The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-21
Bush Says Reduction From Ninety-Five to Seventy Cents Is Great Adver- tisement
WILL BRING MORE
 PEOPLE TO CITY AND ADD TO WEALTH
Will Make Use of Gas Pos sible in Many Homes Where It Cannot Now Be Afforded

That the acceptance of the by-product gas proposition would be an excellent move by the city commission was the opinion given by President Morris Bush of the Chamber of Commerce, in a let ter to Mayor Commissioner George B. Ward yesterday. In his letter MT. Bush states that it would be a good adver- tisement for Birmingham to be able to say that the gas rates had been lowered from 95sscents a thousand cubic feet to 70 cents, as it would attract labor and small industries.
 The letter of MT. Bush to Commissioner Ward follows:
 Hon. George Ward, President City Com
 mission, Birmingham, Ala.
 My Dear Sir: l have followed with a great deal of interest the proposed new contract to be entered into with the Bir- mingham Railway, Light and Power com pany for the use of this gas during the remainder of the present contract, which l understand runs to the end of 1921.
 T am advised by several of the city commissioners and the city attorney that the contract with the city on the present gas rate is binding until the date above mentioned. Therefore, any real reduction that the city can get during the ensuing four and one-half years will be a reduc- tion to the consumer that could not be gotten except with the consent of the Birmingham Railway, Light and Power company
 JUST THAT MUCH GAIN
 lot the contract on the contract that is al- ready fixed is, of course, just that much gain, as l understand it. Starting with the new basis of 70 cents per 1000 for gas, the net saving to the citizens of Birmingham during the remainder of the present contract will be something over one-quarter of million dollars With the gas consumption increased, as we hope to see done, owing to the new price, then the price would be automatically reduced below 70 cents and the saving to the citizens will be just that much greater
 This reduction in gas will let certain or our citizens use gas more freely than they can possibly afford to do now It will also allow numbers of our people, particularly where the woman in the nome has to do her own work, to use ga $ Where she cannot possibly afford to use 1t now. It would, therefore, be reach ing class ot people that would be tre- mendously benefited, cost of living would De reduced, and living made more pleas ant
 Owing to the necessity of the city getting adequate revenue, it would seem the licenses to merchants, restaurants 1 bakers are constantly increased. Now that the city has the opportunity with out one cent of cost to the city to give to those people who have been taxed ay,ilx their cost of doing business and living cheaper, it certainly seems that it should appeal most strongly to the city com 1 mission and to the citizens of Birming- ham. In addition to that, it is the chief object of every citizen of Birmingham at present to advertise Birmingham in every way possible and, particularly, to aoVertise that it is cheap place to live, so that we can attract labor and industries of all kinds. The announce ment that the gas rate in Birmingham mas been reduced from 9o cents per 1000 to 70 cents would be tremendous adver- | tisement in itself, and the further state ment that the gas rate. will continue to be reduced down to 50 cents, with in- creased consumption, will give still further force to our arguments for Bir- mingham as place to Live
 MOST LIBERAL OFFER
 T think that the proposition as pre- sented by the Birmingham Railway Light and Power company to make an imme- diate reduction in rates which makes an immediate reduction in income. | coupled with the idea that their income cannot increase over and above what it IS now, until we have reached 50-cent | gas, is most liberal. More than that, l when the income of the gas company in- 1 creases above that point that it is today on 50-cent gas then the city is to enjoy 1 50 per cent divide in the net revenue anoVe that point. A proposition of this Kinds opens up tremendous possibilities Tor the future in dealing with other pub | hc utilities. Not only that. but the city | VIII be tremendously helped by this in 1 crease in revenue derived from this sonrce This plan of partnership with the public utilities is being successfully worked in Chicago Cleveland. Houston and quite number of other cities.
 With the proposition in the form tha 1 1t is now, l do not see how the commits s1on can deny to the people the right of havlng cheaper gas, even if the contract IS not in all respects just exactly what the city commission would like to have it. The citizens of this city have been denied for two years past a saving of large sums of money-this during the two years of the most difficult time we have had. where any reduction , in the cost of living would have been most welcome and helpful Therefore, it would seem now that if the contract can be drawn up. giving the city 70-cent gas, and including in that contract all of the safeguards that are necessary to safe guard the rights of the city for the fu- ture, there could be but one answer for the city commission, and that is that they should give to the city and the users of gas any possible saving that can be gotten.
 "1f the experience of other cities is reproduced in Birmingham the consump- tion of gas will increase very rapidly and the rates come down to the mini mum possibly earlier than anticipated But, be that as it may. the present sav- ing that we know beyond peradventure we can get for the next four and half years will amount to- several hundred thousand fdollars--it is just that much gain to the citizens Of Birmingham; just that much advertising for the city throughout the country
 Tn my opinon. move of this kind would be the beginning of action on Il number of other propositions, and it's value would be even greater than we can calculate. Very truly yours.
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