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Letter to Editor
May 13, 1858
Wheeling Daily Intelligencer
Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia
What is this article about?
A gas consumer writes to oppose agitators who failed to directly challenge the gas company and now seek City Council intervention, denying they represent the majority of consumers and warning that interference could halt gas supply and public lighting.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
[For the Intelligencer.]
THE GAS QUESTION.
The gas agitators having failed in their direct and unwise assault upon the company, have, I see, appealed to the City Council to help them out, and the better to effect their purpose, they have skilfully assumed that they are par excellence, the people—the whole people—and have, therefore, a right to command, as it were, the Council. I deny their assumption. I deny that they are anything more than a part of the people—not even a majority; certainly not a majority of the gas consumers—but on the contrary, a large minority of the gas consumers. As the city and the public have the gas on their own terms, can there be any just reason or pretence for the city interfering? Certainly none—for let it be remembered, that if the city were to interfere, as asked by these agitators, it might, and probably would have the effect of stopping the gas altogether. Now what right has the city to do anything that would injure the present consumers of the gas—or which would cut off their supply, or even tend to increase the cost to the present consumers, when they ask the city to extinguish the public gas lamps—seeing that the probable result of such a course would be to close up the Gas Company—at least for a time?
Again: is the idea to be entertained for a moment, that our streets are to be without gas lights?
A CONSUMER.
THE GAS QUESTION.
The gas agitators having failed in their direct and unwise assault upon the company, have, I see, appealed to the City Council to help them out, and the better to effect their purpose, they have skilfully assumed that they are par excellence, the people—the whole people—and have, therefore, a right to command, as it were, the Council. I deny their assumption. I deny that they are anything more than a part of the people—not even a majority; certainly not a majority of the gas consumers—but on the contrary, a large minority of the gas consumers. As the city and the public have the gas on their own terms, can there be any just reason or pretence for the city interfering? Certainly none—for let it be remembered, that if the city were to interfere, as asked by these agitators, it might, and probably would have the effect of stopping the gas altogether. Now what right has the city to do anything that would injure the present consumers of the gas—or which would cut off their supply, or even tend to increase the cost to the present consumers, when they ask the city to extinguish the public gas lamps—seeing that the probable result of such a course would be to close up the Gas Company—at least for a time?
Again: is the idea to be entertained for a moment, that our streets are to be without gas lights?
A CONSUMER.
What sub-type of article is it?
Persuasive
Political
What themes does it cover?
Infrastructure
Politics
Economic Policy
What keywords are associated?
Gas Company
City Council
Gas Consumers
Public Lighting
Agitators
Interference
What entities or persons were involved?
A Consumer.
The Intelligencer
Letter to Editor Details
Author
A Consumer.
Recipient
The Intelligencer
Main Argument
the writer denies that gas agitators represent the majority of consumers and opposes city council interference, as it could stop gas supply, harm consumers, and leave streets without lights.
Notable Details
Gas Agitators' Appeal To City Council
Denial Of Representing The People
Risk Of Stopping Gas Supply
Public Gas Lamps