The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-04-12
The Price of Gas.

To the Editor of The Post.
Houston. Texas. April l2.-ln us z
dav editlon-April I1--of The Post, III
proposition from the Gas company n
now considered by committee ircs 7
city council. 10 the effect that Tor ~
years franchise the Gas company VAFl
duce the price Of gas to s2.25 per I'VE
1t is hoped that before the committee -
favorable report. this matter Ha
thoroughly considered and discussea
would be well to compare the cost o. ",
ing this city and cost to private con'A-1
with the cost of such supply in oine' VI
and cities. Air, light and water arc y,
gifts to man. but the avarice OF indl'l''',
has succeeded in surrounding the '~0n-'
with a monopoly in this good CITY o. -,
| ton which works a hardship on Tue ~
and 10 which he should not submiI VI
the prices of all commodities have -
70 to so per cent and more in INC
three years. the tax for light and wave
mains the same. thanks TO our sap'sA' \
council. who some time ago s'a
ten year--or was it twenty-n'e'''-
franchise to the waterworks comr1
But few months ago gas ca-'
sought TO obtain franchise from v"
naming a very low rate per INV ~
| consumers and Offering TO give g ~.
| faithful performance of contract
council decided not TO give away ~ s,c,,|
| franchises. The company was Nv. n
AGED. and the last heard OF II W. N
| they offered $500 for the prlvlieBo -
| Ing their plant In the city, when E1
| ton was rejected with scoTn' IN a
| present gas company offer moi1 IN,
| TO keep out the competition! sorlpts
| Inference? II not, why was INA. md a
not permitted to place their Plan
the citizens a competing cohpa;h a VI
The writer was in Austin ~ rhon
part of this year. a friend WY. I'D
| Etopned while there has more .n, s
openings for water-one-inen hIror n
| the block OF houses he occupies, I'm d
| twenty openings he pays lhe o.s seI
per year He burns thirty,h'ob hs a
lights on his premises. for WHY nj I'D
81 per month-2O cents per mohu, m
How is that for light and wa.t ,a ~
| twenty openings for water "oa say
| lIouston-well. am afraid w,snjif
much; and as to the thirty -hve IN ~ HssI
lights. there is hardly a man - 1914
rich enough to pay for what ou'
| would charge him. Austlp VI
| know IL will be said that hs q
rlver and water power 10 supra bp, J
lIcht and water. which is true ,Iua
Austin plant cost probably yen a,,It d
much as Houston's gas plant e y socss,
nlant and waterworks plant. a., oa "A
In one. Perhaps less than sZVV,s,ea
place all three of these conyeni'ssSussr
Houston and vet we citizens 81. s' ND
nllow ourselves to be taxed by tns s,,,s
olios out OF all reason for ,hess 1871
FOR our comfort and Happiness sl,es
blame the trusts. They III. ,sst ~
privilege and are doing Just ors 10 n
would probably do II we VT WI sclsss
places. but II We did we'd eAp'
TO kick. 80, NJ th u
council to investigate these eps.h,se. "
instead OF extending their iranr RAM casi II
them when possible. and IN an, OIL
The people who elected them y spa 4
square deal instead OF fostsrr'et IN ~
uorinG trusts and monopoiss' ~ NJ
tho possibility that the cry on
may within the next hSe 4. wouh
waterworks and light plant, y ssa fss,1
nroper not TO grant an eNtens 10 r.
20 the gaF trust unless II af, IN aross
the rrloe OF gas to reasonsphe ,ter
is believed 1t could do mncna o "' test z
consumers than So. 20 per Imam, y,
It offers. ! l.. Cunhihs