Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-01-25
Municipal Gas Works.

To the Editor of The Evening Star:
The writer WAS at one time identified -
citizen with the construction of NUM-
cipal gas works at Hamilton. Ohio, a city
which has population of about 10000 and
located twenty-five miles north of Cincin-
natl The local company which supplied
Hamilton with gas up &c 1883 was very
unpopular. in that It was almost universally
charged with supplying ain inferior article
at a high price-S2 per thousand cubic feet.
When demonstrated with by citizens. IL had
many seemingly unanswerable arguments.
1t could not get cheap COAL like otn sr COM
pdnles. the supply coming from western
Pennsylvania via Cincinnati; the extern
sion of mains ordered by the city council
cost SO much money; the pipes were old and
small ana to prove this the alleged hooks
OF the company would be thrown open to
the inspection of the council.
Public sentiment continued 20 grow stead
lily ir view of the fact that the company
refused to materially reduce the rates ana
hnally developed into q vigorous movement
looking to the establishment Of municipal
Sas works. The man arguments were that
there was no other real solution; that gzs
could be supplied by a municipality as sat-
isfactorf.S as water; that the profits cold
the fat rocket books OF The gas company
stockholders: that such profits belonged 10
TIE people; that The cost N public lighting
would be greatly reduced, and that finally.
through the medium Of the sinking flnl
the city would acquire a valuable properly,
worth 2 large sum Of money. without any
tax; the works paying for themselves
The question carried by a big majority
at the election. Gas commissioners good
cnes, were then elecred. In connection with
experts they spent much time in going
over the field AMI studying every phase OF
the matter. The WORKS were hen spien Al ily
well built at a cost SD far of about sl15 90
Inc o:d COMPANY fought each step IN the
courts on the ground that they had vested
rights, inasmuch as they hal invested a
great deal OF money in layin: mains as an
Incorporated company lndar the Direct IN
OF the city authorities. The case was fought
GEAR through to the Supreme Court Of Ire
United states. where &c ,is'na adverse TO
tne company was reniereL
Now that the city mas running The
suits are conce led.
1. Price of gas reduced from 81 to 81,
win prospect of a still further reduction,
fund burden becomes lighter through the
payment of bonds.
2. Quality of gas greatly improved.
3. Cost of public lighting reduced in the
4. Owing to the cheapness of gas the
number of public lamp posts greatly in
creased.
5. Large increase in the private consump-
for cooking purposes.
G. Universal satisfaction among the cit.
liens with the gas supply.
Z. The company is prosperous and SOL
vent, furnishing gas at the above price,
meeting all fixed charges and having a
good cash surplus always on hand.
1 have thought this plain recital of facts
might have a tendency to clear away a
good deal of fog much of IL manufactured.
that seems to settle about this same ques-
ton at our national capital. which, instead
of following should lead, as II has in so
many other directions, in the settlement OF
this problem. What Hamilton has done
with the limited patronage embraced I'm a
population of 2o000. and a long coal haul
Washington could well do with its popula-
ton Of twelve or fifteen times great
G. NJ. C.