OCR Text |
Show THE RATE FOR GAS. From the table of prices of gas In a considerable number of American cities, printed In yesterday morning's Tribune, It appears that, the figures for Illuminating Illumi-nating gas In this city are far higher than those In any other city named. For fuel cas, but two cities have a higher rate, and twenty-eight have a lower rate: Some of 'the 'cities have surprisingly low rates, as Cincinnati's 60c. for fuel cas; Toledo's 70c, Milwaukee's Mil-waukee's S0c, and so on, a large proportion pro-portion having a rate of one dollar or under. Of the whole number of thirty-one thirty-one quoted, seventeen, or more than half, have a rate of one dollar or under for illuminating gas, even, while Salt Lake City's rate is $1-75, These figures make a damaging showing for the Smith consolidated monopoly in this city. Not only is its charge so far above that of any other city, it asked a rate in the franchise ordinance which Its attorneys drew, of twenty cents increase over that, as a maximum. No wonder the people seek relief from such needless and exorbitant charges as these. No wonder the Council promptly evinces Its Interest In a proposition prop-osition which promises the city relief from the hlerarch's grinding oppression. oppres-sion. No wonder a test of tho popular pulse finds a Joyous response to the proposition for the erection of a great gas plant here and the scaling down by one-third of the gas rates. The construction of the new plant, it is Htated,' will involve the expenditure of a million five hundred thousand dollars dol-lars to begin with, and the ultimate expenditure ex-penditure of three million dollars. These are tidy sums, and the portions of them that will go for home material and local lo-cal labor will be worth while. It all affords a prospect of relief for the people peo-ple that will be most welcome. |