The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1899-04-26
GAS CONSUMERS
WILL BENEFIT
BY NEW RATES
$l.lO Held to Be the
Legal Charge.
SOME AUTHORITIES DIFFER
CORPORATION MAY HAVE TO
RESORT TO THE COURTS.
Gas Question Is in Such a TangIe the
SOME AUTHORITIES DIFFER
Gas Question Is in Such a Tangle the
Supervisors Do Not Know
What Move to
Make,

According to legal advise taken by
some members of the Board of Super
Vlsors on the widely discussed question
Oh gas rates, the legal figure which the
San Francisco Gas and Electric Com
pany may charge consumers is 81 10 per
thousand cubic feet. This supersedes the
rate Of 81 70 which has been charged for
years. The minority members Of the
board believe that unless further action
is taken the company must hereafter
render its bills at the reduced rate.
1t was given out that a resolution
would be presented at the meeting of the
Board on Monday fixing rate of 81 go
For some reason this measure fell by the
Wayslde, the member charged with it's
IS understood the majority members Of
the board Will support a resolution fixing
the rate at that figure. If they found it
impossible to pass it they might finally
compromise on 81 50, the rate for which
the minority is holding out The consen-
sus OF opinion among the members is
that 81 10 is too low and would not stand
IN law. They, make bold to differ with
his Honor. the Mayor, in this matter,
claiming the company has not been alto
gether fairly dealt with.
They would like to test the contention
OF Mayor Phelan that the rate is irreYoc-
ably fixed for one year at 81 10, but do
not know what steps to take to bring the
matter to an issue. When the members
are satisfied that Mayor Phelan's doc
trine will not stand in law they will, &C
cording to their present ideas, name 81 90
as the legal rate to be charged. Some
members of the board are advocating
that the gas company officials test the
matter at once. They could arrange a
friendly suit with some consumer and
nave the questioned passed upon judi
ciauy.
The company loses heavily owing to
the controversy, no matter what action
may be taken. If the rate of 81 60, which
the company offered to make, be adopted
It's annual receipts will be reduced SI35,-
600. If 81 80 is determined upon the re-
ductiOn will be $270 900, while if the re-
ducton of 40 per cent, already acted up
on by the Supervisors, holds good it
means q saving to consumers of $5So,0O0
year, According to the tigures sub
mitted by President Crockett, this would
almost wipe out the profits of the COM
pany. The small householders and small
ing of rates, as they are in the majority
and bear the major portion of the bur-
den for the Illuminating fluid.
The officials for the gas company pro-
fesS to believe the rate has not been
fixed at 81 10. but that the old rate still
obtains and is in force. Their attorneys
are apparently willing to stake their rep
utations as men skilled in the way of the
law that no action of the Supervisors has
resulted in fixing a rate which the gas
company must charge for its product
The rate for gas is not 81 10 said At
torney Thomas B. Bishop, chief of cOun-
sci for the company, yesterday. What
action the directors will take i'll the mat
ter of this months bills | do not know,
as the matter has not as yet been dis
cussed. We are not concerned about the
rate and have given no thought to test
rate has been fixed and that the old rate
is still in force"
From the commencement of proceed
.ings in the gas matter the attorneys for
the company have claimed that the board
had no legal right to fix rates, hence
"all it's work has been wasted"