The San Francisco call., 1909-03-21
GAS @WEATHER"
WORSE WHERE
RIVALSARE FEW
Meters Not So AcrObatic in
Districts With Keen
Competition
Evidence of Gas Robbers
City Wide DepredatiOns
POurs In

t-etion that the gas company attunes
y meters 10 the weather. tt appears
fiat the registers I'm the sunset district
have been more susceptible to the at
mospherie pressure than those in the
congested downtown district where the
corporation faces active competition.
Aioreover the rain Of last January
does not seem TO have had the same
eNhilarating effect on the meters OF
rival companies. The facts suggest an
alliance between Britton and the
weather.
The evidence against the gas robber
sneantme accumulates. His raid is city
wide and heavy are his depredations.
al = Quinby of - Seventh avenue
was paying something like s1.2O for
gas q year ago. but the bill for. Jan
uary was $40. Accompanying the bill
IS this.
I'VE have burned less gas this year
than last. as we have used a coal and
wood stove for heating instead Of our
gas heaters because Of the poor quality
ef 'f'e gas. We have also used a lamp
for reading
Prom an average of So or 81 the bill
of ~. ~ Eatsch Of 3271 Twenty
street was lifted to $3.50, and then like
Pm airship 1t shot skyward to S2L2O
ERoW s3 10 s2I.2O
81 have an eight room house" writes
lNatsch. "in two rooms Of which there
IS no gas. We have two small gas
ranges. Ny bills USED to average from
s. 10 81 then jumped t. an average Of
$3.50 but last month my bill reached
The nice sum Of s2I2O. Upon asking
the company FOR an explana ton all the
satisfaction I received was that they
would test the meter. and If incorrect
7 would get q rebate"
EIENEY A VICTIM
francis J. Teney has also been
victim ~ the gas robber. While in
rle Lane hospital his bin ran on Just
Tho same He writes:
'Perusing nay gas receipts for the
present winter. and comparing them
w.th the year preceding. ] find the fol-
lowing. The bills for the months of
December. January. February and March
OF "a year ago total $3.50. while those
OF October. November. December and
january. less than year lGter, total
$500. showing an increase Of over 81
nor cent The bin for December 1907.
dated January 2. 1908. was Sl.20. while
She bin dated for December y. 1908.
running from November j., 1908, is
so20. su increase Of zoo per cent. The
- hin Tor November u. 1908. was $40,
--4af7o that of the month following was
sec0 all OF which time I was ln the
1sne hospital and on the trip east at
sended by my wife the house beng
rnoccupied by any one, with the eNcep-
p fion OF Cd keeper
- r
HARRISON streets was held up by the
rss robber for $3.50 more during the
month -of january than for December
ffc writes
- .f inclose you two bills Of the San
francisco gas and electric company
f5r Gas and electricity consumed at ny
store. 1000 Twenty fourth street, ana
- rv residence. 37O3 Twenty second
-r~oet Gas for store. November Is TO
5sser7ber il. 1908, was $500; gas
t,r- residence November to December
1QhE WAS So Electricity for store,
--o,er,aer l3 to December II. 1908, was
.str.S5 making a total Of S28.05. Gas
rer. store. December IL, 1908, TO Jan
nary y. 1909. Sl7.40; gas for residence
fooerber . 1908, to January 4, 1909
500 Electricity for store. December
=. 1908. to January y, 1903 S2V-oS'
making a total of s44-65.
.you VIII see that my January bill
e7e50 in excess OF the previous
-rrrtn and conditions being the same
fo- both months, ! sent protest 10
1fr Britton. the president OF the gas
company. but no good came Of it. l
-..lst rhat some good may result from
Tie stand taken by The Call
WEEK OF ROBBERY
u required only week TO convince
u. Mcintosh OF 1924 Vallejo street
.l.zt be had been marked by the gas
gobber.
~hs TO gas bills" he begins, 4 have
not the worst case on record, but for
q small period of Time, seven days in
rect 2 think mine unusual moved
10 1924 vallejo street on February
-9 and The same day paid 50 10 have
thc meter set. Al the end Of eight
mv order or deposit T had nay receipt
Al anr rate thev set the meter that
dar March q. on March IL ] got
Il biI of $50. dated TO March H. for
thc seven days only. I had used the
.-ae Cor only two meals day, for
ny wife and myself and we had used
81 coal oil lamp FOR lighting the two
small rooms
..ayo moved from the Mission district
orG were with three others there in
i've rooms and used gas for lighting
and for three meals a day. At that
ime THE bills averaged about S2.40 for
"a whole month.
LOST HEX ROOMERS
Mrs. H. AIusgrave OF 76s Capp street
rolnpIains that she lost her roomers
.ecause the gas service was so poor
t could be used for neither heat nor
Irht.. From IS and 50 her bin has
been boosted as high as $2S.15 for
January and s24 for February.
r. Giovanni OF Lafayette place was
presented, with bin for $2.SO for
) -ebrrarY. although his highest previous
nnr had been $l35.
The bil Of Mrs ! Feitelberg OF
12s Oak street took a sudden squirt
iu. 1annary and reached s7.20, almost
vice the previous amount
k. 81. Meherin OF 307 Scott street
was charged SO for December, an
ansn 5cftcd and unexplained increase
of So
The ffi of Mrs +. Hartman followed
an Interesting progression. increasing
- the rate OF 81 month until it ]