New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1876-10-29
The esas Company.

The GS00 COmDoDys
A correspondent writes to the Times,
stating that he is . tenant; that the Gas
Company has been mending its pipes lead
ing from the meter of the house which no
occupies to the main in the middle OF the
street; that tho company has sent him
bill Of IS for mending its own pipe, and
that upon his refusal to pay the bill he was
assured that it would be deducted from his
deposit. The correspondent thinks that II
he has to pay for the pipe it must belong to
him, and he proposes to dig it up and sell it
for old junk.
Our attention has been called to this
same matter by different parties who have
been served in like manner with the indig-
nant correspondent of the Times There
can be no doubt that the Gas Company has
NO claim against the tenant, and it il
simply IN outrage to hold his deposit re-
sponsible for something which he does not
owe. If the company can hold tenants re-
sponsible for any portion Of its pipe. where
would the responsibility cesseS 1t does not
rsquiSs nytsry great Aneuss e ssasaaisg
to demonstsave that the customers of the
Gas Company are not at all interested in
the escape of gas before it reaches their
meters, and if they can be made to keep
any portion of the company . pipe in repair,
they might % well be compelled to do it all.
In fact, the proposition is 90 unreasol pie
that no justice of the peace would peril his
reputation for common sense by giving q
decision in favor of the company if case
were brought before him, and perhaps
aggrieved parties would be put TO less
trouble and obtain moro satisfaction BY pur.
suing this course.
Tho g a. Company charges An outrageous
price for gas ~ compared with its cost and
the rates in vogue elsewhere. In Chiosgo
tho consaners recently formed . combine
ton and substituted oil for gas, and com.
PEELED tho companies there to reduce their
rates from g 50 to 81 50 per 1000. In New
Orleans We arc compelled to pay a per
1000, or s. 50 If the bill 10 paid within three
| days. We may have more to say upon this
subject hereafter.
We reproduce the letter Of the Tnses'
correspondent referred to above:
New ORLEANS. October 26, 1876.
70 the Editor Of the TimeG
61R-I am . tenant. have NO further
| interest in tho house in which live than
that I nav . certain amount each month for
the privilege Of occupying it. Recently the
Gas Company has been replacing its pipes
| in front Of my house. The workmen said
| that the old pipes leaked. and the Gas Com.
pany wss losing about a. much gas as was
consumed. l thought the company very
| sensible to thus take caro- of it's own prop
| erty, and bore the temporary inconven-
ience Of having my front yard and the
sidewalk dug into Pitholes with exem.
plary patience. You may judge Of
my surprise, when was presented
| . day.or two since by the Gas Company,
| with bill Of IS for performing this work,
| and thereby saving it's gas. You will re-
member that the pipe that was replaced
is the one leading from my meter to the
street. took this bill to the ''pslstial"
| Office of the company-it is not surprising
that it can afford fine buildings-and in
| formed the representative Of the corpora
| tion that there was rome mistske about it.
| did not order the work done; was not the
owner of the house, and was supremely in.
| different as to whether the company lost its
gas by bad pipes or not; the old pipes suited
me we'll enough, and got more gas than
| felt able to pay for, as it was; that if anyone
else than the company should settle the
bill-and did not think they should-it
must te the landlord. He replied that
''the company looks to the t. tnant. If you
can get iI out # the landlord it is ell right.
I said that the Gas Company did not pay
me anything for collecting its bills, and
that l was not in the collecting business,
anyhow; and I would not pay the bill, mol
would 1 present it to the landlord. He
then stated hat it would be charged to. me
and be deducted from my deposit. left
the bill there
Now, Mr.. Editor, the company can col
lect its fraudulent bill in this way, unless
tho outraged tenant goes to law about it
which costs too much. There are hundredl
Of tenants Who have been served in the
same way. It 10 little short of highway
robbery. But my object in writing you i
| to get . decision on point of law. Those
in my neixhborhood who have had thil
trick served upon them-there are NJ
lawyers among them-hsve come to thu
conclusion that if they are obliged t.
pay tor tho pipe In question. it must neces
sarily belong to them. We propose to dil
mp our gas p1pe that We have paid for anc
sell it for old junk, and get back some O
our IS and burn oil. The company chsrgel
| 50 SO per 1000, twice as much as it il
people would et0p using gas until the com
pany reduced it to . reasonable price. Th'
point of law which we wish you to decide il
whether We would be justified in selling
our pipe for old junk. II 1t would not
please suggest another remedy.
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