The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1897-11-03
What People Say About the Price


II. II. Sinnge, of Majors, Morrow &
Sinnige, sad: IF the companies in cities
where all coal is shipped can furnish
dollar gas, Birmingham certainly can
afford 1t. 1 believe the gas company
is losing money on account of the price
they charge. 1 am in favor of cheapsr
gas"
j. H. Donaldson, wholesale furniture
said II am heartily in favor OF cheaper
gus. 1 think 81 is enough to pay for it,
C. c. Seals, of Seals Bros, music deal
ers said: II am in favor of dollar gas
l think the pre- sent price is outrageous.
1 sincerely hope the Age-Herafd will be
successful in getting it"
Nat Miller, clerk of the city court,
said: IT think the city is entitled to
dollar gas. This city can manufacture
as cheap gas as any other. Dollar gas
will yield a reasonable percentage on
the present worth of the gas plant,
thereby coming nearer justice to the
people and. not being unjust to the gas
company"
Judge ]. ]. Banks said: 81 am not at
all familiar with the gas question, but
dollar gas would be good thing"
Dr. j. S. Gillespy said: 81 have rot
investigated the question"
Frank Majors, the wholesale drug
gist, said: II do not consume much
but am in favor of cheaper gas
Oliver Chalifoux, OF the firm of J. L.
Chalifoux & Co., said: in Lowell
Mass, paid 81 thousand for gas and
coal there costs $3.50 per ton. Coke sells
there for 81 per Sc bushels. The price of
&c hiSrh
said in his statement that he gets only
| 81 so a ton for coke, but insists on charg-
ing me IS.
John w O'Neill said: I'VE stopped
gas some months ago on account of ex-
cessive charges. The Age-Herald's
stand is right. The people have given
this company valuable franchises for
nothing. They should not be imposed
upon and made to pay more than other
cities for gas. Birmingham has the
cheapest coal in the country Why
should it not have the cheapest gas?"
Alderman w. N. Drennen. of the firm
of Drennen G. Co., said: 81 don't see
why gas should be higher in Birming-
ham than 1T is in Atlanta and other
cities of like size. We have cheaper
coal to manufacture it from than in any
city in the south"
S. C. Fowlkes, of the firm of Fowlkes
and Myatt, said "Gas certainly can
be made cheaper here. than it is being
made now, and the company ought to
meet the demand of the people"
M. P. Messer said: 1.-The rates of both
water and gas are too high in Birming-
ham, and 1 think the Age-Herald' s
iy,t ha ic f1u ioht
J. M. Webb said: II am rot posted ON
the production of gas, but it seems to
me that wis ought to have cheaper gas
here than anywhere in the south. The
high rates keep me from using gas in
my place of business
Moore & Anderson said: eve are in
favor of cheaper gas. There is no use OF
having all our coal un'ess it is some
benefit to us. las 10 the company's COM
plaint that There lis such a small ccn-
sumption, it would be greatly increased
with cheaper rates"
Quite a number of merchants said
they heartily sympathized with the fight
for cheaper gas, but did not wish to be
quoted Only one man has BEEN found
who said he was satisfied with the gas
rates.
One of the best arguments found in
favor of dollar gas was a very promi-
pent merchant who lis a stockholder in
the gas company and who candi6iy ack-
nowledged that the present rates were
too high, on account of which he used
electricity.
lack P. Smith: IT am satisfied gas
cain be made at a profit for ONE dollar"
Sam Blach: "Tf Atlanta gets gas at
one dollar we should have it at that
price"
A. C. Abbott: I'VE don't burn gas"
Mack Drennen: Gas is too high. So
is waiter. We should have both cheap
err
Sol Caheer: ''The price of gas here
is too high. 1t should be reduced. 1t
must be-"