El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1918-04-18
ATTACKS GAS
RATE PROJECT
Judge Sweeney Asks Gas
Company's Proposed
Raise Put to People.

There is too much prOnteering IN
this country. There are too many adj I
vances in prices which we are not
watching close enough. The gas COM
pany now asks for an additional raise
In prices in FL Paso as a matter OF
patriotism That's wrong. IL merely
the Individual must stand all the in
creased prices. we viii assume a bur
den that the people cannot bear Let
the corporations carry the burden al
so and not shove all on the individual
citizen. That would be patriotism
Thus characterizing the demand
for permission TO charge greater
prices for gas in this manner. former
mayor j. Z. Sweeney appeared before
the city council at its regular meet
ing Thursday morning with the re-
quest that the ordinance granting tLe
request. the same having been pre-
pared by attorneys for the gas com
pany. be not placed on first readinz
until the people as whole nave mao
an opportunity to study the matter
and voice formal and intelligent pro-
test Mrs. W. " James. representing
the Housewives league was also
present to protest. but made no talk.
coucurring in what Mr. Sweeney SAID
DeferS Reading Four Weeks.
r. L. Holiday. Of counsel for the
gas company. thought the ordinance
should be placed on first reading SO
that the people could have the mat
ter before them in a concrete way.
but on motion Of alderman F. B. sim
mons. IL was voted that the first
reading be deferred for four weeks,
and that meanwhile alderman j. T.
O'Connor be empowered 10 engage an
auditor 20 so over the gas company
books and ascertain the condition OF
its business
Former mayor Sweeney addressed
the council as follows
Asks Chance For People.
'I am here as a private citizen 20
exercise my right Of protest. and ask
that first reading Of this ordinance
be postponed so that the council and Z
the people might have the chance 10 I
look into this matter thorJughly- +.
Many citizens desire TO come before /
you and protest when they have been
given this chance
-.EI Paso is patriotic tt has Just
subscribed TO about S2,-50.000 Liberty /
bonds. IL has always extended 20 cor I
Dorarions a good patronage so tnal
a matter like this should not be
people have had time TO investigate I
the merits and dement's
says II Gives Water Gas.
THE gas company has a franchise
to furnish coal gas. and yet we an
know 10 is furnishing water gas, I
which is about 50 percent cheaper 7
in 1907. when I was mayor. the cOun- I
ell on three occasions lowered the
gas rate. so that it dropped from $3.50 I
to about go cents. They now ask an .
additional raise over the present T
rate. Once a higher rate is fastened b
on the people. the corporations hold
on tenaci0usly and you have EOt TO I
heat times like
this. they come and ask for increased I
rates
Contends Water Raise Injustice.
ct conteuded. and now contend D
that raising the water rates was an
injustice. When the water company I
was taken over, fl was agreed that
there would be no profits Yet about
100000 has been earned as profits, /
although il has been spent wisely D
for extensions 7 contend That the F.
extensions should be paid for by ad-
val0rem taxes. so that the large prop
erty holder would be paying his
share. and the small home owner not
be forced TO foot nearly the whole
bill
i think I can speak FOR 90 percent
Of the people, in asking that YOU
postpone the gas matter for at least
80 days, because the raise asked
would mean that every little home
owner would pay So cents additional
eacn month for the privilege Of using ;
the gas company's meter so that 10
might be able to measure the amount
Of gas charged for"
Mayor Gives People Chance.
Mayor Charles Davis announced
that the council has said that 10
would not pass the ordinance unless
the people have had the chance TO
investigate I don't know If the c0un-
I'D IS satisfied the raise is necessary.
#r rrr= %
continue TO exist on the present
prices 4,
The terms Of the proposed ordin-
lnce, which amends the original fran
,hise Of the company, gives it the
lgnt TO charge in addition 90 the
rate OF $3.50 per thousand cubic feet
lr gas. subject TO q 90 cent discount
meter service rates ranging from 80
ents 20 81 per month, according TO
he extent OF the average cOusump-
ion Of gas by the individual consum-
rs The scale was as follows
Three or five light meters. 50 cents
o light meters, so cents. 20 light. IS
cents 30 light, 81, 90 light. Sl--5, 61l
lght- 81, with an additional 5 cents
per meter light in the case Of restau-I
ants and other very large consum-
ars
Deaths Outnumber Births.
Deaths outnumbered births by over
Wo TO one during the week ending
2 euL eS4dgs the report or the health
apartment showed The deaths were
{ in all. being Is Americans and a
7 eLicaus, while the births mum hered
4, being II Americans and Is Next
ans The report showed 81 remain
lE cases OF contagious diseases. as
oloWs- % measles. six scarlet fever. :
even smallpox, two diphtheria. 10
hickenpoN and six whOOping cough.
'O0d condemned consisted OF $50
ounds of meat and one COW. while 142
ersons had their heads washed and
Tipped and 221 were deloused. the re-
Ort shows
Petitions Granted. :
A petition OF g. p Putnam for sew
2 extension TO block 81, Bassett addi-
ion. and one Of r p. Likes for sewer g
XtensiOn 10 lots and 6. block G.. Ala :
DO Heights. were granted, while a Pc
.tion for an arc light on Durango
treet. between san Francisco and I
Vest san Antonio streets was refused =
Sanitary enn1rr1f eef0uar I. ID rTrrnrrrrrr i