New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-12-07
PLANS OF GAS MAGNATES
THEY WANT A FIvE-YEARS' CONTRACT
ON A SLIDING SCALE"

HOW FAR THE SCALE WOULD SLIDE THE CON-
PANY COULD DErERMINE-oNLY ONE BID
DER UNDER THE NEW COMBINATION
WHERE THE PROFIT COMES IN.
When the Brooklyn Union Gas Company was Or
vanized with a capital stock OF s5o"o'Vo u ie"
weeks ago. by combining the seven existlns COM
NAMES whose capital aggregated ABOUT sf'oVo' inc
somewhat inexplioable statement was maue ny IN
,ores.ed narties that gas would be lower. as the
companies by rigid economy would DE aoie 10 re-
dvca exnenses which saving would inure TO the
benefit of a suffering public. who for the iast year
have paid 81 25 thousand for gas OF "ise'ap'e
ouality The officers OF the new company were ho'
ohio ~ explain however. how dividends couiu pe
maid on twice the capital as formerly win no appre
c,abIe increase in the number OF takers tester
s q, uas asserted by men closely identned with
49, combine that on Monday next the CON-
r,,ttee on Gas and Electricity "ou'u iePo''
favorablv to the Board OF Aldermen resoiu-
ton binding the city to a hVe years eu.'s
scale contract with the monopoly, tnere pc
ing no other bidder in the field. for gas TOT hs CITY
IVA the nublic at not more than 81 % per thousand
feet the price to be progressively reduced every
vear of the five The Department OF City WORKS, IL
is understood will authorized to advertise lot ous
or nroposas for shch supply OF gas ana then Is
understood that the city will be onered gas ioi
something less than 81 % for the hrst year ana p'o
.raes,ve,v less for the four following years.
The ,nnresslon is gaining ground that there Is a
large colored individual In the woodpiIe' ana 'na' Il
the Aldermen consent to any sucn ARRANGEMENT
their action will arouse Widespread nnishaoi.' i"'
anv such fve-year rate will be sadded on the c''y
while Mayor Schieren Is al the lily nan i ~
by observing persons.
Preparations for the present move on the part VI
the gas people have been in progress lot over
wear Last year bill was passed az Albany pro-
vidne that cities of the hrst class Ike Brooklyn
nth oae commands not exceeding fifteen years IN
length on the condition that the price must be less
than the prices now prevailing. the price 10 De pro-
gressvely less each year
The BROOKLYN Union Company, which. 1t Is SAID
caused the law to be passed. proposes TO take
advantage of this law with as long contract ana
a, as good figures for Itself as possible Inc ON
GERS of the company anxious TO get the mater
cnched before another law can be paSsed re1u'lhs
the price Of gas The FOR this Is obvious, as
Brooklyn is paying twenty-five cents q thou-
sand more fol- eas than Philadelphia.
An expert IN the manufacture OF gas was seen
las. nigh, by A Tribune reporter and requested 10
say something about The cost of gas production He
said.
There is d sharp line 20 b. drawn between G's
made from carbon. coal. and gas produced from
water Water gas can be made at less than one
third ;he cost If coal gas. Water gas ia made by
making water into steam al nigh temperature ana
then passing 1t red-hot coke. In his way the
the coke and forms carbonic oxide. The hydrogen OF
that steam will thus be ST ffee and mixed WIN the
IS one vo.uIne OF carbonic oxide and two volumes
Of hylrosen These Two Eases wSuh nor proi ire
light II thcs not mixed al a high temperature
with "A ircomposed vapor of petroleum. An enor-
nous Quantity Of water gas can o. maze he ror ba
only really expensive part Of the PRODUCTION Roughiy
speaking s2d LAY water epa las eoua be eev
thousand feet OF coal gas can be made from one ton
10 be sold at a 10 per cent dividend the stock of
literally capitalized company at - GEMS tnouSahd
THE average price thousand for coal gas in
England where water gas is yas Sa0 be-
produced at about one-third the cost OF coal gas as
/ said before Carefully conducted experiments.
water gas is about Y cents thousand feet without
its petroleum element necessary to make It a white
light Three gallons Of crude petroleum at cents
a gallon necessary to carburette thousand feet
Of the water gas and make it 1T for dmo os sh h
gas up IS cents thousand feet. The interest
WOULD Id bfmr n ' a cost OF gas up TO- say
30 or IS cents thousand feet Everything above
Alderman Walkley. of the Committee on Gas and
Electricity who has stood shoulder to shoulder
reduction In the electric lighting OF the city. at
saving equivalent to $4,000 in the last two years,
thought about the proposed five-year contract last
night: -, ,,,...
works ccmmis soner shoad Be Flowed to adver;
tise for alternative BIDS FOR one or hye years 'ad
reported. It should start not more than 81 10.
NOW 81 h s gas ne cd
81 o. and progressively reduce the rate only Mill
thing as there is only one company to bid. One OF
the things aimed at by the combine in the fye-year
see the company make the price in the neighboghood
Of g. 1t IS to their interest 70 90 it, think hey hey
competition would not be invited by new COM
When Subway Commissioner George W. Plympton
asked about the proposed five-year contra: he
~ think II would be absurd for the city to do such
thing. The manufacture Of gas Is being con-
Of he edacon actual nave
Mayor schieren IS reported to, have said that he
never would sign an ordinance for gas at above 81
When CITY Works Commissioner White was asked
the proposed sliding scale. he refused discuss II
MbsFev than d to Could ha he snpr any TR
rule heretofore has been to make contracts for one
AS an Indication Of the prosperity Of the new sas
Gombinaton It Is worthy q note that President
sold consolidated per cent bonds OF the BROOKLYN
Union Gas Company agsregating $4,000. Frank b.
s iesF s was the purchaser and inc price paid was
1t is understood that only water gas will be made
in Brooklyn as soon az tho trust gets everything in
running order. Its cheapness and the fact that IL
will bring about increased consumption OF crude
the change.
NOT MANY USED THE STAIRWAY
The new stairway at the lower end OF the IN
coming platform at the Brooklyn end OF the Bridge
was opened at o'clock Thursday afternoon in
time TO have its first trial when travel from New
| York to Brooklyn was heaviest. The stairway Is
| twelve feet wide and is thought to be wide enough
TO accommodate the biggest crowds without the
aid OF sta!rways leading TO the street and the ee-
waited lines The location OF the stairway near
the river end OF the platform proved the greatest
obstacle TO its usefulness, many people d!slike1
to turn back even for few steps after leaving
the trains.
President Howell said yesterday that he felt we'll