New-York tribune., 1885-01-02
GAS BILLS NOT REDUCED.
COMPLAINTS FROM MANY CONSUMERS
rupy FIND THAT THE LOWER PRICE DOES NOT
DIMINISH THE BILLs--ANswERs OF THE COM

Since the reduction In the prIos OF gas hiIIs
not ths far e from sn0 half million dollars II spite Of
this complaints against tho gas compares nTstestins
plentiful as ever Recent & eHtsTs R.dsctou H does not
e Econo@v "S begun at homo ends suddenly
% at the gas BILL Witch dees expectaton and cai0a u
lation BY "bobbing up ssrene. ai.ep npsrept reduc
ton in the rate The following letter puts the
| case with wit rs point:
To the Edttor Of The Tribune.
sqS ,Ss my ysy sm 1r are yssr. nf
nainingiy the monthly charges Of the KnckerbooKer
tBs sa sy the
Gas Company Of reduction cents % per ernneypected
S S Il nn nssus new
sIaRIi reaR%ctIcn n whit On did reduce: ,,. , xos
Of as hsSn on 1nS nsed 9 bv me-
ns months o %q& that sns Of tho SS;
SntSS Of ' b ssss$ $5 @ tho
GSSspSs'sS sp ike nature can oe cited
oSd Iwas foolish enough suggest to the gas COMPANY any
ns DS,Si'y yw aa9hGr
that 3so the s,a fte om 9f $ gas ossu1
mouth ahead An nolent agent called and grgy asked
wanted 5 the gas ss@s I Answer ""'
The G frat night burned candies the second a full n
set kerosene fixtures with duplex burners made us oD
the price OF gas should be advanced we could pr9ba,
RSoSethsr R too expensive and we our isolated
plant The grocer who supplies se o m aas m
had quite sap nn reason the
pany really want put the community at ,nGf mercy ercy
the price until barrel would only go as far as gallon
does now, and then we should be vanq'is9g1 ,1rs
WHAT TIE GAS MEN SAY.
When this letter .was, read to q gas man, ne
| turned n ring upon his finger until the diamond
| was out of sight aud with patient smile said, AZ
LII (lnl ~
| n keener sense of humor and more determined
| temper than most men. One or two things are true
his si%a ana as nsg viii fYp explain them He
has either used the gas or he has not. You know
that this is the time of greatest consumption; Ihe
companies million sHpS 0ds feet 'fSn day. '' Add
o'" this that - tho a., weather aISGnoor has has
been unusually favorable 70 tne gas r daws @
have predominated during December. He has also
| been tempted by the reduction In price ana USED
more gas than before. The chances are then hat ne
has cot the worth of his money II not it is the fault
of the meter aud the remedy for that Is TO nave u
tested or exGhanGed t;onSc abont that We have
| men who are employed to do nothing else, and. to
iell the TRUTH they are the hardest worked men III
''Bnt /, it not possible for the companies by in
creased pressure at the works to force the consun-
ers TO waste their product instead or burning IL
cconomlcayfp -,
iii Won viii look at It for moment You viii see
| that such n sword cuts two ways The leakage and
| coudensation mains are always u serious loss
10 u.s. In the six companies IL averages from Il 10
IL per cent a year THIS year 1t WI probably pe
greater in those companies which nght tne
| citv lamps. Electric lights nave put OUT
lh6usi Of gas lamps, but they are
sili connected with the street mains aud the leak;
age the service pipes goes on IN spite Oh az
| aboye one lnch-which is the normal standard-
! we add Immeasurably to the leakage and the item
~ ,te f errnce ON our consumers bills. IL Is
mi.fortune that the leakage is always greatest
| nj the time Of the greatest consumption. we
| must maintain u high pressure during thls
stnndard at all attitudes Bear in mind also that
the Consolidated Company mas over SVo miles oi
| strcet mains laid on Manhattan Island .
| :" wi-h' concluded the gIs man, you W9uid
enuIncra,e the ris<s and di.ad yantages nnIer when
,hr pubic 10 needs we'll ~ To our enormities
our business Il extra hazardous. fireand explosion
arr constant menuces 10 the value OF onr PROPERTY
| Ve suffer constantly by depreciation. lhc lie OF
r1 reort s only three years ana the repair account
| t. a large aud growing c"'cern y sholmous w We
| It, ~ tnvesr o cstntc Add 10 these risks
| omd Ji.o1vantao fact that We are never Sc
| cure from a d rus competition and striking
| ic",slatnfsnul =, ecd not wonder that gas stock
In thi- country is unstable and iuctuatins Sc
cuuiy.'
THr oplSION OF THE CITY EXAMINER.
Following mp the admission of tho gas
| mnn that the c0mpanes MAINTAIN az thls
! .ca. an an extremely high pressure "a tribune
,port.r called a. the laboratory Oi Dr. T. G. Love,
| i'm tine Bowcry. DE- Love IS the city ltIs Examiner
| m he employ of the Department OF fnblIc WORKS
| fl - his place TO ascertain The precise degree OF ac-
| curacy with which the compahle; hNe up 10 Ihelr
contract to supply the city with gas. Dr. Love
sah: ... % s,,,,noso that tbe increased
nresurc which Is daily registered and recorded IN
! this office has any connection WIN llc reduction
| ~ the prcc Of gas have not II ade the compari-
SON but do not bc,icyc that the pressure Is greater
| this vcar than last during II corresponding period.
| II have here the record of the Illuminating power
of the ga, O! The different companies for the week
| ,nllur December 27. and IT ranges from le 10 ~
| candles. In my Judgment the consoHdatl3n VIII
not benefit the consumer muoh; ne stoce II ms 70
been doubicd but there seems 10 be no intention 10
| eiut dawn any of the works. BY that means only
! can an important saving be cnecteh.
TxPFRrENcE OF LARGE CONSUMERS.
Large consumers Though the city on being asked
tlo eject of the reduction expressed the opinion
nal,.ons ,.i,, Of value 1t was also found that
The majority used governor G octnr Tr vas ngs"cU Icpt
| ~ h-iO OF an inch. At Il. ii. Macy ~ Co.'S.
tLe Metropolitan Opera House, Harry Miners
! Theatre and several of the downtown roslau-
rants where the governors were "a operation 9 ratio Il
WAS thought that saving in gas bills OF from 10
| to 80 per cent had been elected s.
In the Office of company Tor the SAFE oi patent
| governor the manager showed gauge whlch reg,
! i.tcrcd n street pressure OF Z-lo inches at
| O'clock in the afternoon. Three hours IRON
,o,, aid he the pressure will jump 10 3 2-lO.
4 gns-ict under this pressure burns with violent
| blue fame combustion IN Imperfect, ana lhougn
! thc meter may register correctly, tle consumer
| Jnes nnt pct thc light which he pays for"
4 number Of letters have been received az s this
their bills mad increased beyond all reason In the
| in.t month IL know that ] hlye burned less gas
| thnn last season III my house. SAID one, ior we
have not entertained at ali, and yet my blls SHOW
| no abatement during the months just passed. bnt
what can one doi in suit the consumer Is gener-
| liz ,vors,ed and in the end lighting gas COM
unnv never proves to bc worth the candle"
|
MY FIRST lND LAST DEER HUNT
from The IN ,cdgo Inter Ocedn nc
n was December, 1888. / dressed myself