The Washington times., 1895-03-24
SIXTY CENTS A THOUSAND
Glasgow Makes It's Own Gas and
Sells 1t at that Figure.
And Even Then 1t Is Able to Pay Maturing
Capital Indebtedness-"Th Times"
and Cheap Gas.

Ed. Times: Albert Shaw, editor of the
Review of Reviews, in his recent work on
Municipal Government in Great Britain"
gives many facts which should shame our
city rulers into higher and more liberal
regard for the public good
No intelligent citizen can read this book
without wishing that our American cities,
and especially the national capital, might
be put speedily on the path to similar
reforms. Let me quote from Dr. Shaw's
brilliant account of the doings Of the
city of Glasgow, p. I1Sa
Having made the water-works a grand
success, having next begun corporation
park system, and having entered vigorously
and hopefully upon the sanitary and
city Improvement schemes already de-
scribed, Glasgow was prepared in 1869,
TO undertake another large municipal en-
terprise. In that year, after much diff
Guilty in adjusting the details of the ar
rangement, the gas supply of the city was
transferred from private hands to The cor
poration, to be managed by the council as
an ordinary department.
THE original cost exceeded Sc, 600 900.
twenty-five years of management by
the authorities has given unmitigated
satisfaction to all the citizens of Glasgow.
The quantity of gas sold had increased
from 1,026, ,000, goo feet in 1S69-T0, the
corporations first year, TO 3. 26 000. 900
in 1S90-91, an increase of ITO per cent,
while the population supplied had grown
only perhaps 20 or 80 per cent.
From S1.l4 per thousand feet, which
was charged consumers in 1S6970, the
CprppraTiAp has hppp nktn m M u 10
uons year by year until for several recent
years the price has been fixed at so cents.
Yet the department has been able to con-
struct new works (it now owns four i'm
mense ablishments), pay its interest
charges and running expenses. write off
large sums every year for depreciation of
works, pipes, and meters, ard accumulate
a sinking fund easily capable of paying off
capital Indebtedness as it natures"
mo other city in the world. at least out
side Of Scotland adds DR.. Shaw ''can
at all compare with Glasgow in the univer-
salty of the use OF gas in the homes ofthe
working classes
Dr.. Shaw also sketches the recent expert
ment OF the Glasgow Gas Departme in sup
plying gas cooking stoves, selling them at
cost. orrenting them by the Y ear or quarter.
The city receives in rents fair interest
and depreciation charge on its investment
in stoves, and is at the same time extending
the market lor It's gas
in 1892 the department had more than
5000 gas stoves of its own on hire in the
tenement houses, and had in the preceding
seven years sold many thousands
The Glasgow authorities evidently look
forward to a time when the use of cleo
tricity as an illuminant viii to some extent
supersede the demand for gas. Accordingly
they propose to develop the local prac-
tice of using gas forfuel.
$50 iuay-itab bIa is tha worry orp,1araI f,ca r
gas stoves and furnaces in the early future
| that no possible extension of the use of
! electricity for lighting can render gas
making and distributing plants super
! fluous. Meanwhile the authorities OF Glas
Cow have determined to monopolize the
| business Of distri buting electric light
! and power from central establishments
I'm 1892 they bought out an existing
private company, and in 1898 they opened
a large municipal plant for supplying arc
and incandescent lights to private con-
! sumers as well as to streets and public
buildings The experiment is satisfactory
thus far"
| / ought to add that Glasgow is by no
means alone in these great municipal I'M
! dertakings for the public good. Scores of
the large English cities have followed the
noble example, and with even greater cost
! have achieved equal success.
JOHN NJ GREGORY.
Editor Times: inclose you twenty
five (25) of The Times gas reducing cou-
| pons signed by as many residents OF Wash
! ington, good and true men,
! Prior to the reassembting of Congress
in December next 1 shall send you many
times twenty-five of these coupons signed
by gas consumers of the city.
| a prominent Official of the Washington
! Gas Company urged as a reason before
| the Senate committee why Congress should
! take no action toward compelling the re-
duction in the price of gas that the people