturinggas in Alexandria is
on rather a smalllscale The works are owned
and run by tho corporation. There are $50
private consumers, besides which the city's
requirements are all supplied. The gas is
mado from West Virginia bituminous coal,
with small percentage of camel coal. This
latter is introduced because gas from it is
very rich in Illuminating power, The aver
ago Illuminating power Of the gas in Alex
andria ate the present time is about fifteen
candles, During the winter it was equal to
seventeen candles. 1t is furnished to private
consumers at $1.S0 per thousand cubic feet.
At this rate the 750 consumers pay the cost
of their own gas aud that of the city, and in
addition put into the city treasury over $4,000
annually. The consumers havo been COM
planning Of the cost, and bill is now before
the city council to reduce the net price to
$3.50 per 1000 feet The gas in Alexandria
is far better, steadier, and brighter than in
Washington, and yet the people there COM
plain that IL is not good enough.
Inquiry of the officials at the gas works was
made of the cost of manufacturing gas. They
said II would be impossible to furnish IL to as
few as75O at $l25 per 900 and make profit.
But profit would inure at that price If 5000
of profit would be made on 5000 than on 5000,
and hence the price could be prohtably made
lower the greater the number of consumers
As there Is no official inspector of gas aud
gas meters in Alexandria 1t was found inn
possible to ascertain the purity of the gas
manufactured there. ton of bituminous
coal, WORTH say, So, will give 5000 cubic feet
ofgas. At 81 per 1000 there is an excess of
Sl3 of revenue over the original cost of the
coal. Then tho coke Is sold at large profit,
the coal tar and various other products of the
distillery. The cost of the "plant' here in
washington was small, the wages of the en-
ployes also small, the contingent expenses
equally diminutive. 1t is safe to say that the
net profits of the gas company are not less
than 300 per cent. on the annual outlay.
This does not take in calculation the fact that
one.third of the gas furnished is atmospheric
air impregnated with naphtha. Tho cost of
making gas from water is much less than
from coal, and hence another item of profit
may go to swell up the gigantic percentage of
gain made by the Washington gas company.
1t is we'll to say here that the use of gas
manufactured from water is attended with
great evils, which render it dangerous. First,
such gas cannot be freed from carbonic acid
gas, which is given forth in combustion in
large quantities; this agent is deadly poison.
Secondly, this gas has no odor, and hence,
should it leak, tho leakage is not liable to bo
discovered until dangerous accidents proclaim
its presence. A soulless and grasping corpora
tion, therefore, not content with having made
not merely cent for cent, but five and even
ten for one, grows so greedy for more that it
was willing to imperil its patrons to increase
its gains.
THE GAS swINDLE.
10 the Editor.
What's the good of the war you are making
upon the Forty Thieves" (more or less)
who compose the gas monopoly of this city ?
in aIn ion
OF gas, who's tho gainer2 Do you imagine
that If they put it down to dollar per 1000
feet, their bills would be a penny less monthly
than they are now? If you do, they will
learn you trick worth two of that Long
practice has made them too skillful in the
manipulation of their meters to permit so
small matter as a decrease in price to inter-
fere with their profits. 1t will be as easy
then TO have them register 1000 feet when
only 1000 is consumed as it is now to have
have them register any quantity that may be
necessary to satisfy their greed. The truth
rs that gas meters are q sham and delusion
placed in our houses to bear false testimony
In their behalf, and to give them pretoxt
for robbing u.s. They no more indicate how
much gas we use than some similar contriv-
ance at the top Of our chimneys would show
how much fuel we consume l have had
numerous proofs Of this, as l have no doubt
every housekeeper has, and is now having
monthly. win give one case as an illustra.
tion. Some months ago was the sole occu-
pant of a house on South A street, Capitol
hill, for q single month-either August or
September. During that entire month only
one burner was lighted in the house, and
that not to exceed half an hour each evening.
The gas bill for that month was even SO,
while the gas bill of the family living the
next door, the same kind, occupied by a
family of several persons, and using gas as
usual, was $3.50 for the same month. On
complaint, the company sent an expert to
see whether any mistake had been made, OF
If there was any leak in the pipes. He OF
course reported all right, and the bill was
paid. And this is fair specimen of the way
the gas monopoly swindes our citizens and
there is no remedy, or none will be applied
The monster is too strong, and has too firm q
grasp upon the throats Of consumers.
A VICTIM.
THE CIu,N OE TILE HILLS