The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-11-19
THE GAS QUESTION
AS Viewed by a Large
English Shareholder.
San Francisco Rates Are Low as
Compared With Other Countries.
Prices of Coal.

James Bra dshaw is a shareh older in the
"Gas Light and Coke Co." of London
and has thousands of pounds invested in
gas companies in England. Through his
Australian agent he is large shareholder
in the largest gas company in the Southern
hemisphere-the Metropolitan Gas Com
pany of Melbourne, Australia.
Mr.. Bradshaw is on his way to VancOu-
yer after seeing the Worlds Fair, and in
answer TO questions yesterday he said:
"Yes, 1t is true that am largely inter-
ested in gas corporations in other coun-
tries, and of course / have watched with
some interest the disputes of the last few
days in California. All my movements
have generally been in favor of the con-
sumers. as l think they ought to have
every reasonable consideration. In the
case here it seems to me that they hardly
realize when they are well off, but as long
as you have gas consumers you will have
GROWERS; they seem to be necessary ele-
ment in every community.
"Have YOU trouble with consumers In
England?"
Not so much as formerly, but. in my
opinion, il the gas were given away with
pound Of tea there would be grumbilng
at the quality supplied; and If the quality
were perfect there would be some fault to
find with the tea.
''As far as you are concerned it is
healthy sign, because it shows that some
people are paying their gas bills-a man
cannot Rrumble unless he pays. There
fore, in these times the San Francisco Gas
Company cannot expect much sympathy.
At the same time. II the residents OF this
city begin 10 draw comparison between
their rate and those of other countries they
VIII find that they are we'll treated.
Take, as an instance, city OF about
the same age as San Francisco, Melbourne.
The Metropolitan Gas Company had. and
still has, monopoly. There was time,
however, when the complaints were so
numerous that the Government took the
matter up and, in giving them certain
privileges, insisted that 10 per cent was TO
be the MAXIMUM dividend, and that il the
annual profits exceeded that sum yearly
the price Of gas must be reduced.
when our leading London companies
amalgamated few years ago much the
same thing was done. the shareholders
being guaranteed their dividend of 10 per
cent and the consumers being guaranteed
their reductions in gas. and they have had
several from time to time. That pleases
the pu Bile. and they are we'll satisfied In
England and Australia; but here see by
the papers that, although the San Fran
cisco Gas Company is only paying per
CCub ulNlutH tutiC dAO b uh< OtCio ds WIG
price of 81 70.
TN Australia the average price is nearly
| 81 30, and when you consider that coal is
about half the price, you will understand
| my saying that your consumers do not
| know when they are we'll supplied" On
being asked about the lighting Of the
| streets Mr.. Bradshaw said: LAS for the
| street lighting. that is done by contract
with the municipal authorities at so much
| per lamp per month. In San francisco
the gas company undertakes the lighting
and would probably be glad to get the city
authorities to do il. At least that is our
| experience, because then if the lights are
not on it is the lookout of the consumers,
not ours, We perform our part OF the
contract and there our obligation ceases.
! The police are the people who most re-
| quire a town 10 be lighted and 1t is SIM
pie matter for them to report lamp De-
ing out"
"What do you think of the suggestion
to put meters in every lamppost?"
Splendid idea for the gas company.
We have tried TO do so ourselves. II
would pay us handsomely because we
burn more gas than we contract to do
nightly. | presume that the San Francisco
Gas Company are business men. and if so
! they will jump at the chance, but 1t will
| be expensive for the city,"
what about the lamps going out? What
guarantee have the rate-payers that the
lamps are really burning?"
| "As | said before the case here is differ
ent from ours, but if the authorities in
charge do not know whether they are get
| ting value for their money. it does not
| reflect on the gas company so much as on
their own business capabilities. OF course
lamps will get out of order, especially in
town like this, where there is so much
| fine dust to get into the burners. The
adjustment of things like that IS simply a
matter of detail between the company and
the authorities, for il the company were
willfully negligent the public would soon
make it known"
Speaking generally, what do you think
of the recent disagreement from an out
| sider's point of view?''
THAT question is easily answered. You
have, as it appears. only two real COM
plants. One of these is a bout the price of
gas and the other as to whether the street
lamps are burning and using gas to the ex-
tent charged blythe gas company.
| You can calculate it for yourself, nc ex-
pert opinion is required. The San Fran
cisco Gas Company, for instance, has to
pay double the Australian price TOR coal,
higher wages for skilled workmen, has a
greater opposition in the way of electric
light and still charges less than the aver.
age Australian price. That l imagine
| should settle that question. As to the
street lamps, let the city authorities under
take the management Of the lamp-lighters
themselves and let them insist on having
meters in each lamppost IL they so de-
eide l should be glad to invest little
money IN their stock at Its present price
and will prophesy something more to you
than a per cent dividend.
mo, l have not met a single gas director
| or manager here. but il l were one in this
| state l should court full investigation
| and try hard to get meters attached to the
street lamps. 1t pays all gas companies
best, for, although should not say so, we
i lox. f1r Lon nfa In Ii Ii