Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-02-11
1878 sss. 1s sao.75 s41.5o s43.2s si7.7,
MY bill for January, 1896, is 81 80 net, as
against 81 in 1895 and 3.25 in 1890"
How the Bills Grow.


How the Bills Grow.
The Star has received many letters from
gas consumers. making complaint of ex-
cessive charges. OF these letters some
samples are given below:
Mr.. C. A. Huntington of ia street south
east writes thus: Herewith please find a
comparative statement of the amount of
gas said to have been consumed at my
house during the months Of January, 1895,
and January 1896, the number of occu-
pants the same in each month. and not one
burner more used this year than in that
preceding: January, 1895, 1,200 feet. S.sO:
less discount, $50 January, 1885, $500
feet, $3.50; less discount $3.50"
A Cure for Excessive Bills.
Naturally the complaints concerning what
to many has been an incomprehensible in
crease in the January gas bills has evoked
discussion . to the feasibility of munich
palizing gas and electric light plants. Some
of the points suggested by correspondents
have already been brought out In The Star.
Mr.. Henry Service writes, under a heading
"A Certain Cure for Excessive Gas Bills,
as follows:
From statements in the daily papers Of
increased bills without increased consump-
ton, 1t would appear that the reduction in
the price Of gas contemplated by the House
of Representatives in the annual appropria-
ton bill for the District Of Columbia will re-
suit In little, If any, actual saving to our
citizens, or, for that matter, in material
improvement in the quality Of the gas. If
this is so, why should not the people Of
Washington, instead Of taking 1t out in
growing, which effects little, apply the les
sons learned by experience in other mu-
inequalities and make its own gas? Suppose
We consider for little the results Of gas
plant ownership by few of the cities Of
CT eat Britain and this country.
zone Of the best, out Of many examples.
is that of Birmingham. England, the gov
erning body Of which purchased the gas
works of the two companies supplying gas
to Its citizens in 1874 at a price, satsfac-
which amount the city has since paid an
annual interest charge Of s279.362 At
the end of the first years operation of the
plant, the price Of gas remaining the same,
the city had on hand, after the payment
Of all expenses, interest, etc, net profit
of s164,1 This profit has increased
steadily until during the year 1892 it
| reached the comfortable sum of 1897 900,
| and in the seventeen years of the city's
operation of the works to 1892 the average
profits have been $4,000 per annum.
ficiently startling they fail to tell the half
of the good accruing to Birmingham's
| population from the municipal ownership
Of the gas works. In 1874, when the plant
| Is cents per 600 cubic feet for gas. In
| 1876 the price was reduced to 60 cents; in
| 1873 to GO cents; in 1881 10 81 cents, and
| in 1884 to SO cents, at which price it re-
| the gas furnished has from the first been
| very much better in quality. The results
| of the seventeen years ownership of the
| gas plant by Birmingham may be briefly
summed up thus: First, better gas second,
| reduction of over % per cent in rate;
third. net profit Of s.. s11 200.
Bradford, England, became the owner of
gas works in 1870. 1t has since reduced the
| rate per thousand cubic feet from s. to IS
| cents and Is now making an annual profit
Of s76S00.
|
own purveyor of gas since 1924, had, in
| 1895, an excess of assets over liabilities on
account of gas plant Of 81, 800 900 and now
has an annual yearly income from the
same source of s2SS. 900. 1t charges it's So
600 consumers II cents Per 1000 cubic feet.
I'm the city Of Glasgow, where the mu-
nicipality has owned its own gas plant
since 1869, the price per / 900 cubic feet has
been reduced from 81 IL to Il cents, and the
city still makes a yearly profit on its opera
tons of 1921 900.
THE gas works at Leeds became the
property of the municipality in 1870 at a
cost of 81, 800, 900. In the year 1S93 while
selling gas to its citizens at 81 cents per
| 1000 cubic feet, it carried to its surplus
account a profit of s6S,64s. In the twenty
three years of it's ownership the profits
have amounted to 81 ,830,09s.
wheeling, w. Va; Bellefontaine, Ohio
Allegheny, Pa; Richmond, Va, and few
other cities in the United States are max
ing gas at profit for a less price thar
charged consumers in Philadelphia, where
gas is furnished by the city for 81; but Ir
the main the gas plants Of this country are
owned by private parties, with unrestricted
power as to the prices charged consumers.
eff, in addition to the results show
above, we take into consideration the fac
that our cities furnish to gas companies il
their streets and avenues a very large por
ton Of which in other business venture:
would be looked upon as real estate be
longing to plant, 1t would seem eminently
proper that municipalities should either
own and operate or very largely contro
the operations of gas and other kindred
companies"