The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1882-04-17
Do Meters Measure?
The Fallibility OF Gas Offices Judicially
Affirmed.
philadelphia Press. !

philadelphia Pressl
A wise Judge in New York City, after an ex-
haustiye examination of all the authorities,
has decided that gas meters are not infallible
There is not q householder in the land but who
was morally certain of this fact before 1t lie,
nevertheless highly gratifying to have this lay
opinion adopted by a judge and pronounced
from the bench with all the solemnity and au-
thority attaching to judicial conclusions
Heretofore the gas companies have had it all
their own way. The mysterious little clock in
the cellar always testified in their favor, and
from its findings there was no appeal. An in
crease in the consumption of gas never failed
to be registered, but any attempt at retrench-
ment in that particular was as ofeen as not un-
attended by any decrease in the revolutions of
the dial below. A total disuse of gas Tor sea-
sen is an economy which usually Injured to the
their bills could only be disputed by those and
were prepared to have their gas shut off and
be content for a season with the illumination
afforded by kerosene or candles.
General Sickes is warrior who does not
shrink from contest, even with gas COM
pany. He denies It's right TO charge him for
gas during period when he and his family
were absent ia Europe and no gas was burned
on his premises He denies, further, the right
of the com pany to remove the meter from bis
house and shut off the gas because he refuses
to pay for gas which was never burned. On
this latter point he goes into court and asks
and obtains an injunction against the gas COM
papy which proposed to leave him in darkness.
Judge Lawrence decided that tho question
whether person Ia In arrears for gas Is not to
be decided by the company, but, where 1t 10
disputed, by jury, and until such arrears are
thus ascertained the company is not at liberty
to shut off the supply of gas from the house OF
the person contesting the bill. The gas COM
psuy is. therefore, restrained from executing
its threat to leave General Sickless house in
darkness, and is obliged to refer to jury OF
the yicinage the question whether the meters
figures are to be accepted against the oaths OF
the General and his family. -,
An oppressed and down-trodden people Will
hail this act of General Sickles with grateful
acclaim Should the law as laid down in this
case DO affirmed and accepted by the bench
generally it will be triumph for the warrior
plaintiff which will far s9rpass in glory and
magnitude any hpnors gained by him IN the
field of arms. We have been under the neei
of the gas companies long enough, BY virtue
of their Writs of alternative mandamus, Saying,
sspay the bill or dwell In darkness" they nave
for years intimidated every community. Here
after they will have to justify to Juries OF
bonseholders and gas burners the workings OF
those mysterious meters which register as rap
idlv when house is closed and unoccupled as
when every burner is In full blaze. IT Is
GREAT victory, and If its influence will extend
10 Philadelpbis orr citizens will unite with
their glad brethren of New York in shouting
glad hosannas for this triumph over common
9unmY.-