New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1875-12-08

The policy of keeping tho family wealth TO-
gcther, so strongly developed Ill The elder Johh
Jacob Astor has been adhered to by his son.
Az the late WIN. b. Aston was the trustee, not
the owner of bis fathers estate, he has SIM
ilarly willed his own property III trust 10 TWO
of his sons for the benefit of their ISSUE
they. like he, being wealthy in Their own rlghi
at the time of their fathers decease, since
thereby they have now become posscssors oil
their grandfather's property. with the pro-
verbal longevity of tho family. it is therefore
probable that many years will clapse before
the Astor wealth is much divided.
Mr. F. w. Birds instincts are always right,
whatever NAV sometimes be said of his policy.
Thousands will agree with his hot denuncia-
ton Of the unjust way the Louisiana usuipa-
ton was settled, without accepting as wise the
recommendation that it be all ripped up again.
But we think the veteran Massachusetts Radical
will find the Democratic House quite ready to
meet his wishes in the matter of investlga-
tons There isn't the least danger that 1t Will
not be prompt "tO reopen all rascalities COW
"eIed up by the Republican party" Ii is n
good thing to do and they will do it with
will. What we fear more is that they won't
do anything else.
Corporation Counsel Whitney pointed ont
another Of the leaks through which the city's
money has been escaping. This time the leak
is in tho nature of q crovasse. Each depart
ment, it seems, is i'll the habit Of mourning
liabilities without previous appropriations.
The Law Department, in resisting the pay
ment, sets up the defense that the appropria-
ton is exhausted. In court it proves that,
when the liability vas incurred. there was money
to the credit of that appropriation in the Con-
troller's Office, that ending it. The money is
paid out of the appropriation for Judgment
and the city debt is increased. The remedy
he proposes is to force each department to make
public an accurate register OF its liabilities
from day to day, IA they are incurred. The
remedy seems simple and practical. and. for
that reason, we fear it will not be adopted.
An Injunction suit, brought in the Brooklyn
City Court will interest every citizen who Is
using street gas. The plaintiff found bis gas
bills. he alleges, seventy per cent over those
of last year. and he believes the cause OF the
Increase TO be false registry OH the part of the
meter. He has paid his bills under protest.
The injunction is to prevent the gas company
from taking away the meter, they proposing to
test its accuracy in the secrecy of their own
premises, willie the plaintiff wants the test
made where he can be sure of the evidence.
To say that there are hundreds of instances
where the users of gas believe that they are
oyercharged. is to understate wel-known
fact. 1t is quite time that they
Al. h ,,lI hoU la
and practical rights in the examination OF
meters. These contrivances are at best ap-
pIoximative; no chemist would use them where
accuracy is required the best that can be said
of them is that they together perhaps average
their errors, so that one consumer gains what
another loses by the defective instruments