The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-03
A GAS EEyOLT IN BROOKLYN.

The contest in Brooklyn between the gas
| companies and the gas consumers has never
assumed position which promises to be
productive of good results For years past,
the people Of Brooklyn have cried out
against the high price charged for gas; for
years they have protested against the extor-
| tiOnate demands of the companies, and
month after month they have reiterated
charges against the accuracy Of the record
made BY the meters. A deaf ear was turned
| to their complaints. Private citizens found
their bills as high for the summer
months as they had been tor the winter sea-
son, and many well.authenticated cases have
come before the public in which accounts
have been furnished for gas alleged to have
been consumed, while the premises had been
| shut up during the absence Of the owners at
the seaside. Ali this naturally led to good
deal Of grumbling. but there seemed to be no
redress obtainable, as former attempts showed
that II an opposition gas company were to en-
ter the field 1t would be soon swallowed up CT
bought out by the old monopoists.
The gas companies knew all this, and
fancying that the people would continue to
bear their burdens meekly, they became
more arrogant in their conduct toward those
who had the holiness to complain either of
the quality, the price, or the amount Of the
bill. They threatened to shut off the gas if
the bills were not paid promptly, although
they held deposit from each consumer
larger than any claim likely to arise against
him. This system of exorbitant deposits, to
which the people have tamely submitted, has
enabled the companies to fight the consumers
with their own money; it has furnished the
monopolists with paid-up capital constantly
increasing, and by which, without touching
their own funds, they are enabled in q great
moaanra rn1v Oaa IN thu cif
Finding that the companies seemed deter.
mined to make no reduction in the price Of
gas, many of the citizens, about two months
ago. determined to use oil, either wholly or
IN part and since that time the movement in
favor Of oil has spread rapidly, until at this
moment fully one half of the gas consumers
are using it. Storekeepers as we'll as private
citizens have introduced it, and find reduc- |
ton Of over 100 per cent in the amount of
their bills Before the movement in favor Of
oil had assumed its present dimensions, the |
gas companies became alarmed and offered to
make slight concession in favor OF public |
opinion. They cendescended to reduce the |
price of gas from So per thousand feet to |
50 IS on and after the LIST of February next. |
The citizens rejected the proposed reduction |
as insufficient, and, instead Of checking the |
consum ption Of oil. the action Of the compa-
MICS has encouraged it considerably. Now |
that the people have got accustomed to it,
they say they Ore not willing to abandon it !!
except on terms that will be more satisfacto-
~ tkan any yet offered. The illuminating
power Of the oil is, they say, as good as that
Of the gas, while the cost is not half as m uch.
The lamps, of course, require little more al
IGNITION, but this they are ready to give for
he sake OF saving considerable sum at the
md Of each month. They maintain that the
gas companies should supply gas Of good
luality at price not exceeding two dollars
Der thousand feet, and they are not prepared
o pay higher rate for it.-N Y Times.