The New York herald., 1876-03-13


five cents per 1000 cubic feet judging from
change will not benefit them. He strongly advocates
unanimous action on the part Of the people, conDuent
that IN months time such course would bring down
the price OF gas 30 a reasonable hgure-
In another case small storekeeper complained OF
the arbitrary manner IN which he had been treated ny
the company. For more than six years he had on ue-
post with them the OF $40 assurance against
deianlt OF payment Of his gas bills During that time
his bills did not average more than So or f6n month,
and we're promptly paid On one occasion whep owing
TO number OF dark days his bill ran up TO about $ll
he received notice 10 make additional deposit OF $40
He called al the office but the only sat
sfaction he received WIS choice between making the
deposit having the gas shut OIL restaurant keeper
who kept open early and late and averaged bill OF
$50 month sold out his place aud moved 10 an
other part Of the district where he opened liquor
In the latter place he did not nearly much
gas before but the bill around just the
as ever, He now burning oil at less than onethrd
on KGHrH AVENUE.
Starting at Twelfth street HERALD reporter began
peramOuauon up Eighth avenue, and continued as TAR
as Forty second street Between the starting point
and Sixteenth stores and eight private houses
were found where oil has superseded the use Of gas
Besides these there within the bounds
mentioned where oil Is used in the back part of the es
iablshment the use Of gas insIhe windows and about
the entrance still being continued. Those persons who
have abandoned the use Of gas entirely say that they
produce quite much light with oil at less than
one-third the expense Of gas. One gentleman said be
\ had been using six gas burners and. his Dill
averaged SIS a month all winter He uses
I eight large lamps, and finds that his oil costs HIM
\ only So month His amls arc OF very neat
4 pattern, seem 10 be constructed or safe principle
and cost 81 10 each including bracket, which Is
attached to the wall by screws and on which the lamp
rests Nearly every proprietor Of store with whom
the reporter conversed complained bitterly OF the way
/ in which The gas companies swindled him One
said that the l4th OF February he shut of his gas
at the meter and began the use oil OIL and did not light
single gas burner again during The month Notwlth-
standing this iact however, when his bill rendered
the end OF the month he found IL heavy, with
the exception OF few CENTS The one had been for
\ the month OF January. This the complainant desg-
mated as "clean steal, an "unmitigated swindle
U Twenty
stores where the use OF gas has been discontinued were
houses and apartments that do the gas ALL
From Twenty fourth TO Thirty nth street ten stores
and ihlrty-hye private houses aud apartments have
shut of the gas and all declare they will continue 10
burn oil until the gas companies give up their exorbl
tant prices One storeReeper, between Thirty yhrst
of excitement the question OF extortion,
practlsed by the gas companies, The company from
TO "rh the conclusion s'i ha, viii burn about ' SO
much each month, so they just slap down
make kick about 1t am put to all manner of
trouble and at last told TO shut the gas of II don't
like IT, Now you don't like this, ~ coptinued the
rate consumer ''and propose take the company
its word and smut of the gas. shall buy dozen
I IIv Se U my wh y qso 10
have them shut down on their gas as we'll II we will
only make determined enortwe can iorcc the gas COM
pany lower rs prices and for onewll try the ut
most Of my ability 70 get up general movement among
/ the storekeepcrs along the avenue The people in
Brooklyn brought gas companies over there TO terms,
and why cannot wo Sp
From Thir,y-nnh 10 Forty. second street there
four stores and twenty private houses and apart
ments that do gas but rejoice in the brilliant
and mellow light produced by oil. Here, as IN other
localities on the avenue the people found be
highly indignant at the condition of things in regard to
the price OF gas. Some half dozen shopkeepers who
using gas declared their intention TO get lamps
IN YoRKvILLK AND HARLEM
ne ., ns c nsn 9 enS
is increasing Of oil IN the stores in place OF gas
Up as far as Seventy ninth street, where the har-
Euc Earnn Cia nj hag hn In
complete monopoly, as has the Harlem Company in the
upper district. The complaints on the part oil the con-
sumers against both companies Tor overcharge and in
ferority in the quality OF gas are bitter and widespread
AS yet the customers OF the Manhattan Company. for
the greater part have not abandoned the use OF gas
hut there Is such strong feeling OF discomfort among
and the chef reason why they hesitate now is on ac
count OF the approaching season Above seventy.
are using OIL and tho probability Is that within lew
weeks great many more will bave cut of the gas.
