The morning call., 1893-05-27
CITY GAS RATES.
Power of the Supervisors
to Fix Them.
THE BOARD DENIED CONTROL
Attorney Bishop and j. B. Crockett
Of the Gas Company Speak
Against Reduction.

The Board of Supervisors met in CON-
mitiee of the whole yesterday afternoon
10 consider the question OF gas and electric
light rates.
Some time ago the board adopted a reso-
lutlon calling upon the gas and electric
light companies to compile and file with
the clerk of the board all possible data re-
garding the receipts and expenditures of
the different companies. The object OF
the resolution was to get as much infor-
mation as possible, in order to have some
basis for a regulation OF rates.
The board first met in executive session,
and for over an hour listened to Attorney
Mitchell and discussed the entire situation.
Later the board went into open session,
when Thomas B. Bishop. the attorney.
and j. B. Crockett, representing the San
Francisco GasliGht Company, appeared.
Attorney Bishop first addressed the CON-
mittee, and stated that he did not wish to
occupy much time. as there were only two
propositions which he would discuss. The
first was that the board had no power to
regulate gas rates, and the second was
that the company was not in pOsitlnn to
stand any reduction of rates at present.
He SAID that the gas company does not
wish to be placed in the position of being
a
exist and had no foundation in law. With
the water question The board had jur'sdic-
tiOn, as such was expressly conferred by
the State constitution. The constitution
names the board as the tribunal which is
to fix the rates annually. and prescribes
the method of regulation. Bat In tn case
of gas it is different. No such jurisdiction
is given, and the constitution Is silent on
the subject. There is no prescribing or the
method of regulation and no liking of
tribunal
In conclusion Attorney Bishop claimed
that the present rates were fair and just,
but said that J. B. Crockett could speak
better on this point for the boards en-
lightenment
DIR. Crockett followed with a long ad-
dress, in which he said that his company
had SS,000.000 invested in gas property and
emnlnved 625 men, whose wages amounted
to S500.0 600 year. Some of these men had
been employed for thirty years and got the
same wages as when gas was 81 80
Thousand feet.
The speaker next stated that coal was
very high here. and only English or Aus
traliau coal could be used on account of the
great amount Of carbon required. The
freight on coal from the East was too
great. He claimed that his company paid
from 80 TO So y per cent more for wages
than Eastern companies. Then there rs
the freight on pipe and gasfttiBgS, all of
which had to be brought from the East.
The gas company'S representative next
compared the prices of gas in other cities
with San Francisco and made the claim that
considering higher wagers. dearer coal and
heavy freight for material the gas in San
Francisco at 50 q thousand was cheaper
than any other place in the United States.
1t was his firm opinion than any reduc-
tion of the present rate would greatly in
jure the company.
The board took the question under adj
visemeut at the conclusion of Mr.. CrOkett's
address. II it insists that It has jurisdir-
tion to regulate gas rates the company will
carry the matter to the Supreme Court.