The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-02-24
oA., Gas, eA.-rhe ,ss;n.r.e, the stubborn |

Gas, Gas, GAs--The vfsinsrtie, the stubborn
immovability, of large masses of body, is axio-
matte in physical philosophy. Also in the So
cial system, there is an inertia pride, neglect,
a spirit of exaction and injustice. together with
a careless apathy, utterly imperturbable and in
sensible TO all demonstrates, which characterises
great bodies or corporations. 1t would al
most seem to be a fixed law in human folly, that
wrong doing augments in its intensity, and be.
comes holder and more needless in action, IN
proportion as the parties who perpetrate it are
larger and more massive. Where, often, an in
dvidual would blush at doing injustice, a
company of individuals lose all sense of shame
and power of blushing, and act as if they were
entitled to do as they pleased, without rendering
an account to, or caring for, any one
These remarks, belonging, as they do, as gene
raj truths, to corporations, and companies in ge-
raj, are singulary applicable to the companies
which pretend to supply this city with gas
No individual tradesman would venture to treat
his customers as these companies treat the
public. Their exactions as to the prices they
charge, are no longer endurable. II Isl disgrace
to reflect what enormous sums are paid to them,
and what little light they give for 60 much
money. The sum with which they assess the
city for the snail quantity of light they supply,
would be enough to pay for Illuminating either
London or Paris brilliantly throughout, yield.
ing fair and handsome profit besides. Three
times the area of light ought to be given for the
same amount of money which is now paid to
them for the limited area with which they con-
descend to bless us. Every lane, street, alleys
and hidden recess of New York every manu-
factory and workshop established in the
city, might and ought to be well lighted up
and illuminated brilliantly, to the great
comfort, honor, and well being of the city,
for the very same expense, and for the very same
charges, which they now extort from consumers,
for dealing out, scantily and miserably, in few
corners of the city, the nggard rays of their i'm
pure and parsimonlous distillation. We hear
complaints, loud and increasing, on all sides, and
our own experience, as a minute particle Of an
injured public, fully confirms and goes with these
too we'll founded complaints. 1t is time that
something should be done to vindicate the gas
consumers from the most uncomfortable extor-
ton, to rescue them from the grasping fangs Of
these over fed and over paid corporations, and
to obtain q better and more extensive supply of
gas for our city, so cheap that there may be- every
night, cheering blaze of light in all its work
shops, and in it's remotest recesses.
In those cities where gas is largely consumed
being abundantly and cheaply supplied, the profits
made by honest and moderate gas companies, in
furnishing good and cheap material, are very
great and highly remunerative. What, then,
must be the profits of our gas companies, which
supply us stintily with an article far from being
the best, and at a most extravagant charge In
the former case, the profits so derived from just
and fair dealing in a good article, supplied at
moderate charges, are honorable, however great
they may be but on the other hand, those profits
which are derived from work badly done, and
from extravagant, enormous, and unequitable
charges, are a direct fraud upon the public
Such is precisely the state of the case as regards
the supply of gas to this city, by the gas corpo-
rarions or companies. What, then, is to be done!
The extortion, avarice, and meanness of these
bodies, in exacting from the public too much for
too little, and in not rendering to consumers a
bona de quid pro quo is only equalled by the long
patience and quiet endurance of the public. 1t is
high time that this endurance should terminate
This patience, ifcontinued any longer, will cease
to be virtue. Let, then, the consumers OF gas
IN this city, without exception, great and small,
rise up as one man, and resolve to submit no
longer to the grievous imposition under which
we labor Let meeting, without delay, be call
ed, and some vigorous and efsctual measures be
Immediately adopted to bring these insensate
and arbitrary companies to their senses, so that
we may have greater supply, 4 better supply,
and cheaper supply of this light-yieldins i'm
ponderable.
We want cheaper light; we must have it; and
if the public interested will wake up, we shall
speedily have it. Agitation turns sour cream
into sweet butter. Agitation produced Catholic
emancipation. Agitation produced the repeal Of
the corn laws. Agitation, combined, active an
determined, will produce the SO much needed
reform in the extravagant gas system of our un-
enlightened city, and lead to supply of gas SO
cheap and so abundant, that New York city,
from being the darkest, may become what it
ought to be-the lightest and the brightest city
in the world
RENTS AND TENANrs.-We give in another
column, report of meeting which took place
last night, called by an auti-rent league, the
- a..