Evening star., 1896-10-07
attorney and experts, with a determination
worthy Of q better cause.

attorney and experts, with a determination
worthy Of q better cause.
Senator Changes Front.
Zone Senator who had signed the report |
In favor Of dollar gas at the previous ses-
sion gave as his reason for opposing 1t /
now that he had been converted by the
arguments CT the Senator from West Vir-
ginia. who based his opposition on the
assertion that the company could not al
ford to sell gas for 81, although your COM
mittee placed before them the testimony |
Of the president of the company that the
gas cost to make. in 1886. but AZ cents if |
made from coal. or 80 cents II water gas;
and who also testified that the total cost
to the company of gas delivered to the |
consumer, taxes and everything included,
was but "a cents
1.-The District Commissioners heretofore
and now opposed the idea urged by this
ard other associations Of having the Dis
trict itself furnish the gas, is done with
great public benefit in other cities. es-
pecially In Philadelphia, where in four
years the city derived a profit of s. 10000
and sells gas for 81. They did, however.
recommend fixing the price at 81, and in
asmuch as they have become SO far edu-
Gated In municipal economy as to favor
the District doing it's own street cleaning,
1t is to be hoped that they or their sue
eessors will sufficiently progress in time to
favor the District furnishing its own light
and conducting its own garbage service. in
manner that will no longer make 1t
sterch in the nostrils of the citizens and
an unnecessary tax on its revenues.
The Stars Usual Course.
'Of the city press The Star alone aided
your committee. One paper which las:
year was hot on the trail of the gas mo-
nopoly. and published coupons for the citi
zens to sign, of which it said it would send
thousands to Congress a petition for
| cheap gas. mysteriously changed its course,
and not only ceased to publish coupons, but
suppressed those that had been signed by
| citizens, and said nothing further in favor
| OF cheap gas Another both in 1884 and
again in 1896 published editorials oppos-
| ing the idea of the District owning the
gas works. and one Of its proprietors as
your committee was informed by Sena-
| tor, was one of the most persistent lobby
| lists IN favor of the gas company. These
| matters are mentioned simply to show the
! tremendous opposition with which your
committee has had TO contend in its fight
| for cheap gas for the citizens.
Thanks to Whom They Are Due.
"On the other hand. it is proper to say
that the House committee, unGer the lead
of its active chairman, Mr.. ]. w. Babcock,
| aid a noble work for the citizens, as did
| also Senators Kyle and George in the Sen
ate. and Mr.. w. P. Hepburn in the House,
| during the time the bill was in conference.
| The thanks of the association due to
these pal ties and also to the other citizens
| associations who passed resolutions in favor
| of the bill, and especially the Northeast
| Citizens Association, whose president at
| tended the hearings and did all in his power
| to aid in the work. AS passed by the House
| the bill raised the illuminating power of the
| gas from IL to y candle power, an in
| crease of nearly one-third In the amount of
light; but the gas company induced the
| Senate committee to substitute for the
Argand burner, established by the act CT
| 1874 the standard for testing the gas,
the fiat flame burner, which the president
of the gas company and the TWO experts
whom they brought here from New York
at heavy expense, both in 1856 and again
at the last session, testified would make the
IL candle power gas rate as "a or y candle
power. To obscure this device the Senate
| amendment fixed the candle power at % by
| the new standard. This ostensiby is a
large increase in amount of light. but. a
matter CT fact. it will change the illumi-
| rating power of gas but very little, if a:
ALL In response to an inquiry by your COM
| mttee, the inspector of gas says: The gas
| as now made at the eastern works will
closely conform with the standard required
by the act as passed June Is, 1876 He re-
| ports the average p. at the various test
| ing stations, from April % to May "a as
1878 C. p. 1t WILL therefore, be seen that
| We will get substantially the same gas as
| now
| Saving to the Citizens.
THE price, however, will be reduced l.
cents per 1,OOO and at the end of five years
|
a result of these continued efforts, there
will be a saving to the citizens of sl2o,Oot
per annum for the next five years, amount
ing to $UU,OO. and thereafter a saving OF
s2,U,OO0 per annun, which, with the 81, 49,
600 saved during the past ten years, VT
, think fully compansates the association ant
, it's committee for their eXertionS In behalf
. of the public. AS a matter OF fact, the
, saving will be much more, because of th'
Increased consumption of gas, which, o
, course, will increase with the increase O.
population, and also because at the cheaper
/ rate it will be used much more extensively
for heating and cooking. The amount O
{ | gas produced in 1855 was a little owe
523,OOO,OOO feet; whereas in 1895 it was yoS,
| OOO,OUU. showing that it had almost doubled
| in ten years, notwithstanding the introduc
! ton of the electric light OF this amour
! the citizens used about SOG,UO,UOO feet, tn
balance being used for public lighting.
District Should Make Its Own Gas.
= I'm conclusion your committee reaffirn
|. the views expressed by the resolution whic
it introduced and the associa lion adopted il
/; January, 1894, and again last winter adopt
d ed, that the true policy is for the Distric
y to furnish it's own light, both gas and elec
: trio. The fact, was shown by US befor
X the House and Senate committee, that 70
u i seven years past a private company ma
u made and sold gas to the city Of Philadel
II phia for 81 cents per 1000, shows beyon
| question that gas can De mdQe ana sol
= mere for 10 cents, and pay into the Distrc
e revenues annually at least 100000"
A Deep Well Wanted.
d Judge Hallam moved that the association
d through the secretary, notify the Dstric
l. Commissioners that it was the sense OF tn
association that the proposed deep well o
a the west of Lincoln Park should not b
abandoned, but pushed to a successful tel
l. m;nation. The motion was carried.
The committee on streets, avenues an
rs We hear a great deal about purify
e, ing the blood The way to purify
n is to enrich it. Blood is not a simpl
D fluid like water. 1t is made up {