Only those who during the coming months will have to
use very little Of IL are resolved 10 continue
being supplied by the Harlem Company. The
cheapness OF the oil and i,s successful use
in so many stores already have caused
people 10 make inquiries, who, Il is expected will
speedily follow the example set by so large number Of
their ncighbors. II will be seen from the statements
OF the several storekeepers given below. which are
similar TO a number OF opinions excluded 10 avoid
repetition that II believed the price of gas alto
gclher too high that oil readily take its place,
with great saving OF money and That there is no eonll-
dence whatever the honesty OF the gas companies
their desire 10 treat the publ,c fairly;- %.
A plumber and gas nttcr at No. l,2o2 Third avenue
said There Is general dissatisfaction up among
the storekcepers and in private dwellings,
the latter especially. AS gas litter have taken out
about thirty meters this winter, the object being 10
have them returned the company for exchange, IL
being believed from the high bills sent in that there
must be something wrong. This winter the bills arc
observe, about twenty-five per higher
than they were last winter Ny own bulls
have been certainly twenty-five per cent higher
do not think that the gas companies charge accord
ing the meier, but according to scale OF their
own dependent the number OF burners IN concern
and the hours is conjcctured they IN IL IS
mere guesswork beyond this The complaints are
general in this ncgbbOrhood and II is moro than kely
we shall all have to use OIL The gas Dill, with tho
peremptory demand OF the company, We shall cut
ca i you don't pay Is serious monthly tax on
hood and the people must ecouomize in every way
they The Metropolitan Gas Company exacts a
deposit from every according 10 the number
OF burners use generally equal TO the amount Of two
months bills, and the company stherciore, have as
much money on deposit as Il would require capital TO
run sts business. There ought to be Official OF
some appointed 10 regulate the gas meters. At
the present time there is, Tar as | know only
one man to whom you can go to have your meter
tested. and you may have 10 leave with him Tor a
week before you get II back What Is the use IN
turning meter the gas company and getting
another OF the same company's mctersr do not put
much faith in the reduction from 81 IS to 81 3d. which
the Metropolitan Company has announced will be made
In this months consumption The company can mulct
the consumer Just as q pcascs For instance, Il has
come under my knowledge Two or three times that
did not for given time, use any gas at all
and satisfactorily proved that fact when this repre-
scnatlOu mauc 70 tue company us OntcT
the bill and promised investigation, but the COM
pany knew too much 20 prosecute any further INQUIRY.
There Is redress, The officers OF the company refer
you from Que 10 the other. but as rule there Is no
satisfaction 10 be derived from complaints"
;. Harper, No /. .264 Thrd avenue, gave up using
in the tall Of last year The last bill for six weeks
Sil 81 Tor lights used from dusk until ten O'Clock.
The family used oil ana the gas was never used IN The
morning Light costs him now, with breakage OF
lamps, 81 so a'monIh
druggist in the ueighborhood OF Third avenue and
Seventeen street, sld-"l hnd that matter how
much gas burn, the bills about the for each
quarter. In winter the bill about $50 and IN
ncr about $50 month. Now burn quite much in
summer in winter " not more consume about
the quantity gas daily all tho year round yet
In the different quarters the bills vary getting heavier
as the winter approaches Every body Is complaining
in this ncighborhood both about the cost quail
.ty Of the gas Ia my opinion II things do not mend
=, OF US up will have burn oil We are supplied
hx thc Nctr ComDany. which no W