About Gas--authentic Figures

The following paragraphs appeared in the Aeous of the 9th of January,- the first one ia the column of "Pen Scratches," and tho second one in the " Local Brevities" - written on information recoived after the first was in type : . 82 per thousand feet, wilh 10 cents off for prompt payment of bilis, is tho price charged for gas by the Mutual Gas Light Company of Detroit. If thero is money in gas at that price in Detroit, the Ann Arbor Gas Light Company ought to concede a reduction to its customers. It is understood that beginning with tho year the price of gas is to be $3.60 a thousand, if one thousand feet are burned. The reductiou will bo acceptable, but the condition will lead to more hard feeling than it is worth. Better an even $3 all round, with satisüed consumera and increased consumption. These paragraphs were published in tho interest of the public, in the legitímate discharge of our duties as a journalist, and with no antipathy to tho Gas Company or any of its ofiicers or stockholders. In fact, the true interests of both tho public and the . company are reciprocative : tho former wanting good gas at reasonable rates, the latter to sell all tho gas it can mako at a reasonable profit. And that reasonablo profit the charter ordinance has fixed at 15 per ceut., a figure which even our cotemporary of the Cuuricr-a much better financial manager than ourself - concedes is none too large. Immediately af ter the publicatiori of the paragraphs above quoted we were offored the opportunity of examining the books of the Gas Company, with permission to gather therefrom any information of interest to tho public. Pressing official engagemonts have up to this time forbidden us to accept the offer, but ing this sentenoo in a Courier gas article, " There would be a feeliug of relief arnong the gas consumers if Charles Tripp or some such stockholder could have the management of the company for one year, thoy would then know whether thoy were niaking 15 per cent. or 40 pur cent.," we saw our way clear. We there - foro addressed a letter of inquiry to Mr. Tripp, requesting certain speciflc inforrnation for publioation, and received a prompt and frank reply. The eorrespondence follows : Axx Aeboe, Mich., Feb. 3, 1874. Chas. ÏEirp, Esa.: Dear Sir - As there is considerable difference of opinión among our citizens as to the cost of and the profits ou gas, with charges of extortion against the Gas Company, will you give me for publication answers, from your own knowledge and the books of the Company, to tho tollowing questions 't Tours, E. B. TOKD. Ann AnBOE, Feb. ó, 1874. E. B. Poxn, Eso.: Dcar Sir - In compliance with your request I herewith hand you a statement drawn from the books of the Ann Arbor Gas Company, concisely answering your questions, and the essential correctness of which I hereby vouch for. And allow me to add that as a stockholder and officer of the Company fromf its organization, I have always opposed answering the attacks made upon tho Company for malicious or personal ends, knowing that the public would give the Company the credit, I believe to be justly due it, of having couducted its business fairly, and with eeonomy, enabling it to furnish its eustomers uninterruptedly with a good article of gas at as low a rate as in any other towa of the size of this in the State ; and furthennore tho profits have been so moderate as to seldom carry tlie stock of the Company above par, which is a sutïicient answer to all fair-minded citizens. Yours truly, CHAS. TKIPP, President Ann Arbor Gas Company. STATEMENT OF MS. TEIPP. Organized April lst, 1858. Original capital, - - $23,000 00 Present capital, ... 60,000.00 Increased stock paid for by dividends or surplus, - - 10,053.74 Increased stock paid for by cash assessments, - " '20,946.26 First cost of worka, - - 2.Í.000.00 Present cost of works, - - 64,659.28 Aggregate dividends to date, inclusive of stock dividcnds, fall short ot 15 per cent. allowed by sliarter ordinance, ... 12,958.70 Gas made in 1873, - - 0,545,826 feet Gas sold in 1873, - - 4,855,746 " Leakage or shortage, - - 690,080 " Eeceipts for 1873, ... $19,991.55 Expenses for 1873, includiug $500 for superintendenco and 10 per cent. interest on capilal, - - 17,774.20 Surplus of receipts over expenses and interest, ... 2,217.35 Cost of gas in 1873, per 1000 feet, as shown by items of expenses above, .... $3.56 Mr. Tripp is so woll known to our business citizens as to carry the conviotion to all who long for choaper gas light - and we are one of tliem - that we oannot well hope for the bottom prices we put the figures at, $3 a thousand feet ; though we still adhere to our expressed opinión that there should be no discrimination against small consumera. We should be glad to convince the company that they can make money by giving us and tho public gas at $3 a thousand, but because we cannot we shall not join in denouncing the officers and managers as plunderers or thieves. - In this connection we may say that tho government reports name but few cities in the United States where gas is furnished at less than $4.00 per thousand feet, and that those cities are either much largor than Ann Arbor or are located where gas coal can be got at much less than $8 per ton (its cost here being over that figure). It is also due the company to say that our citizens have always or with very rare exceptions been furnished a good quulity of gas, and with rare interruptions' moro than can be said of some other towns in the State ; and also that tho meters used are inspocted and registered before purchase, and are as good as can be bought in the market. The item of ehortage shows the error of a comtnon impression that more gas is charged to the consumers than is made at the works.