The New York herald., 1876-03-13

un1ess s0eeuIIy
duce oil lamps the cheapness Of which more than
compensated for any comparative cisadvan-
tages they might have Already evidences OF
the popular revolt against the gas monopo-
lists are beginning to manifest themselves.
large shoe store some time since took the initiative
In giving up the OF gas and substituting lamps,
and now number OF others have followed the example
set them IN a conversation with the owners Of
OF these the reporter was told that the gas question has
of late been topic frequently discussed by the
keepers of that locality and that dsconent has been
very generally expressed by all who are compelled to
pay the now charged. As they are obliged TO
have light until very late hour the gas grievance has
ANNOYED them perhaps more than any other class of
people, and they show disposition To submit TO It
longer Not only do the storeSeepers here complain
OF the cost Of gas, but some OF them say that the
meters do not correctly determine the quantity
sumed. They instance occasions when less than the
usual number Of lights were kept burning and say that
the gas charges were not at all altered by H.
Occasionally TOO, they say the light given by the gas
seems dim and blurred and they fancy that this must
come from distractions IN the pipes defects In the
meter Those who have introduced lampsn the place
OF gas say that they have lcssencd their expenses
thereby more than soventy-hve per cent, and that
they will use their best efforts to the use of
sary 10 compel the companies reduce their rates.
and all seemed willing 10 join IN remonstrance
against the prevailing high price.
CArHARiNE STREET.
In Catharne street another east side business quar-
ter the reporter found that the storekeepers were
equally desous OF forming combined resistance TO
the gas men. In several large stores the OIL lamps
have been introduced, and in one the reporter
found a new aud elaborate set OF fixtures designed
specially iorthe lamps which had just been put up,
and the proprietor stated that he lound oil more salts
factory than gas and was determined 10 show the
ncighborhood that he could have more light and moro
elegance Id his place than the gas monopoliss could
furnish dealer in glass ware also stated that
of late there has been a marked increase in tho
demand for lamps, and he knew OF many instances
where the OF gas had been done away with in
private families during the last few months The dry
goods stores Catherine street, for the most part,
are deep III ventilated apartments, with low ceilings
and windows visible from the inside. In these II
has been necessary 10 keep gas burning all oay long and
many OF the owners have al different times complained
OF the grievous gas oxtortion. One gentleman TO
whom the writer Spoke said that In these hard times
II was impossible TO pay much money for lighting
expenses, declared his intention OF getting rld OF
gas soon as he saw any apparatus that woulo meet
sidercd the matter and found that as rates now are,
he could save nearly $500 per annum by dispensing
with the of gas.
While on the east side the reporter found that great
number OF the small shops upon East broadway and
he learned thar through all this district there is
steadily going on movement against the gas compa
MES. Further eastward, IN the dwelling houses, the
use OF gas has been nearly altogether gwen up and
several residents Of this pa of the city said that un-
less speedy reduction OF rates is elected the COM
names may soon take up their pipes and transport
them elsewhere for all the use there will be Tor them.
on SIXTH AvKSuE.
A HERALD reporter started on Saturday morning at
Beecker and Carmne and went up the cast side
Of Sixth Fortieth street. and down the west
again to Beecker calling upon the proprietor of each
side OF the way. The object OF these visits was 10
any facts that could be cleaned about the
tOrtionato charges Tor made Oy tho companies and
much complained OF by the majority OF the house.
