The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-13

the wisest course to pursue7 And will anyone presume to assign any Teasoi whatever why 1t was not purssnedfs of men The City Council is composed oi ms. s of business capacity. and sense, rs Sno Mayor importnnsd the people to gix.s g.s nun s.sa a second term on the ground oi ,,,,i mI Sv- ty. The city governnient was warned and entreated not to enter into the contract; But 1t made no hesitation. II approveu the contract in the absence or hu"oei
 It's conduct. then. was not fi1isssne asta ss from Ignorance. It was wilful' oehanI a1H The ent Question is to what probable extent is the price agreed to be paid for gas excessive--that Is, at what lesser amount is it probable that that MT; ron,rsrtad an1 rather than allow new company to have inc franchise.
 Win anyone say that in view of the comparative cheapness ot money now. the ,rospect of it's increasing cheapness in the future, and the dID1inished ana diminishing cost of lnachinery, material, coal and crude oil ana & ianor, widn fon ne sne of every sort from the increase in popula. ton of the city, the City Council could not have obtained a contract for gas at as cheap a rate as the city of Richmond Is now furnished? Or as cheap as Savan- nah, Nashville UT Memphis? I see noth- ing in the situation of Montgomery tend ing to show any substantial reason why
 
 fift1 years at rates as cheap as any of these cities are now furnished. We are as near or nearer to all the ingredients or operation SSsi Tn'e Ana % as there is % prospect that capital will be content with less and less dividends in the future and that the cost of operation would grow less and less in the coming years l think there can be no doubt that with proper press ing Mir. Vandivers or some other com pany would have been glad to secure the hating and fuel gas. At any rate, as no effort was made to obtain this conces- sion. by competitive bidding, we have a right to assume that such a contract price at which some of the cities men toned are now furnished.
 Assuming that such might have been the result We roughly estimate a,onn wnat ba fnis 1t should cost. Mir yandiver says, there are 1904 meters in the city which yield an income of $27.4o per meter. If now of fifty years there is no increase of population and of meters, we will see that the annual income of the gas works Will be $3o.ooo and in fifty years sl;5o;oo. 1T would be proximately s1s,5ls-and in fifty years Ss25.s0O Making a difference of s674,100 which, with interest at I per cent the time, will amount to $,62,3 300 which under the $l contract would be saved to the people, but which. under the new gas franchise, will be paid into the coffers of my company" If we take into consideration the probable in- crease of population and proportionate in- crease of gas consumption for fifty years we will see tbat our worthy city fathers in their haste to grant "a new gas fran, chise" to 'my company" have donated to MT. Vardiver and his worthy asso- ciates from one and half to three mill lions of the peoples money.
 This Is A large sum of money to be given away. The transaction has shock ed the community. If 1t can be justified or paliated 1t ought to be done.
 If I am wrong In my calculations and estimates or conclusions, will thank any citizen to make proper corrections
 do not sign any name to this con- munication, because what is said and what may say in the future. desire to speak for itself. It is well known, however. that The Advertiser publishes no communication without having res- ponsible person behind it who can always be known upon enquiry properly founded.
 A0ricOla.