New-York tribune., 1896-12-09
IN THE NATTER or GAS.


Alderman Olcotts resolution. introduced Mt
Yesterdays meeting Of the Board, providing Tor
an investigation of the subject of gas manufact-
ure and supply. has doubtless aroused consul
erablc interest in various circles. Obviously
Mr. Ocotts present disposition Is TO favor mu-
nicpal ownership of gas plants and distribution
of their product. though the inquiry when he
proposes is nominally for the purpose of ascer-
tanning whether it would be desirable Tor the
city to undertake the business OF supplying the
people with gas as it now supplies thenl VIII"
water As to this question the views OF honest
and intelligent citizens differ widely. ana are
likely to differ least long a. the test OF eX-
pcrience Is wanting. There Is little or no rea-
son to doubt that the companies now making
gas on a large scale, by the economical processes
which have been introduced in recent years.
could sell il for considerably less than the pres
ent price and still make a handsome proilt. 1hat
the municipality could do the same thing Is not
so sure though other cities have III fact done
It, We have never felt. and do not feel now.
like committing ourselves In favor or the scheme
which Mr.. Olcott seeks 10 promote by an IN
yestigaton partly for the reason that such ar-
curate knowledge of the subject as the pro-
posed investigation ought 10 develop has not
hitherto been within reach The means Of ascer-
tanning what has been accomplished elsewhere
NAV be abundant and accessible but conditions
vary widely In different cities. and II would not
be safe to assume that an undertaking which
has been beneficial to other communities must
necessarily succeed here.
OF such an inquiry. however, as 1t Is proposed
TO make we heartily approve. Legislative IN
vestgatons have explored almost every field OF
human activity but they have not been highly
satisfactory as rule, and we don't know why
an Aldcrmanlc investigation should not answer
the present purpose quite as well ~ any other.
As basis for deciding. sooner or later IN" seri-
Gus question OF municipal ownership and man
agement OF the gas supply. thorough knowl-
edge OF what that proposition would mean -
Indispensable. Such knowledge would be- eN-
tremely useful also in municipal dealings with
gas companics-as for instance In determining
the value of new franchises-and II might be-
convenient AT times when attempts 10 regulate
the price by law felt. rather than seem 10 be
encounierng mysterious obstacles.
For these reasons we are glad that Alderman
Olcotts resolution was adopted without opposi-
ton. 1t calls for a committee Of seven mem
bcrs and the Board contains enough suitable
material for its composition But II ought 10 he
carefully selected The investigation can be 60
conducted as 10 be Of uncommon advantage to
the people OF New York. and. on tho other hand.
there IS always n possibility that public IN
qulry will degenerate into a farce or something
worse There is not the least reason why the
gas companies should consider that their rights
are threatened. If the arguments which have
frequently been made in their behalf are well
founded, the investigation will probably show
that their prices are not exorbltant. II a dlf-
ferent state OF facts should he disclosed, the
people would be fairly entitled to make the most
| OF IT,