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THE ALLIANCE-INDEPENDENT.
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x.
PUBLIC OWNERSHIP.
A Bostonlan Discovers Important Facts
in an English Horoush.
Charles E. Haven, a Boston Nation
alist has recently relumed from Eng
land, where he has been making some
important investigations as to the
practical working of public ownership
in cities. The Evening Transcript
prints an article written by Mr. Haven
concerning the gas works at Aylcston,
a suburb of Leicester. The Leicester
gas company was incorporated ns a
private company in 1821. The plant
was transferred to the borough of
Leicester in 1888, since which time
there have been three reduction in
the price of gas. Over $1,000,000
was paid for the good will of the com
pany. This was the price paid for
the false step taken in 1821. The
profits realized during thirteen years
of public ownership have been $1, -480,540.
Of this sum over $77,000
per year has been paid into the treas
ury of the borough. A sinking fund
has been established, which will pay
off the cap tai debt in 1934. Mr.
Haven continues his account substan
tially as follows:
The price of gas to private indi
viduals to-day is 5ft cents per 1, 000
cubic feet. A reduction in favor of
the lighting committee of the borough
has been allowed for many years, of
4 cents for every 1, 000 cubic feet; so
that the corporation pays its own gas
works 52 cents per 1. 000 feet. A meter
is attached to street lights. Since
1878 the price of gas has been reduced
12 cents per 1,000 feet During the
thirteen years the wages of the work
men have been advanced 20 per cent.
"The cost of coal at the work3 to
day is $2.94 per ton, and the e.ctual
cost to manufacture the gas ready for
distribution is 26 cents per 1. 000 feet,
and at 44 cents the corporation could
have sold the gas without loss or
prolit, so that 18 cents represents the
cost of distribution and the interest
on each 1. 000 feet.
The corporation claim that by the
year 1934 they will own their own
magnificent gas works, clear of all in
debtelness, and from sa!o of the resl
duals will be able to furnish gas, if it
is thought desirable, free.
"Special attention, too, has been
paid to the comfort of the workmen
by the provision of moss rooms,
lavatories and baths, also a reading
and recreation room. This latter
room is well provided with papers
and magazines, and ha9 a library of
several hundred volumes. During
the winter months, entertainments,
organized by the engineer, Mr. Alfred
Colson. or members of his staff, con
sisting of concerts, readings, lectures,
dramatic entertainments, etc, are
ffiven every fortnight. These are
always well attended and appreciated,
In connection with the works there
are also a well organized band, a
cricket club, an ambulance division
and a sick and funeral allowance
society.
In 1885-86 residual works were
erected in the southeasl corner of
the land adjoining the gas works,
and abutting on the river and canal.
These works deal with the wholo of
the tar and ammonical liquor obtained
at these works, consisting of sulphate
of ammonia, sulphur, crude naphtha,
oil, carbolic acid, heavy naphtha,
creosote, naphthalene, light green
oil anthracene oil, anthracene and
pitch.
"In connection with the gas works,
there is a fitting department in which
some forty men are constantly em
ployed. This was formerly tho busi
ness of Mr. S. C. Robinson, engineer
and manager previous to Mr. Colson,
from whom it was transferred to tho
corporation in 1882. It in no way
enters into competition with the gas
fitters or ironmongers of the town. A
schedule of prices has been fixed by
the gas committee, practically tho
same as those charged by the best
tradespeople in the town, and these
. PUcej ,are rigidly adhered to, No
THE AULTMAW & TAYLOR
Machinery Company.
V S
OUR MOTTO: THE BEST IS THE CHEAPEST."
F. L. LOOMIS, Manager, Omaha, Neb.
WRITE FOR PRICES"
work, under any circumstances, is
tendered for, the department merely
carrying out any order or work that
may be entrusted to it In connec
tion with it are two show rooms, in
which are exhibited chandeliers,
stoves, burners and other apparatus,
all of the best of their several kinds.
in no town in the kingdom have
gas cooking stoves bo:ome more
popular than in Leicester. The num
ber of stoves on hire at present time
is nearly ?, 00. and tho quantity of
gas consumed by these and the private
stoves amounts to at least 61. 000. 000
cubic feet per annum. The con
sumption of gas by the stoves during
the summer months is nearly 20 per
cent, of the quantity consumed. Tho
stoves give tho greatest satisfaction,
and are increasing in popularity with
all classes; in short, they are rapidly
coming to bo looked upon as a
necessity, and many architects make
special provision for them in design
ing new houses. They are placed in
private residences at the request of
owners or occupants free of charge,
and kept in repair for. a nominal
rental, the price ranging from 12 to
72 cents per quarter, according to tho
size of the stove.
"In the fitting department may also
be found gas burners for fireplaces.
Many houses are heated in this man
ner, and as they can be lighted or ex
tinguished in an instant, they are
economical, and have the added ad
vantage of being free from dust and
dirt Many of the mantels about tho
fireplaces are draped with tapestry,
which can be done without fear of
burning or so ling, and the effect is
extremely pleasing.
"The total population of the area
of supply by the gas works is 180, COO,
and the present number of consumers
is 24,053. The corporation has re
cently obtained a provisional order,
empowering it to establish an electric
light plant"
A Substitute for Awnings.
A cozy idea is that of hanging cur
tains of blue denim on the sunny side
of unsheltered verandas, a pair of cur
tains between each post. These are
looped back with bands of crimson
cloth and seem more picturesque, while
affording protection from the sun,
limn awnings. Bags of scarlet cotton
slurred up on drawstrings, overlaid
with fish net and generous in size, are
convenient receptacles for the fancy
work and books, glasses, and things
needful for the morning on tl.
veranda. ,
She 'Will Impersonate tlie Pioneer.
Miss Laura N. Ford, a Philadelphia
authoress, has purchased ten acres of
land on one of the highest summits of
the Green mountains. The location is
now a wilderness and Miss Ford is to
impersonate the pioneer. The forest
is to be cleared and a number of sum
mer cottages will be built on the- sfte,
to furnish a summer retreat for herself
and friends, bhe has christened the
place "Rome," because of the seven
mountain pinnacles that tower above
it It is six miles from the railway
station of Dan by, Vt, and is a
proached by a picturesque mou
road.
Made of a Packing1 Bo
When a woman will s
that was how the first b
made of a packing box an
a clever woman who cou
suitable place for her be
any other way. After
ntted with shelves a
she covered it hersel
blue matting, edging'
with the split half of a
nailed in place with fan
naiis. From a brass r
she hung a curtain
cloth, with a border of
'brown-eyed Susans,"
call them, which she wo
In coarse long stitches.
When Thimbles Came to England.
Thimbles were scarcely known in
England before the reign of James I.,
when John Loplin, a mechanic,' came
over from Holland, bringing with him
a stock of them. Finding very soon
that the demand for his ware's was in
creasing and would soon exhaust tho
supply, he established a factory of
thimbles in. Islington and invited over
several of his countrymen to assist in
working it. The success and profit of
the undertaking were greatly beyontf
his expectations.
' For Dainty Feet. ' . .
No woman can make a mistake as to
the correct footgear for the season.
For everyday wear white canvas ties
and boots are the style. They are
tipped and trimmed with patent
lea ther; white. canvas ties have also a
white kid tip. Russet shoes and those
of tan leather are also much worn. A
novelty is the walking boot of Russian
leather, with the uppers of white buck
skin. Slippers of black suede are per
fectly plain, save for the presence of
some remarkable gilt buckles over th
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