The evening times., 1896-02-13


cubic feet $71S.573, or about 80 cents
per 1000 With the ordinary dividends
and interest on bonds added. IL brings the
cost TO $1.1O per 1000 feet, namely:
Cost of production, distribution,
| ETC.. :. =. .. =. . S7IS573
interest. :. :. =. :. :. 72,OOO
Making cost, as stated, S1.1O per l 600
cubic feet.
This above account includes cost OF new
mains laid, meters, holder, etc.
or the above 9O5. 100000 cubic feet the
public lamps consumed I04,G00.O 900, leay-
| ing about SO0.000,0OO cubic feet for pri-
vatc consumption.
PUBLIC LAMPS.
The District government pays us S2O5
per lamp per year, each lamp to burn 1000
hours, q cubic feet per hour, or 1900
CUBIC feet OF gas per year. After deducting
cost OF maintaining iamps-nam.ly. light
ing, cleaning. extinguishing. and repairing
which is over 81 80 per lamp per annum-
u VIII De seen that the remaining SIG is
the net amount for the & 900 feet of gas
burned, or 50 cents per Zoo. The com
o1ny receives 5-S cent, ,,er nigat for each
lamp, less all expenses.
COST OF COAL.
The average price for gas Goals used sy
us during the year 1895 was 1894 per
ton. Compare this with Pittsburg. Pa.
where II is sold the companies for less
than 81; Cincinnati, from 81 To S1.25 per
ton; Detroit, about S1.75 per ton
In or
cents To 81 less than in Washington. Our
present contract for gas Goals as made in
1898, comprises about IS. .OG0 tons OF gas
coal, from 5000 10 i0, 900 tons OF anthra-
cite and about 5000 tons OF steam coal.
we ehave no assurance that We can duplicate
the contract for the same price.
Bltuminous Goals used by this company
are: Youghioghcny Pa, cost So 90 net per
ton; West virginia, Monangah. $3.50 net
per ton; West Virginia, Dcspard, $3.50 net
per ton. Anthracite Goals delivered at east
station, 1886 per ton; anthracite Goals de-
delivered at west station, S4 20 per on.
The average cost of 1891 tons of coal
now in our bins is 1894 per ton.
NAPHTHA.
Naphtha is tie only enrcher that can
produce the high candle power demanded
at the present time. Our contract for this
material expires in July. The price sug-
gc,ted for limited contract is about 40 per
cent more than we now pay, which advance
would increase the cost OF about two-thirds
OF our entire production cents per l 900
cubic feet over 1895.
RESIDUALs.
Coke, tar and ammoniacal liquor find a
poor market in Washington. In many cities
realize from % per cent 10 90
per cent more than we can get We receive
for coke from D 1-2 to 6 cents per bushel,
limited sales.
Tar is sold for less than 8 cents per
gallon.
Ammoniacal liquor brought US in less |
than So, 400 in 1895.
EXTENSION OF MAINS.
owing to the extensive use of asphalt for |
street pavements in Washington, and the |
great width of many of the avenues and |
streets. the cost Of la ying mains is increased
from three to five times more than the
same work would cost where there is brick
Or cobblestone used, and the District gov
reserves the right to make repairs
10 all other brick pavements.
By United States statute, We are bound
20 lay gas mains wherever streets are i'm
proved on order of the Commissioners. and
where streets are OF unusual width. a main
IN each side. at large expenditure of
money without reasonable hope of compen-
ation until such improved streets are occu-
pied.
1t is only necessary to call the attention OF
business men TO the problems presented to
he mana cement OF the gas company in the
near future to understand the difficulties in
he way of making such reduction In the
PRESENT price of gas.
Cost of replacing street pavemcnts when
cut: Sheet asphalt. SO per square yard;
;ranite block. 81 rs per square yard; cob
'lestone, As cents per square yard.
EFFECT OF REDUCTION IN PRICE.
Taking the above as a basis of expendi-
ure for one year in the production and
of, say, 500, ,00U, 600 cubic feet
# gas it will he readily seen that any con-
iderable reduction from the present price
4 gas. as now charged for private con-
umption and for street ,ighting-viZ: 81 20
let per 900 cubic feet for private con-
umption aud S2o.5O per lamp per annum
or street lighting would result in serious
Dss to the gas company. AS. for example. |
uppose that your honorable committee,
fter a full investigation into all matters |
ertaining to the price of gas in Washing
on as compared to prices charged both for
ublic and private uses, with a careful
omparison OF all the circumstances and
oDdtions pertaining thereto, should de- |
idc to report that hereafter, say for the
ERIN of five years, the price of gas in |
Y ashinston city as furnished by the WASH
igton Gas Light Company shall not ex- ]
eed 81 20 gross, less o per cent per l 900 {
ubic feet discount If paid within seven
ays from date of bill.
From this you will readily see that 10 |
ents reduction would reduce the net re- Z
eipts on the basis of a consumption of 1
90, 900 900 cubic feet $4,000, and the
OF the gross charge of ST 80 az
ow per 1 900 cubic feet, to S1.25 gross, I
'ould make on the aggregate about $780,
90. This smo nut OF loss is upon the |
that the present price, $50. so, '
" street lighting remain as now. To
'duce the price as suggested in the bill
efore you to 81 per 1000 cubic feet
ould result in loss to the gas company
4 the above basis of output, TO S225 200 J
er annum, thus absorbing the entire
mount necessary to pay the dividend on
lie capital stock, and $25, 900 Of the sum c
,quired to pay interest on the bonded in {
ebtcdness
Mr.. Leetch, in concluding, assured the .
that the gas company would
!, glad to permit the committee to in
,ect its books at any time, but would not y
row them open to public inquisition on I
e part OF unauthorized persons. With
is the hearing came to a close.