Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-06-07

"
Yesterday Constable Mallory served
warrant of arrest upon Captain George
W. Gift, the secretary Of the old gas
company, on the affidavit of John Dono-
van, President, and Fl. X. Goodlett, Sec
rotary Of the new gas company, charging
Mr.. Gift with unlawfully and wilfully
tapping and malieiously injuring GER
tain gas pipe and fixture, the property
of the Gayoso Gas Company, etc.
Esquire Moore issued the warrant, and
the case is being heard to-day. The
suing out of the writ was very silly
proceeding, and originated as follows:
Some time since, on several occasions,
local paragraphs appeared in the LEDGER
on the gas question, all of which para
graphs assumed that the candle
power Of the coal gas of the new
company and the naptha gas Of the
old company were equal. Captain Gift
having some doubts as to the correctness
of this gas proposition applied to the
new company for gas in his office so that
he could test with instruments the rela-
tive candle power Of the gases, which re-
quest was not complied with. In pursu
ance ofthis scientific investigation, Capt.
Gift obtained permission Of Messrs.
Dunbar & Moreland, who reside next
door, to tap the pipe inside Of the meter
of the new company, SO as to get this
supply of gas. Leave was granted,
and the pipe was tapped accordingly.
While Captain Gift was pursuing his
scientific investigation, the writ above
mentioned was sued out and executed
1t is needless to inform the public that
the gas company owns the pipe up to
the meter, and the occupant of the build
ing owns all the pipe extending from the
meter. Gas is paid for by the thousand
feet, and the proprietor of the house has
right to burn gas or not as he sees fit,
and to burn as much of it as he desires,
as he has to pay for all passing through
the meter. What he does with it is no
business of the company. He has
right to permit another party to test the
gas on his premises, or,to attach pipe
and locate the burner in an adjoining
house if desired, the gas being his
after it passes through the meter.
There is tradition existing among gas
men that no one has right to interfere
with the pipes or meters of the COM
pany, but the new company has on many
occasions disconnected the pipes and
meters of the old company without per
mission. The question is simply: Has
consumer no rights that the new com
pany is bound to respect2 or does he
own the pipes extending from the m eter,
or the gas, after paying for both2 The
consumer has, no doubt, as many rights
as the company, and, after paying for
his gas, has a right to do with it as he
sees fit. The arrest Of Captain Gift is
an amusing phase of the gas case, and
only shows what people will do when ex-
cited or in anger Can it be possible
that the the new company was afraid of
the test of the relative candle power,
sought to be made by Captain Gift2 OF
oouraa Jnet;ca Moore will MT regard
this prosecution as serious one, there
being neither right nor law on the side of
the new gas company. If the public is
to be sold ont for gas, and is mortgaged
to a gas company, both body and soul,
we would advise the public to fall back
on the explosive oils, nitro-glycerine or
some other combustible stuff, for then
you will have liberty at least, and can do
as you please with the material after you
have purchased it.