keepers in this city Three things we're discovered
viz, that the charges now made are regarded as lar
too high that the quality OF light Is not 20 good as II
was former years and that great many people have
given up using gas and adopted oil lamps Eacn OF the
two former agreed by everybody along the Sixth
avenue but 1t is only the housekeeper small store
keeper who afford TO fall back for relief on the oil
and lamp
There are 6gs houses between Blocker and Fortieth
streets on Sixth avenue, some oil which dwell
ing houses only; others stores some theatres and the
remainder hotels The majority, OF course stores
many OF them small and Insignificant enough; but
above Jefferson Market they are nearly all fine COM
modlous places iar way Oh business WIN ,nrge
street is served by two gas compancs-the Manhattan
aud Mutual Above Thirty fourth the Metropolitan
supplies the gas Now, careful inquiry shows that
there is vast difference between the material fur
nshed and rates charged by each of these companies
BY difference in 'ratcs is the aggregate sums
demanded for a months gas IN stores that have an
equal number OF burners. Take for example, two
stores down near Amity street, each OF
which has six lights, which are served
by Two different companies. That which is served by
one company has been charged more than that which
by the other This seems TO be invariably
the case and even IN one place millinery store the
proprietor stated to tho herald reporter that being
disgusted with the exorbitant bills that came into her
month after month from that company she resolved TO
try the other, and since she had done so her bills had
been less than they were Tor some Tune previous
However this difference only indicated either that tue
average OF 81 80 1000 ect was too high, or that
the index readers of the latter company were more
honest than those of the other The greatest discovery
oil the investigation that the who TO read
the meters liable to make grevous mistakes In the
compauy's favor This was shown at Booths Theatre,
where the management pay between $3.50 and $500 a
week for gas IL appears that mistake was
made by the Manhattan Company's man OF
rectIaed when discovered by Mr. witherspoon,
who charge OF the gas department. Of the theatre
There was intention on ihe part OF the man TO de-
fraud the management and Mr.. Tooker said that the
adjustment of the matter was immediate when the
error was pointed out; but other people to whom the
circumstances was mentioned felt assured that similar
mistakes OF frequent occurrence. Should this be
the average gain the company by these blunders
would be very handsome indeed. gentleman IN the
dry goods business, whose monthly gas bills amount 10
upward OF Sll5 said that he felt confident that some
such bunders as these were often made IN his own
establishment because, without any apparent reason,
the bill Of one month would far exceed that OF the pre-
vious In ais judgment, the present rate, t2 30 per
]. 900 feet much too high, and the proposed re-
ducon Of twenty-five cents on the 1000 too insig-
ncant 10 be any relief TO the overburdened people.
that the companies had paid dividend of 100 per cent
their stockholders This being true, he would stake
his business reputation on the assertion that s.
per 600 would afford the gas people princey margin
of profit and give the consumers the desired relief
POSITIVE REVOLT
On Sixth avenue there has bctn positive revolt
from the control of the easmcu Nearly every house
keeper below Fourteenth has given up gas and
taken to using non-explosive OIL In this same dis
tr,ct there are fifteen using lamps instead OF
gas, and many more are preparing 10 follow their ex-
ample II IS only the smaller ones that can do this at
viii the larger say they cannot. IL Is claimed
that would be source OF great inconvenience TO the
proprietor dry goods house, In which there ntty
sixty burners, 10 trim each day n many or more
lamps; then, too, the light given, they fear, would
scarcely good that shed by gas and the smoke
smell would occasion great offence TO clerks and
customers sui, unless something be done by the
companies the proprieors even OF the largest houses
declare that they viii be compelled 10 take snch ac-
ton. for selrpreservation. One gentleman proposed
that a movement should be started 0y dwelling house
keepers cali meeting form protective ociation
aud unite IN resolve 10 give up gas and consume oil
throughout the city as far as practicable such action
the part forty Dfty thousand persons IN this
CITY would so materially reduce the revenues OF thc
companies that they would hasicp 10 be more moderate
Ia their demands and speedily bring their 10
cummodating figures The drug stores ana places with
fine show windows might te forced said ne by the
very nature OF their business, TO continue the OF
gas but in their homes the pOprctors OF these places
could forego the gas and join IN the oil movement
well as anybody else IL Is evident that the people
on sixth avenue have entered this con-
test with the gas companies In roa earnest.
AL the tenemcnts dwelling fats grad
uaiy being lighted by OIL instead OF gas The htrlc
stores small restaurants and many OF the ladies'
nisng goods palaces are now lighted with OIL and every
day more beng added TO the list Nobody that can
thp tion NJ