Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1894-12-18
COMMUNICATED.
The Gas Works.

[ have read the calculations and
criticisms of sd" in the GAZETTE of the
10Th inst, on gas matters, and to my
mind it appears as remarkable for
what it fails to state as for what 1t
does state. The correspondent says he
read the article in Thursdays GAZETTE.
In that issue it is stated that the gas
works, during period of is years
1869 1887, averaged $1,000 per annum,
but he ignores these figures and makes
a calculation to cover the six years in
which the city derived no revenue,
owing to the renewal of the works, new
tanks, extension of mains, &c. To be
fair, and rs he had the figures before
him, which are approximately correct,
he might have taken eight years prior
to 1878, that is from 1869 to 1894 (Which
includes the six years in which nothing
was turned into the general fund), %
years. The people want facts and figures
and not juggling calculations; and they
also know that if $4,000 wss placed
in the treasury in those % years that
the rent each year, lgood and bad) is
S4,SS0 and not 1888 per annum as
'.Dn says. The correspondent is some
what ingenious when he figures that 81
extra street lamps cost 50, 166 or about
S25 each per year. A reference to the
last gas report shows that the gas
actually used in each all night lamp,
calculated at $1.42l per 1000 feet (sell-
ing price, was only $l573 and SD" is,
1 am satisfied, intelligent enough to
know that the cost of the gas furnished
the various city departments is not
81, 129, but only what the coal, &C.,
used in the manufacture of the gas cost.
The gas which this so called company
would give us would not cost them
81, 300 as "Dn would have it appear,
nor half that amount. agree with
sd" when he says that the gas con-
sumers have lighted the city and paid
a considerable amount into the city
treasury. Will the consumer do any
less when he turns over the gas works
which represent an outlay of $4,000
to strangers? The condition being only
that they will furnish gas and
pay $1,000 to the city. For what?
Why to quote them, to have the
erclusice right to manufacture and
sell gas in the city of Alexandria at
81 % per 1000 feet for all time. Now |
have the idea, and speak as one con-
sumer, that not only want gas at less
than 81 .25, but expect to see it brought
to that figure, and less, and the way to
do it is for the people to control the
gas works and make reductions from
time to time in the future as has been
done in the past. Being a member of
the committee to consider this propos-
ed lease, l have with the assistance of
the Auditor carefully, from the public
accounts, made up the net receipts of
the gas works from their start. The
statement in detail is too long for this
article, will only refer to it i'll brief.
The gas works cost between $45, 600
and $4,000; to be fair and frank, l will,
for compari son, add $4,000 for new
tanks, mains, &c, making the value of
the works 100000, on March l, 1854.
During the first ten years the gas fund
formed part of the general account. l
find the receipts during those years
amounted to $1S2,373; the expenses
Sl35, 400; net receipts S46,S74 40, or
yearly average of S46,S74. Beginning
1864 the transfer from gas fund to gen
eral fund was made yearly. With
that year to date the amount is $780,
$40, and add for the present year,
which will be at least $1,000, or more,
and we have in round numbers STA
900 as the result of 80 years, or S, 40
each year, including those years il
which sd" says there was deficit.
The earnings of the gas works during
the years 1S64-65-66-67 were really
S., 200 more than ! have stated, as this
s., 200 was paid to the United States as
a license tax assume that I'd" has
the same interest in this matter as my
self, but cannot accept his conclusion
that ''the sooner this lease is closed The
better for the city and the consumers
of gas" but rather hold to the maxim,
Hasten slowly" and no mistakes will
be made. The people placed the
works here and the present Council
was not elected to lease or sell them.
There are other things bearing on the
subject that will receive attention when |
the matter is before the joint commit
tee of Council. Discussion and not
haste is what Is wanted.
L. E. UHLER.
Alexandria, Dec. IL.
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