The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1875-12-12
BRO0KLYN'S GAS TR0UrDLES
tLLgoED INCREASs SBTENTY
PER GENT.

'mer's Protest May Bring
"hh' "he IONS. Cnse Of Addition, Dt-
vision. and SiIence-~~
For some time gas consun,> ',.,
''''',",' u, u" Wv Wv "''''''' .""'Sno" ished
zens' Ga -llght Company, have been asto,-
cy an Increase Of about seventy per cent. tn thcir
ga bills, and many persons after rcmun nstrating
win, the company ~ no purpose. have returned
their metres and adopted kerosene light
While tho complaint has hcen general, no per-
son seemed to care 30 test the grievance in the
courts, until MIR. 5. j. Young Of 81 Doug
lass street, received bill the last Of
November for 5000 for 6,pO feet Of
gas The year before the same month
had used hrt $3.50 feet ~ ga- with tho same
number of huruer-, and In October ~ the pros
consumption. lie asked MIR. W e. Libby, the
President of the company, whether hc could
explain, hut Mr. LihiJ'' rc.p"nsc was that he
could no more explain II thah tel why
MIR. Young should have fhcumHtisin In biz left
in ~ aud IN hi. right in 80. Un heins further
uuc-tipnrd, MIR Libby said That in February the
changed from the manufacture Oi naptha gas to
coal gas. lle said that he would have Mr..
Noung- retie Inspected. " he wished, and II IL
was incorrect thcro would ho rebate. After
waiting itC dave. Mr.. Young, on Monday last,
uuld tL, : ~ .Ot,, ih, r,.ri,rr "a The same time
handling iu a written protest against the pay
nent, in which lac said that he made the pay
mrni to prevent the g''s being shut of from his
house.
In a colloquy with Mr. Catlln the Secretary,
that c,uilenhu refused go accept the protest,
saving that II the metre Wds wrong D." would re-
move :, The next day amt test u Ia ~, own
office. MI Young objected to this. and said
that he would test the metre Oh his own
he sheslI nr.t have Inspected Ly lie
state N,ire Inspector. Mr. tatlln thought
this wn. Illegal, but NJ. Young urged that u was
not aud sdurd. that If he could he would pre-
vent the removal Of the metr" util he could
test II. ON Tuesday he uhiained from Judge
Nelson au Injunction restraining the company
from removing the metre aud tn order return
should not h' made permanent.
A Mr.. Young could not estimate his loss
under the Increasing bills. NO summons or COM
Ilsiut could he served ia SUIT. and the lawyer
Lee employed blundetcd in nnaihg oui the papers,
in which he appeared both Hs attorney aud
notary. An Interesting contest was expected
yesterday but the gas company failed Ia appear
hy counsel simply scndine a note to Judge Neil-
son. mentioning the Irregular proceedings, and
he declines 10 continue the injunction. .
The subject. however. is NOT To- hc At rest IL
have purpu~rly decreased the Illuminating
power II the gta that the consumption might
hr s-cntcr and that where nNe feet gave ample
i.hi n'l"r'' 'ighl i"cl l- required now men,
too, th,rt ARE tuniD arbitrary charges one gen
tlrmrn received bill for three months gas,
vixen his house was closed tor that
time. aud When be spoke To- the COM
pany. tho Oh"er confessed that they
had guessed At the amount because the insprc-
tor wms scN Mr. MIR : a. nres~ner Of at5
smith street, was charged -, 80 for ga for the
,lne time for which in Isl he paid hut Is. Tho
an u.rcciion Of his metre. He at once began
10 use Kerosene. The odd contract that some
years ago was signed 10y consumers has been
abolished, and the applicant signs q book In
which j. printed " We, the undersigned. do here
10y naee application for metre, service pipe.
Nc.' The company operates under the
yas law of lNjJ. II is 10 obliged
TO furnish ANY nved quality Of gas
tn private CONSUMERS, although II fur
ni-hc- the cty under contract gus equal tn the
! iight uf sixteen candles. The difference Is the
gas furnished before February, lss5, aud since
| cun-titutes as many consumers think. a breach
| ~ contract, under which each person might re-
| cover money uyerpgid on account Of the do
| crease Ia the gts's illuminating power.
IL Il proposed that "A fund shall he raised
! to carry tho subject Into the courts The
growing uses OF kerosene causes n return, on an
! average. Of loo metres month. n the gas 10
reduced In power the consumption increase,
! and the receipts can Ice 80 reglhated as not
! t. make the company lose anything. Another
View Of tho matter is THAT the dire tctors try
! ing to- corner the stock Of the company by de-
preclhtiny II 80 that " may he purcha,ed at a
! low ngure. Mr.. Young has put IN test metre In
hi- hou-e which Will hereafter serve as tt-tale
! ou the company metre in ease the lattor II ia
! correct. The liruuhlSn consumers pay - q
thousand feet. which they think l. quite enough
| without any lOcus-pocus to tax them more