Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1891-05-14

| pluln. AudlckS proposition was to do the
same as he had done in Boston where four
in and scared them into selling their stock
to his gas syndicate The aggregate value
of the property of the four companies was
SlO,OOQ,00O. The same property then
Immediately jumped up to $1,000, 900.
The additional S7000,000 was clear
water and Boston is now paying divi-
dends on S17,0OO,000 which is simply an
added tax taken from the pockets Of the
citizens into those of Mr.. Addieks and his
friends-and for this Boston gets no re-
turn at ALL With product of 1865
0OO0O0 feet of gas the price was fixed at
Sl.25. But at various points in Boston the
syndicate charged as follows: Dorchester,
~; Roxbury, Sl.59 South Boston, SI.75.
While Wilmington with and output of
llS,0OO,OOO feet the price is the same as in
Boston. This was the result in Boston of Mr.,
Addicks promises. Those were the solid
facts and not conjecture. We have n
company here whose property is about
S4OO,000. 1t is limited by charter and
must have no cash surplus. 1t can't go
beyond certain stated dividends. There
fore it must reduce the price of gas
as its profits increase. And it has done
So. In 1864 it was $3.50 per 1000. Now it
is 81 %. This shows its business drift and
course Of action clearly. TO be sure, in
every city where gas is consumed there are
l
that our company intends still further to
reduce its gas rate. Surely. il is patent to
all that this (Addicks company)isa "a wreck
ing corporation come here to dip into
someone's pockets. | see no reason for
not adopting Mr.. Bushs resolution unani-
mously.h
Or. Buck-"As a citizen and gas CON
sumner, hope that this motion will pass.
some years ago was editor of a gas Jour
nal and had large opportunity of watching
| movements of the nature of Mr. Addicks'
All experience in New York and Brooklyn
is that one corporation swallows up the
other and there is no ultimate benefit to
the consumer whatever. In Baltimore
| Philadelphia, st. Louis and Chicago it has
always been to the detriment of the citi-
zen when new company comes in and
there is no field adequate to its support.
| object also to the tearing up of the Streets
The gas leakage into the soil is bad enough
with one company. With two companies
operating the nuisance and danger would
be doubled"
DIR. Buck closed by emphatic condemna-
tion OF the foreign interloper.
Mark NJ Cleaver-"I think it would be
OF advantage to the meeting to hear the
past record of gas rates of the Wilmington
| Coal Gas Company. is; 1864, $3.50; 6S,
$500; ~. $40; 70 $3.50; 10, 500; 'sl,
Sl.S0 'S2, Sl,50; 's7, 81 .35; 's9, s125.
This shows that this company since its
institution has Systematically reduced the
| price of gas
Mr.. Stone-"There is an item which our
city fathers should be posted on. 1t is
under the Addcks reign in Boston the
cost of lighting street lamps is S2s each.
| Wilmington pays Sl6.75 for the same ser
vice, saving of 81, 200 per annum over the
expense that would be entailed if Mr.. Ad-
dicks lighted our streets"
w. NJ. Field-"No one here has higher
| appreciation of what our commissions
have accomplished for Wilmington than /
have" Here the speaker paid his com
pliments to the Street and Sewer Depart
ment, to the Water Commission and to the
Park Commission ~ have great deal
these commissions, but have always been
at u loss to know why they have been OPP
posed to the Introduction of another gas
company into Wilmington. If it be that
they do not want their authority over
ridden, must agree with them in that re-
spect. But, speaking entirely disinter-
estedly, as citizen who does not own
dollar of stock in the Wilmington Coal
Gas Company nor in Mr.. Addicks' cou-
cern, | would like to know the reason of
the opposition. In regard to the point
made about the health of the city,
confess to having felt little sick
as rode in here tonight along Delaware
direction equalling the yellow gas lights
in number, indicating that the streets are
being torn up all around Now, if it is
going to produce this effect and typhoid
fever, hope my friend Mr., Carpenter will
put stop to it right away. confess /
have not such fear of any man as the
common rumOrs around would cause us
to think of Mr. Addicks. | do not think
the current price of gas exorbtant. But
think the supply is deficient, Many streets
arAiot properly lit. have been asking
the company for better light in one of our
largest buildings in order to be able to see
70 read better. They have promised
against the old company. l think,
however, that Wilmington must make
strides forward. Is it not possible that
Wilmington may not be able to regu-
late this new gas company. They have
offered cheaper gas, and perhaps better to
the citizens. The old company should not
stand in the way of benefit possible to the
public. If the new company does come
here, should suppose it would be possible
70 get guarantees from them to give gas at
% cents for ~ years or so. If they will do
this they should be listened to- as they
have already expended 100000 in their
plant. am tod by gas expert from
Pittsburg that gas can be manufactured at
much lower rate than that which we
now pay. This Board of Trade ought to
be willing to entertain some such proper
arrangement and back ii up. If not, it
should dissolve and never meet again. |
Here is an instance | read of of one depart
ment of the city selling water to the other.n
Mr. Porter-"That is business"
Mr.. stone to Mr. Field-"Wherec can you |
get gas for % centsPn
Mr.. Feld-"fhe place referred to is |
Pittsburg where two or three companies |
sell manufactured gas at ST."
IN II uI, -.l1 Al,
for 30 cents when Wilmington manufac- |
lures it for 81. .25."
General Postles--'As disnterested cit
izen, so far as the two gas companies are |
concerned, would say that what DR.. Buck |
remarked just. points the facts. Where a
company has laid its pipes, al the real out
lay is made. 1t is the distribution of gas
that costs money. a new company has to
lay the pipes. They must undersell in
order to inake a living. The competitor
has to make Il duplicate plan. The result
is sharp competition for while, Consolid-
alton follows and the customer eventually |
pays the iull cost of the new company. |
The streets must be dug up all over town
to meet the demands OF the new company
A communication was read from f. Il.
Walton in which he warmly endorsed the
action of the street and Sewer Department
in taking up the cudgels against Mr.. Ad-
dicks company. His idea Is that the city
is not large enough tosupport two gas com
panies.
In reply to question from Mr.. Field,
Joseph Il. Carpenter, Jr., said Market
street is paved anew at cost of 100000"
MIR. Porter-"lt would take years to put
the street back into the condition it is now
We're il allowed to be torn up.'
DIR. Draper to Mr.. Carpenter-"Do they
the Addicks company claim they have a
right to tear up the streets all over town
without your permission?n
Mr. Carpenter-"That is what is under