The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-12-04
President Crockett Of the Lighting
Monopoly Orders the Return
Of an Illegal Collection.
Tribute Demanded From the Native Daugh-
ters' Home, but Restitution Made at
the Request of The Call.

Have you IS on deposit with the San
Francisco Gas and Electric Company for
the use Of a gas meter? If you have and
are adverse to the corporation Illegally
drawing interest on your money any
longer go to J. B. Crockett, the president,
and demand it's return forthwith.
He will instruct the cashier to refund
your money without moment shesitaney.
AT least he did in one instance yesterday,
and it is not TO be supposed that he would
make any distinction or discrimination.
In ordering the return of that deposit
Mr.. Crockett tacitly admitted that his
company had collected 1t wrongfully, and
that the law prohibiting such collections
is in full force and effect.
The circumstances are these: On the
first of the present month the Native
Daughters of the Golden West opened
O.. their home for members of the order at
o. 925 O'Farrell street, and the president OF
the trustees called at the Office of the
gas company, 415 Post street, to order
meter placed on the premises and the gas
connected. Five dollars deposit was de-
handed of her, and although she explain
ed that the home was a public institution,
besides protesting that the demand was
contrary 10 law, the company's represen-
tative refused to have the meter put in
without the deposit. The money was paid
under protest and a certificate of de-
posit' given, on which was printed in
part: This deposit is only to be refunded
upon the surrender of this certncate AT
final settlement" Thus, If the nome con-
tinued 20 use the meter for twenty years
that sold piece at per cent interest would
have earned the company another sold
piece OF the same denomination. win
70 900 TO 1900 consumers, each of whom
has a similar amount on deposit, it does
not REQUIRE an expert to figure up the
enormous revenue Illegally obtained from
consumers, to say nothing OF the deposits
- forgotten by consumers in the hurry OF
removal or lost certificates, without which
deposits cannot be drawn down, all of
which goes into the company's treasury:
The head of the Native Daughters
Home, filled with indignation at the rapa-
city of the gas monopoly which would not
even exempt so worthy an institution
from its extortions, reported the occur
anee to The Call, and representative of
this paper was sent to make formal de-
mand upon the head Of the company for
the return of the money, being instructed
TO notify that official IN case or ms re-
fusal to yield up the coin, that suit would
be instituted for its recovery,
Armed with the certificate OF deposit
Crockett in that gentlemanS ONCE, and
presenting the certificate, requested that
the s. be refunded.
II was entirely unnecessary to say any
thing about the likelihood of a suit fol-
lowing his refusal, for without a word
OF objection Mr.. Crockett conducted his
gentleman to return the money. This
was done, The Call man indorsing the
certificate AS he was about to depart
the cashier volunteered the statement
that had the lady, when ordering the
meter, made it known that 1T was for
public institution, not only would no de-
post have been demanded, but the COM
pany would have given her special rate
of 81 60 per thousand feet for gas, the
regular price being 81 rs. He requested
that she be informed that the 81 60 rate
would be charged the home hereafter.
The cashier must be laboring under a
misrepresentation, for the lady distinctly
stated that the meter was for the Native
Daughters Home when she protested
against putting up the deposit.
However, the deposit has been refunded,
and ii is fair to presume that should any
other depositor demand the return of his
money the company will not discrtm-
mate.
But although the company has thus ac-
knowledged that it has no right whatever
to these deposits, ii keeps right on. de-
handing them and will continue to do so
until the suffering public refuses to en-
dure the imposition any longer.
One case that has just been brought to
the attention of The Call, where the COM
pany actually removed meter already
on the premises because the new occu-
pant stood up for his rights, is that of
Theodore Carlton, 72l14 Grove street, an
Mrs. Stewart, who lived in the fiat now
occupied by Mr.. Carlton for thirty years.
When she broke up housekeeping, on the
22d of last month, Mrs. Stewart went to
the gas company and paid her bill up to
that time. She gave notice to send the
bill for the remainder of the month to
her, and that another family would oo-
cupy the fiat and pay the gas bills after
that time. December an employee of the
gas company called on Mr.. Carlton and
demanded s. deposit on the meter which
had remained in the house all the time,
and on which Mrs. Stewart had never
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