The morning call., 1893-10-03
ABOUT GAS RATES.
Cest of Material in This
and Other Cities.
WHAT FOLLOWS A REDUCTION
San Francisco Claimed to Enjoy the
Cheapest Gas in the United States.
Figures Hard to COntrovert.

tanned by the Board of Supervisors of this
CITY and county 10 reduce the present cost
of gas to consumers is one that involves
such serious consequences to the gas COM
-panies that they have been justified in
the energetic protests which have been
made by them against the adoption OF
such an ordinance.
The gas companies claim, and are pre-
pared to demonstrate, that, taking into
consideration the cost of the materials
which enter most largely into the manu-
facture of Illuminating gas, this city, in
comparison with other great cities of the
country, really pays less for this comfort
or luxury than any Of them. notwithstand-
ing the fact that il some cities OF the
Union the price paid forgas by the general
public does not exceed 81 25 for each 1000
cubic feet.
To establish this proposition it is only
necessary to compare the cost of coal. oil
and pipe paid by the Eastern gas manu-
facturers with those paid by our local
companies, and the vast advantage which
the Eastern companies enjoy over our own
In these respects will convince even the
most skeptical.
The figures presented are official and
cannot be disputed. They have been given
in response to and at the urgent request OF
the president Of the San Francisco Gas
light Company for information and are
accessible To every person VINO has the
least doubt as 10 their reliability or who
may be interested in the question as 10
whether San Francisco is or is not paying
An extravagant rate for its gas. The ln-
formation was also obtained Tor the puT-
pose of enlightening the Board OF Super
.f % ~ I1rln n
aud also of enabling them TO understand
the position of the company In the prem
ises and of assisting them In just deter
minaJlou of the equities OF the gas COM
pany and its consumers.
These figures have been obtained from
all the larger cities of the Union and are on
file at the Office of the San Francisco Cas-
light Company, but as they ali without
exception indicate the great disadvantage
of the local companies in the purchase Of
material. some in a less and others in a
higher degree, il is not thought to be nee
esSary 10 quote all of the results obtained,
but to cite few only of some of the larger
cities. whose transportation facilities and
accessibility to the sources of supply
would place them on the most favorable
footing for the manufacturer of cheap gas.
COMPARISON OF FIGURES.
Taking San FrRD cisco as a starting point
year 936, 06O, 600 cubic feet of gas for actual
consumption at a cost to the consumer of
81 per thousand feet. The cost of an
.tgTaclte coal used was 81 80 per ton and Of
the hituminous Sc 30 per ton. The oil
consumed was of State production and
cost III cents per gallon. These prices,
owing 10 the dull times existing in every
branch of production, are lower than the
gas company has paid in some years.
Compared with San Francisco are the fig
ures supplied by the New York companies {:
Total gas consumed. 7.000.000,000 cubic
feet; cost of anthracite coal. So 65 per
ton. and Of hituninous, S3 70 per ton,
while for oil New York pays 215 cents per
Eal10p. or q difference against San Fran
cisco of lea. 80 per cent on the cost of an
thracite coal. 49, per cent on bitumin Gus
coal and 1866 per cent on the cost Of oil.
The price for gas in New I Iork is 81 %.
Chicago manufactures s, GAG, ,000. eco cubic
feet OF gas per year, for which the con-
:sumer pays at the rate of 81 20 per thou
sand feet. Anthracite coal costs in Chi
7Gago S4 20 per ton and the oil used .78
cents per gallon, so that San Francisco
pays 70.4 Der. cent higher than Chicago does
for its anthracite coal and no less than
302.9 per cent higher for oil.
Philadelphia manufactures g. 400, 600, QUO
cubic feet Of gas yearly. for which the con-
suner pays 81 80 per thousand. That city
pays IUE dubUIdCllo COdl OF ~ per Lon dnu
$3 49 per ton for bituminous. The oil used
costs IN Philadelphia 3 cents per gallon.
compared with Philadelphia, San Fran
GiSc9 pays 82.9 per cent more for anthra-
cite coal. S6.2 per cent more for bituminous
and 139 per cent more for oil.
:: Boston makes l, ,275. 600, 900 of gas per an
NUM- and charges 81 80 per thousand cubic
feet. 1t pays for anthracite coal 81 and
for bituminouS So rs per ton. That city
pays 3.S7R cents per gallon for oil, SO that
San Francisco has to pay 104.5 per cent
higher than Boston for anthracite. 70
more for bitnmIn0uS and 85 per cent excess
on oil.
Cincinnati. city of about the same
population as San francisco, sells 1876
100000 cubic feet of gas yearly, for which
1t charges 81 % per thousand. 1t uses
only btuminous coal in its manufacture,
which costs 81 90 per ton. San Francisco
thus pays 1878 per cent more for
biiuminous coal than Cincinnati.
The figures given above convey general
idea of the results of the careful Inquiries
Instituted in order to learn the cost of
naterla! used in gas manufacture in all
the great Eastern cities Of the United
States as compared with San Francisco,
and the result from them all is SUBJ
stantially the same, the percentage
against this city always ranging high.
PRICES OF IRON PIPE.
In the matter of iron pipe the excess of
Its cost in San Francisco as compared
with Eastern cities is fully 80 per cent
greater.
With these immense percentages against
it on every one of the essential articles re-
qulred in the manufacture of gas in San
Francisco, 1t would seem evident to eyery
:one who will take The trouble to consider
the subject that it would be an absolute
impossibility for the local companies 10
furnish gas at Eastern rates or to even re-
duce existing prices. This coast has as yet
developed no mines of anthracite or
Unanimous Goals that can supply the quail
..ity. that now is procured from Wales and
A ustralia. The distance Goals are con-
:v6Red' necesstates keeping an immense
stock ON hand at all times. so az to be inde-
.pendent of the contingencies or casualties
of the sea-. There are no stocks upon
which to draw in the event of short
age. as Eastern companies can do and
this item of interest alone on stocks car
RED is large and at present impossible to
reduce
OUR OIL WELLS A RELIEF.
In oil alone this market is practically in
dependent Of the East. and yet compari-
eon with prices paid by Eastern companies
for this essential article shows the enor-
nous advance local gas manufacture rs
have to pay as con- pared with their East
ern competitors. Yet the company In San
Francisco has left no stone unturned in
oTd9r IN eheaneD the cost of gas hv rpdnc-