The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-07-24
City News
CIRCULAR CITES
DULUTH Il !. GAS FACTS /
ASKS WHETHER THEY RE SAFE
GUIDE FOR MINNEAPOLIS.
The Circular, Which Is Unsigned, Be-
neved to Represent the Position Of
Interests Affected with Regard to
One Argument Of the Municipal- own
ership Orators.

Circulars which IN effect embOdY the
argument that Duluth conditions are
not fair criterion on which to base
campaign for municipal gas plant
neapoiis. The Municipal Ownership
league has sent out return postal cards
asking for pledges in support Of the
Minneapolis campaign, and stating,
among other things, that Duluth, with
its own municipal plant, supplied gas
to patrons at Is cents q Thousand.
While the circulars are unsigned, it is
sent out by the interests which would
be directly affected by municipal own1
ership.
Starting with the assertion that the
Duluth rates are Is cents for illumi-.
mating purposes and SO cents for heat
and power, the circular asks:
"Should the average inland city of
the middle west accept the Duluth fig
ures as safe basis for its own gas
plant, public or priyate9
DO these rates necessarily mean
cheap and satisfactory service to pat
In answer to these queries the cir
cular says: an
T9Duluth does own its gas plant but
it stands idle. Even were it operated,
it could produce but 100000, 900 cubic
feet year, whereas Duluth will use
this year not less than $50 100000 feet.
plant is accordingly out Of the question.
Gas in Duluth is by-product Of
the great coke ovens operated by the
Zenith Furnace company. This COM
pany brings coal up the lakes in it's own
boats and roasts it in the ovens to make
coke. More gas is liberated in the
process than the city Of Duluth can use.
the stack so it will not poison the air.
What the city takes, it pays for at the
rate Of 40 cents thousand and sells it
to consumers at Is cents thousand.
This leaves IS cents margin, which, as
the city does not attempt to make
money on gas, cannot be charged as
profit.
GAS Duluth does not manufacture its
gas, the proposition is purely one. Of dis
| tribution. In d recent Chicago investi.
CATION, Alexander G.. Humphreys, an
eminent and disinterested gas expert
testified that 20 cents a thousand was q
it's plant unused and not subject to de-
probation, and with the expense Of ad
ministration thereby -lessened, Duluth
practically charges IS cents thousand
for distribution; more than SO per cent
in excess of the figures set by. Mr.
Humphreys as the maximum for distri
4 button by a private company.
cit may be urged that Duluth i,
4 rocky and hilly, making extensions and
sEHervice connections costly. But the ex
ipense of all such work is paid largely
Tor wholly by the consumer. He mus
pay from SO to 70 cents foot-ant
more for, rock cutting-for the servic,
pipes which bring his gas from tn
middle of the street, across his yar'
and into his house. y No privately owne,
gas company an thetJf United State
Z States makes such 4eharge as this, o
any charge for esuch work. In Dulut!
also, no mains are extended til bust
ness enough to pay 10 per cent of tn
total expense is guaranteed.
ttWithout going into the large
question Of municipal ownership, tn
1 taxpayer who has his own interests q
heart should consider carefully whethe
or not the conditions at Duluth coul
be duplicated in any other city. ]
they could not be, he would be boun
. to look elsewhere for facts by whic
J; to gage his opinion. IA.
HWith Il an extraordinarily hig
: charge for distribution, with the cor
sumer paying for large share Of th
piping, with a maximum candle-powe
:. of only eighteen Tdemanded-wherea
cities using manufactured gas deman
from twenty-five to twenty-six candl!
: power-what would the Duluth COZ
sumner have to pay were the gas not
: waste product to begin withS
"This is the question which must b
answered in comparing Duluth cond
tions with those in any other city,"