Page:American Journal of Sociology Volume 3.djvu/624

 610 THE AMERICAN JOURNAL OF SOCIOLOGY

Mains, - - $1,752,300

Holders, - 230,000

Services, 550,000

Meters, 375,ooo

Water gas plant at Point Breeze, 800,000

General improvements, 357,ooo Increase of holder capacity at Twenty-second and

Market, 500,000 Adding 3,000,000 cubic feet's capacity to Twenty- fifth ward gas works, - 300,000

$4,864,300

Director Thompson has not offered to the public any satis- factory explanation of his change of official opinion and stands in the same relative position as the councilmen who voted to give the United Gas Improvement Company ten millions of dollars' additional profit. The councilmen, however, and the director of public works, are not alone in their sudden unexpected and unexplained change of base. They have for their companion no less personage than the mayor of the city, the Hon. Charles F. Warwick.

In his annual message, dated April 6, 1896, Mayor Warwick said :

"In my inaugural address I stated that the gas works should never pass from the absolute control and ownership of the city. The plant is too valuable, and history shows that whenever such a property passes into private hands, it in time becomes an extortionate monopoly. During my administration I have seen nothing that tends to change my opinion as once expressed. In fact, I have been stronger in my belief that the gas works should never be sold."

In his last annual message, that of April 5, 1897, ne sa ^ : "The gas manufactured by the Philadelphia gas works is equal in quality with that made in any city of the Union. In other words, the gas in the holder, before distribution, is a good illuminant of the necessary candle power, but unfortunately, by reason of our method of distribution, when it reaches the con- sumer it has lost much of its illuminating quality. This matter