The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-01-29
Company Asks Commission
To Be Allowed to Sell By
product Gas in Bir-
mingham
THE ANNUAL SAVING
is ESTIMATED AT
FULLY HALF MILLION
B. r., L. & p. Co. Proposes to Make
Contract With Tennessee Com
pany to Utilize Gas Produced
at Fairfield

What are claimed to be the lowest
gas rates ever offered a city in the
south will be offered the citizens of
birmingham through the city commits
sioners by the Birmingham Railway, |
Light and Power company this morn
ing.
Before George Bullock, president of |
the United Gas and Electric company. |
left last night the offer of the COM |
pany making big reductions was given /
out by A. II. Ford, president of the |
birmingham Railway Light and Power |
company. He said the gas consumers
would save 100000 by the reduction. |
The figures in detail are shown in |
the official statement sent to the COM |
mission. Mr.. Ford said that he had |
never dreamed that such gas rates |
could be offered and that the rates |
were practically natural gas rates.
He gave it as his opinion that the |
gas rates offered here would attract |
no end of small industries. that people |
would use gas for heating their homes |
in preference to coal. that cooking
would cease to be done with coal and |
sumner of gas, would be immensely |
benefited by this reduction
To Use Product Gas
The company is enabled to make this |
reduction by reason of the fact the |
by-product coke ovens of the Tennes- |
see Coal Iron and Railroad company |
at Fairfield produce an excessive vol |
ume of gas that is going to waste, |
which can be utilized by the Birming- !
ham Railway, Light and Power COM |
pany at relatively small cost That |
gas given to the Birmingham Railway. |
Light and Power company at a small |
cost enables the distributing company
to furnish it at the low rates enum- |
Grated in Mr.. Fords letter.
The statement is made that, whereas |
the by-product gas is not used for |
illumination but is extremely good for !
heating, illumination may be obtained
by the use of Welsbach burners. To all !
those customers who now have the |
ivory or ordinary gas tips and use gas |
Ior Illumination the company. says Mr.. !
FORD, Will furnish and install free the
)" "eisoach mantle burner. After the |
initial installation, however the burn |
| ers must be provided
the reduction begins at once with 20
cents per 1000 cubic feet monthly con-
sumption saved at the outset. BY the
| citizens of this community using g.
100000 cubic feet per day, which can he
easily used here if its cheapness ap-
| reals, as it is expected to appeal the
reduction then goes down to As cents
per 1000 cubic feet as against 95 cents
per 1000 at this time.
Further Reduction For Industries
for industries that use this gas Mr. |
FORD points out that the reduction will |
| De 40 cents net, . cents per 1000 under
the rate for domestic consumption
Ihe statement was made, that by get |
| ting the consumption of gas up to a.
| ooo,o0o cubic feet daily consumption
WITHIN three months the citizens will be |
given the lowest rate which is to be
| IN effect in three years. The proposal |
| says that whenever the consumption for |
the first. second or third year reaches |
the stipulated volume the reductions will |
| go in without any heed being paid to |
| the term of years. All that is necessary
| is to get the volume
| Mr. Ford said further that all the |
company would ask for this reduction |
was an extension of three years on the |
present gas contract. The company has |
a contract now that is to run for seven |
years. 1t will require six months to |
get the new gas for the city and start |
the reduction. The company will be |
compelled to make long contract with |
the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad |
| company, so 1t was considered fair and |
equitable that the city be asked for
| three additional years over the present |
! contract. That is the only request it |
| is announced that is to be made of the !
city for the substantial reductions emu
, merated.
| President Ford said last night that in
| all his experience there had never been
made such reduction of gas rates by
any company He said that in his opin-
| Ion the saving to the people of this
| city would be $5OOooo per year in gas.
He added in explanation that 1t would
cost 100000 to acquire this gas from
the Tennessee Coal, Iron and Railroad
company, and then heavy expend-
ture for refining and distribution so
that every household could have this
commodity at it's command.
I Views of Commissioners
The city commissioners will consider the
by-product gas proposition to be made
| to them by President George Bullock of
the United Gas and Mlectric company,
owners of the Birmingham Railway, Light
and Power company, only on condition
that a substantial reduction" in gas
rates is shown.
This information was given out by the
commissioners last night after Mr.. Bull
lock had called upon them yesterday in
| regard to the proposition. They were un-
| able to say last night just what they
would consider Substantial reduction"
Mr. Bullock and the commissioners dis
cussed the proposition informally yester
| day and the commissioners. it is stated.
| gave the gas company official to under
stand that they would look upon the mat
| ter favorably under certain conditions.
They stated. however, that nothing could
| be done definitely until Mr.. Bullock drew
up his proposition in writing and submit
\ ted it to them for consideration. 1t will
be before them today.