Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-03-25

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manufacturing plant was pressing
necessity. But the reserve accumu-
lated for such renewal through years
| Of prudent management had, upon
the insistence of the City, been dis
sipated in extra dividends. But,
perhaps even worse than that,
mainly because of misunderstand-
ing as to the origin and reasons for
that accumulation a large portion of
the public was apparently assisting
an obstructive hostility to the COM
pany with a resulting opposition to
efforts of the directors to improve
the company's condition and to fa-
ciliate satisfactory conduct of its
/ business. This eliminated in 1912
in a strong effort to municipalize
the company which was successfully
| opposed by its management"
| Now, at that time they had great
deal Of money accumulated from the
profits of the company. Now that
does not look as though they needed
to water their stock in any such large
amount as they propose to do. And it
does not look as though they needed
to enlarge their property to furnish
Westbrook and South Portland with
gas because they have supplied that
gas for twelve years. and their prop
erty is in good standing now, and they
are in a good condition.
Now. why Is 1t they want to water
| that stock at the present time? There
Is some object ahead, and I will state
that 1t Is not all harmony in that
company at the present time. They
tried to dispossess the President. as
you have read in the Press Herald
i report, and tried to put in one of the
large bankers there who owns a large
amount of stock and who owns the
South Portland company and the
Westbrook company, as president of
the Portland company. But they did
rot succeed. although that company
had more stock in it than the presi-
dent had. l have proof of everything
that l have said right here.
Now, according to the treasurer's
report Of that company. they ran up
against snag. The presidents re-
| port says that the Gas company is
falling behind on account of the i'm
provements in electricity. There are
hundreds of people who are turning
to electricity because they cannot
afford to pay the price that the gas
company is asking for its product.
Why, last Saturday. a number of
among them two well-known parties
who have been members of the Legis-
1ature. men you all have confidence in,
good men. One of them said that he
could not stand the price of gas.
and was going to put in electricity
We have two members now in the
Legislature who are going to change
from gas to electricity. One of them
I do not think he would object to
my presenting his name here-is Sem
ator Anthoine. You oil know him.
he Is as fine man as ever lived.
When they asked him to sign a paper
appealing to the Public Utilities Com
mission. he said "Why yes. will do
it. 1 want to do it. because I be-
lieve We are paying an outrageous
price for gas" And I have here.
from Westbrooh. quite number of
bills that have been brought to me
and shown me. I know of one party
who uses gas only for cooking. and
in six months his bill was $685..
And he uses it for cooking only and
Goes not use it for lighting.
Now. gas has field Of its own.
Electricity is acknowledged by every
one to be the best thing for lighting
and power. but when it come to
cooking and heating. I myself do not
thlnk 1t can be compared with gas.
although the appliances for electricity
nave been so improved lately that n
great many people are turning TO if
from gas. The gas people can see
the handwriting on the wall now. If
they do not come down on their
prices, they are going to be left out.
NOW. let us look al some of the
facts regarding the cost of gas. This
plant In Portland is as good a plant
and Will compare favorably, with any
plant. and I claim that they can
manufacture gas in Portland about as
cheaply as they can in New York or
Boston. They have excellent facili-
ties, they have a good plant. and
everything for manufacturing gas.
l do not say anything about electri-
city. l am speaking of manufacture
ing gas.
Here is what an expert says about
1t: Taking into consideration that
one pound of coal burned in n boiler
and the steam used in the most eff
nclent manner to generate electric
energy. and that energy used to pro-
duce heat, does only the work of a
quarter of pound of the same coal
turned into gas and used to produce
!
economic usefulness of gas"
Now have had a good deal of ex-
perience in it, and believe just what
mat says, that one quarter of a
pound of coal does the same work.
when turned into gas, that pound of
coal does when used to generate
electricity.
Now. we cannot get along without
| What 80.
working man! The working man,
when he comes home from his work,
can put the kettle on and boil the
water or cook the liver-we cannot
all afford to eat steak-and for the
working man gas saves a great deaf
of time
Now want to talk a little Of this
other company here that is excluded
from the gas company. There are
two powers at work in this Portland
Gas Company. l have interviewed
them both, and l know well that the
| Westbrook Gas Company. spoken of
in this section of the bill. is about
tired Of fighting the public and the
courts. A short time ago they
thought they could control the whole
situation in Westbrook and have it
right under their thumb. Now, we
cannot dig up our streets and come
In contact wit their gas pipe. We
have bill that came into the city of
Westbrook-and l have n copy of
that bill. amounting to some $780,
that is in litigation now. where they
claim we damaged their gas pipe, and
the city solicitor says we will not pay
for it.
Now. this should interest every
body because You all have just as
much at stake as [ have YO1I have
sworn to discharge your obligation to
every city and town in this State.
We are suffering greatly from the
| prices Of this gas comnany A shn,.t