Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-01-08
HAS BECOME A LUXURY.
A New Reason Advanced for Taxing Re-
ceipts of Natural Gas Campanies-What
They Have Cost the City-Cable Cars a
Public Renefit.

A New Reason Advanced for Taxing Re-
ceipts of Natural Gas Campanies-What
They Have Cost the City-Cable Cars a
Public Benefit.
r. S. Frazer, Esq, gives some reasons
why natural gas companies shonld be taxed
by the city on their gross receipts. which ap-
pear quite cogent. He states that these
companies have cost this city over $500, 900
on account of street repairs made necessary
by pipe laying, and since they have raised the
price of the fuel so high that it is no longer
general benefit, but merely source of reve-
nue. to them. they should pay for the priv
ileges accorded them. He argues that
not only is the supply SO inadequate
that those who are able to pay for it no longer
get what they expect but that it is entirely out
OF the reach of the very poor. and consequently
the companies are not entitled to consideration
any more than any others exercising the right
of eminent domain. Mr.. Frazer calls attention
to the fact that all companies exercising the
right pay, under the general revenue laws.
taxes to the Commonwealth on both capital
artificial gas and water companies, and the rea-
SON they are thus favored in being required
to pay only on capital stock Is that
their operations are confined to municipalities
and these being the only parties injured by
their operation they are left free to treat such
companies as they think best. LII S1o,OGO or
a were
gas companies it would only partially repay the
city for the expenditures they have made neces-
sary and Mr.. Frazer says that if the Con-
troller wants the revenue four lines added to
the appropriation bill will bring it.
Mr.. Frazer holds that the same reason does
not apply to the proposition TO tax the cable
companies, as they are public benefit being
so generally used by rich and poor that cent
added to the price of fare would be positive
hardship to many thousands. Ii the head of
family in the East End come to the city once
1ov,f 90 HI x,et,, loI,1 Of
kind he pays $50 or more year to ride, and
rcarriage for his family added swells.the cost to
at least $50 year. Were the cable companies
to add a cent to the fare to cover cost OF in
creased taxation proposed by some it would
cost each family $40 year more, and
there would be no escape. while if
natural naor gas price is increased h the
back to coal, which. after all, isn't bad sort of
fuel. Mr.. Frazer also thinks fact that should
not be lost sight of. is that the street car COM
panies do tighten the burden of the city con-
siderably by keeping a portion of the streets
over which they pass paved and in repair, and
says that in some instances their work is about
all the streets get and they would be almost
impassable without it. Further. he cites the
reduction of fares SO that man can ride five
miles for cents instead OF IA cents, as
gentle dew of heaven falls all alike. the
rich and the poor, the iusta the unjust; tor
there is scarce anyone who is not benefited
more or less by it, not only in the increase in
makes it cheaper to ride even half mile than
TO walk. and no one is SO poor that he does not
share to some extent in the saving
The sum of the whole matter in Mr.. Frazcr's
puryiew is that natural gas has become a
luxury not enjoyable by all. and that street
cars are a necessity. that is, and that neces-
saries should not be taxed when revenue can
be raised off luxuries. Some people who ate q
cold dinner ON Monday for want of gas to cook
it were cross enough to vote for Mr.. Frazer's
proposition without hearing any debate on it.
Natural gas is a great and a glorious thing
when you have enough of it. but when the
pressure is not sufficient to lift the safety valves
on cold days. the companies lose friends very
rapidly.