Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1902-10-05
REDUCE Price Of GAS |:
THUS WOULD MUCH OF THE SEVER
Try OF WINTER BE
M1r1GATED.
CITIZEN MAKES SUGGESTION.
Advocates Price OF Manufacture as
Price to the Consumer.
THIS WOULD BE 75c. PER 1000.

THIS WOULD BE 75c. PER 1000.
Hundreds Of Families Of Richmo nd
Are Making Preparations to Both
Cook and Heat by Gas This Win
ter-Gas ..Logs'' and Radiators in
Demand-Cookins Stoves by the
Thousand.
The DISPATCH prints below a commune
cation from a we'll known citizen, who
suggests that the cost of gas be reduced
for the time being to mitigate much of the
severity Of the coming winter, and the
suggestion is one that should merit more
than ordinary consideration from the.
members Of the City Council. Unless
something is done before cold weather
sets in, there are serious times ahead for
the poor of the city. The gas works will
not have coke to give to the poor this
winter, because the works have for some
time been compelled to utilize anthracite
coal for the generators instead Of coke.
This city coke has warmed more than
one poor child, and kept Jack Frost
from nipping the nose of more than one
person who was i'll and unable to even
keep the wolf from the door, not to con-
slider the luxury of warm room. With
coal three or four times as high as 1t
was last year when the coke was given
away, and none at all now, cheaper gas
would be boon to poor people.
Hundreds of families in Richmond ara
making preparations to both cook ana
heat by gas fires this coming winter.
Many gas logs" and still more gas rad1-
ators, have been installed during the past
month, and many more applications are
on file with inspector Shelton, asking for
the connections for this service to be made
as soon as practicable.
,TyvouId Mean 75c. Gas.
The cost of the manufacture of the gas
during the year 1901 was about 81 cents
per thousand cubic feet. It will be more
this wear on account of the increased cost
of coal used in the making of the gas.
The contract price last year was $50 per
ton. for the best coal on the market for
gas making purposes. Now that price
ranges IS high as $40 znars ton, and the
quality is not nearly go good as it was
was when the price was less. The result
is that the cost of coal to the gas works
has about doubled. It would then be pos
sible for the city to sell it's gas at Is or
so cents per 1000 without losing anything.
It was pointed out last night that there
was an ordinance on the books OF the
city that prohibits the changing of the
price of gas until February LIST. 1t is posi-
BILE, however, for the City Council to
amend that ordinance and make any
changes desired.
There are now in the neighborhood OF
$500 gas stoves and ranges in use Dur
ing September lao new ones were installed.
Will Not Go higher.
The gas inspectors office yesterday was
beseiged by consumers to inquire into
report that had been circulated in the
West-End that before the gas bills for
this month are delivered, the price of
gas per thousand cubic feet is to be in
creased Such is not the fact. There IS
no foundation for the rumor, and, on the
other hand, there seems to be a demand
that the price of this important COM
modify shall be decreased rather than i'm
creased. An official in the Light Depart
ment Of the city remarked last night that
there was absolutely no possibility OF the
cost Of gas to the consumer going up,
even if the price of coal should cause the
city to deliver it's gas to the consumer as
dead loss He was firmly of the opinion
that the City Council would vote to close
or lease the gas works before it would
favor an increase in the price of gas.
Reduce the Price.
The communication referred to Is as
follows:
TO the Editor Of the Dispatch:
The coal crisis which now confronts us
has put to work, though in a vain at
tempt it seems, the wits of the wisest to
devise ways and means of protection
from the Inconvenience and hardship
and even suffering which the approach
ing winter most seriously threatens.
If reports be true, efforts to relieve the
situation in a widespread. but general
way, are being made by those high in
council and counsel alike, and, too, OF
both sides of the strike situation. And
the general government itself stands
ready with its kindly, though unobtrusive
offices to harmonic the discordant ele-
ments and restore peace to the warning
factions.
Even these potent powers may prove OF
no avail, but granting for the sake of
premise that success will attend their
affairs and peace be ultimately restored
and an agreement reached as a result
ant and mining ordered to begin as
speedily as possible and all things put in
readiness for starting up" and a for
ward movement ordered. there must even
then of necessity be a lapse Of a COM.
parativeIy long time before deliberations
can be reached. agreements formulated
and coal actually mined and put in reach
of consumers
In the meantime. the season is so far
advanced that relief can scarcely come
approaching distress.
Reduce Price of Gas.
In view Of these facts and others. would
it be practicable and warrantable, as 1t
would be of course humane, for the city
to reduce the price Of gas during the
coming winter to one-half Its present
cost and thereby enable our people, and
especially those of restricted means, to
provide themselves. by aid of gas-heating
and cooking stoves, with the necessary
caloric for producing comfort and pre-.
pairing food. In this way they could
avert, or at least mitigate, much Of the
severity of the rigors of the coming win
ter.
7 am in no wise connected with our
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