The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1906-01-11
The Proposed Gas Franchise.

The comparatively new pro-
cess of heating and lighting
rooms by manufactured gas, for
which Mr.. E. N. Freese, of Fort
Wayne, desires a franchise from
this city and which is now pend
ing in the council, is subject
that should be considered from
every possibly favorably point of
view. Mr.. Freese is manifestly
an adept of the system of artific-
ial fuel and lighting which he
proposes to install. He submitted
for more than half an hour to
questions that were applied from
every point of view, and his an
swers and explanations of the
system gave certainly favorable
impression of the practicability
of his proposition. The gas is
made from coal and is conducted
through underground pipes. He
proposes to furnish illuminating
gas, of 1S-candle power, at $1.65
per M cubic feet, and gas for
heating and cooking at $135 per
M. His estimate of the average
expense for both per month was
from $3.50 to $2.75 for an average
sized house. This would make
the bills for fuel and lighting less
than is now paid tor wood or
coal. 1t has the other important
advantage of cleanliness, is ever
ready at a moment for use, and
in cooking can be gagged to the
quantity of heat desired. If al
lowed a franchise the company
will arrange for an early begin
ming of the work and will have
the system in operation within d
year.
If the proposition shall prove
practical and fairly economical it
will work wholesome and de.
sirable revolution in the fuel and
lighting question. 1t will be as
much of an evolution in this re-
spect as was the change from the
tallow candle to the coal oil lamp
or from the gas light to the cleo
trio light. The application of in
ventive skill to all departments
of commercial and household
economy has revolutionized the
processes of labor, and with each
revolution to a better standard
there has come a minimizing of
the tolls of labor and an increase
in the comforts of life. "The man
with the hoe has left hanging
in an apple tree that one
time necessary adjunct of the
farm and now, instead of hoe
ing the corn, he rides on cul-
/ tivator, perhaps with an umbrella
over his head, while the horses
do all the work. The woman who
pinned back her dress up to the
waist and played rub-a-dub on
the washboard while the man of
the house talked politics at a
neighboring store, now puts on
a shirt-waist and turns the easy
crank of a washing machine. The
cooking range has also evolved
itself into the place of the old
stove and the culinary depart
ment has lost a measure of its
drudgery.
| All these things are but the Gu
mulative evidences of an advanc-
ing age. Paralleling these comes
the evolution of an improved sys-
tenn of heating, cooking and illu-
mination. The old woodpile,
sometimes to small to have its
photograph taken; the ash-heap,
the SCOT and CRIME, the enliven-
ing scenes when the fall stove
pipe is put up--all these must
go, and, allied with their parting
will be the wood-seller, whose
keen scent of thrift prompted
him to place his rotten sticks at
the bottom of the wagon.
The new gas system, like the
new woman, is coming down the
pike. We welcome them both.
We catch a CLEAN of her may
skirts and see bright flashes OF
her parti-colored hose. She is
the evolvement of the washer
woman of year ago. The dusky
diamonds, in their evolutionary
transition, are destined to be-
come one of the greatest bless
ings of the home lite, and in the
enjoyment of their benefits we
shall forget those arduous years
when everybody worked but
father"