The San Francisco call., 1898-04-23
STATUS OF THE GAS BANKS.

HE admission of Mr. Barrett, cashier of the
 San Francisco Gas and Electric Company, that
 his concern has no right to demand deposit as q condition of furnishing meters to consumers ought to do the soul of the corporation good-if it have any such thing as a soul. Both 1t and its twin, the Pacific Gas Improvement Company, as well as their predecessors, the San Francisco Gas Light and Central Gas companies, have for years been demanding deposits before they would supply meters. The two former supposed even now to have as deposits many thousands of dollars obtained from consumers upon which interest ij paid
 Cashier Barrett who, according to the report of his testimony in the suit brought by Henry James to recover $5 deposit appears to be good-natured and accommodating gentleman, frankly told Justice Barry that his company did not claim the right to exact deposits for When man applied for gas he said, he got a deposit out of him ii possible as matter oi business" This we presume Is ac- complished by telling him that he cannot get meter unless he pays the money. Alter the deposit IS made it IS called voluntary contribution to the capital of the gas company, a contribution which each consumer generously makes as a guarantee that he will pay his bill.
 MT. Barrett was, however kind enough to tell the court how to avoid making these voluntary contri- buttons He said that all a consumer need do when he applies for gas IS to serve the company with written demand for meter, whereupon in accord with section 62o of the Civil Code it will sup ply meter once. He suggested that possibly the corporation might bluff little even after this de- mand had been served, but if the consumer had suf cent sense to stick to his position he said it would finally, like Colonel Crockett's coon come down.
 Now that gas meter deposits have been placed upon voluntary contribution" basis it will no longer be necessary for gas consumers 10 make them unless the1r benevolence and generosity mpeli them to do Persons who have already "voluntarilv' contributed to the capital of the two gas companies may obtain their deposits by applying for their money. II its is refused they need not bring suit, done by Mir. James, but they should pav their bill and order out the meter As soon as that elusive instrument IS out they can have it replaced simply by serving written notice on the company Of course this will not be necessary The moment Cashier Barrett and his fellow diplomat of the Pa cifc Company that their voluntary contributor knows the law, they will reinqush the voluntary contribution in their hands Thus Mr. James suit has settled great question of gas economy. Gas consumers may abolish the carbon monoxide banks at any time by simply withdrawing their deposits
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 There IS one thing upon which America can de- pend, and upon which Spain cannot This is the in- tegrty of naval and military officers Weyler stole himself rich long ago, and richer irs Cuba. The limited quantity of supplies in the island now proves that the successors of the Weyler bandits are either corrupt that they have no idea of how to prepare for war.
 II the Oregon is in such peril as some people seem to think because of the presence of hostile torpedo boat in South American waters, the modern battle ship must be rather serious joke Let it still be hoped that the torpedo boat is also exposed to degree of peril while in the vicinity of the Oregon.
 It is matter for congratuation that there has been sign of hostility manifested toward Spanish residents of this city and that there is no danger that such feeling will be shown. San Francisco adds to its strong patriotism the advantage of being civil ized.
 President Patton of Princeton has written some thing about the 'pigmy poets" of the present Doubt less it is interesting stuff. But has not Mr. Patton taken rather advantage of the absence of Joaquin Miller?
 There is growing belief that Chief Lees occa- sionally gets his own identity mixed with that of the Gar.
 The conclusion cannot be avoided tha4 the Spanish had little diplomatic fun with Minister Woodford
 Doubtless there members of the Cabinet who would be less missed just than Roosevelt.