The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-11-27
THE GAS QUESTION.
Whist Action the Companies rs Going to Taks
to.smother the Public Camor and What Thsy
are Afraid 0r-stubborn to tho Last
Against Facts that Cannot Be Denied
When Will tho Darkness Endl

IL Is rum0r0d THAT some decided action viii be
taken during the coming week by the gas compa-
MES In order TO head on the Legislature which,
well known, is determined to take them In hand
once II gets into working order. However II Is not
as yet known what this action may be; but it Is
pretty certain that they viii not dare to
resort to any rlckenes, AZ they have donc
in the past, TO make the special commttees,
II any such are appointed, 10 swear that black Is
white and that beyond all peradventure OF doubt
the moon Is made Of green cheese. except when IL
Is full and enables them to reduce tho pressure on
the gas lamps, much TO their profit IL believed
that is the intention OF the various companies to
hold sort OF caucus and tndeavor to unite upon
some
COMMON BASIS or OPERATIONS
looking to the Improvement OF the gas and the
burners generally used In the city to throw light On
dark subjects. In order 10 accomplish anything In
this direction that win In any way satisfy the people
II Will Of course DC necessary for the companies to
20 to great deal OF expense, anu under the cir.
cumstances II Is surmised that the action That win
he taken by them will depend y great deal more
upon what this expense viii be than upon what
they could easily do for the henent Of their patrons
II they were willing 10 be less penny WISE
than they arc To certain degree the public alarm
might be nppeasel should the companies go to
work and change all their small pipes and put large
ones In their place. and at the same time
INCREASE TIE PRESSURE or TnE GAS
from the manufactures, and regulate Its delivery
to each particular dwelling In sucn o way not TO
leave one mans home IN partial darkness and
another with such pressure on the burners as to
be too much of q good thing for general
comfort OF man or beast A HERALD reporter
yesterday met one OF the gas officials coming from
church lgas officials actually do 60 to churcn) and
questioned him as to the truth Of the rnmor OF the
proposed .talkn tho companies are about to have
all among themselves.
sWhy haven't heard Of any such thing" said he,
with pious inclination OF the head, as though ne
meant to indicate that TO talk gas on Sunday was
sacrilege that no one but reporter would possibly
| be guilty Of
| "Iut my dear SIR something must be done. YOU
know persisted the eoorer "and think 1t Is moro
than likely II you do not know anything about tn G
matter that there are otncr officials who do.'
"Ah That Is likely. Have yoi seen any OF them"
"Ana what did they say about tho meetlng-I
| mean the runOrcd -"
"Exactiy; tney are. rs far "a can learn, very
sangune that the Legislature Will do Them justice,
and that 1t Will necessary Tor them TO be ape u
show, as they say they can show that the people
COMPANIES are all wron sed There's astincuon
This answer was it must be confessed rather In
definite one, anu 1t was regarded by the pious
ollcial. who was evidently AFRAID OF committing
himself, but VINO, the reporter felt by his actions,
knew more about what the companies might do
between the present ana the meeting OF the Lcgis
| laturc than he wanted to speak about.
1 that know no:ling Whatever about any combined
action OF the companies with q view OF making any
which relates to their business But will say this,
! that inc companies are always willing and ready to
I do everything that lies In their power 70 meet
THE WISHES or THEIR PATRONS.
| provided those wishes are not unreasonable"
snow, when you get on that tack Pm AFRAID we
cannot get along well together In discussing the
70 tns srS
/ planned to you what believed the companies did
In n ne ev way S,o q n making good gas"
"Bus do you suppose have changed that opinion
nisned Is as good gas as can be had in the world
and that IL Is not the fault OF the companies their
sors Of Tr1mDIing committees because they
know 1t Is popular TO DO So"
ut Is SAID the yas are donG ne best
that the gas was no better last night and tnat the
| TIE oUT-or-THE-wAY SIDE STREETS
burn very dlmy. rather there Is not enough gas
"inas is the fault Of the burners sappea b. the
Department OF public Works. and not the COM
with enough Gas to burn three ieet an nour II the
burners are In good condition."
"But can prove the contrary"
zone OF the gas lamps In Thirty eighth street. near
Madison avenue was tested on saturday evening.
new burner was put on ana left OH for several
hours, and Notwithstanding this 1t was discovered
that there was not pressure OF TWO feet OF gas"
.'Wel, that may be owing 10 au accidental diJar.
rangement OF the tube or something OF that sortn
"Do you mean TO say that the gas has been AZ
good during the past two weeks rs it ever wass"
II do; and may say better. II often happens
that the service pipes get out Of order, or that,
pending q repairing OF the works at tile mannfac-
tories, the gas Is for q short Time inferior 10 tho
average quality, or that the pressure Is weak bat,
Us general thlng. the gas Is good"
''Yet they tell me thai IN some houses in the di,-
Jrct OF the Metropolitan Company the gas scarcely
burns ct all. Can you account Tor thatN'
OF what have not seen or do not understand. Dount
less the consumers are at fault they only TOOK tho
It. know tnat every compliant TO the companies re-
attention, aud that II rarely happens the
do not lind out that tile tuDeS or burners are the
mischief makcrs.n
''You must certainly know yourself that OF late
where 1t burns apparently with as great y pres
sure rs ever, II does not
GIVE THE SAME LIGHT
as when it looks clearer and purer.
"That stare OF affairs may happen occasionally
owing to the cause which have Indicated, but 1t IS
not the general rule"
"Tnen all the occupants or owners OF tho large
estapsnmets In the CITY not 10 speak o. tue occu.
the same compialnt-In fact, have been struck nc
the same time with the idea that their good gas Is
The Official did not seem to relish the question,
anu simply remarked 81 am sorry people grumble
So but when an investigation Is begun l think
everybody Will nnd-that there - very little ground
to Inyeigh against the compan es 50 sIro On,
haiiing car, jumped into IT. and LETT the reporter
In a maze of d0uOt and mystery.
In CO .cuslon 1t may he that instead OF there
being any Improvement In the light furnished by
the gas on Saturday night and last night 1t was In
the side streets o great deal worse. The police,
who are the best judges W how the gas does not
light up the sidewalks they have TO patrol, are
almost unanimous in their opinion tina Il Is not as
good as It ought TO b.. In fact, they say that
In the ont 0f-ine-way streets It Is little better
than no light all. ssOf course,r said one OF them
to O HERALD reporter yesterday, ~ can see my
way nights or laie but that's about ell. guaran.
teeI
CONE ACROSS MORE SHADOWS
than do bright spots, anyhow; and do believe II
q burglar should be In the middle OF that block
there and hundred feet on | couldn't see him.
Last night was bright, moonlight night, and OF
course the light from the gas lamps was not OF 80
much account as when people depend upon
It solely at night to make their way
safely through the streets; yet it was
noticeable that the light burned very dnly.
III dare SAW said q policeman 10 the reporter, |