The San Francisco call., 1909-03-25
SCHARLIN BROS. WIN
CALLS SIS REWARD
Gas Bills of the Firm Show
Most Flagrant Case of
Extortion
Conclusive Proof Offered OF
Increase of 400 Per
Cent

For furnishing the most conclusive
arm of ScharIin Brothers of 937 Grant
avenue will receive The Calls reward
of S25. The firm has submitted it's re-
ceipted bills showing extortion of
1,4OO per cent. This is the most
Migrant overcharge that has been
present raid of the corporation upon
the private purses of the consumers.
The Call has received a large num-
Der of complaints and many of them it
has published. They show a varied as
sortment of methods by which the San
Francisco gas and electric company
has enriched itself by victimizing the
public, but none bolder than the day
light holdup Of Scharlin rothers.
HUGE BULK OF EVIDENCE
1t was to secure evidence against
the gas robber that The Call offered
the s25 reward. The evidence has ac-
cumulated in larger bulk than was ex-
pected. The criminal activities of the
company are circumscribed only by
the city boundaries.
Amid all the complaints that of
Scharlin Brothers stands foremost. The
firm uses very little gas For the
month from January ~ to February
IL the bill was s1.70, about the aver
age amount. That represented the
charge for 80 days. those days which
President Britton of the company says
We're noteworthy for the extensive use
of gas. From February IL to February
26 a period of Is days, Scharlin
Brothers used almost no gas in their
store. The bill for the 15 days was
s11S5 At this rate the bill for 80
days would have been s2370 making
an increase Of 1,400 per cent
In their complaint Scharlin Brothers
write:
I'VE are inclosing you two gas re-
ceipts of the San Francisco gas and
electric company. The bill from Janu-
ary II to February II, period of one
month, shows 1000 feet consumed at
S5 cents, total of s1-70. The other
bill (closing) from February II to Feb
ruary 26, a period of 15 days shows
14,S00 feet consumed at so cents,
total of s11.S5.
please note that although the rate
for the larger bill was less $50 cents
per thousand) and the period of con-
sumption only half as long it still
shows an increase of 1,400 per cent,
which we think will be hard to beat in
your contest. We are happy to state
that we are now taking gas from a
competitive company whose rate is
only rs cents per thousand. having dis
continued the service of the San Fran
cisco gas and electric company Feb
rary 26, 1909.
I'VE neglected to state that we paid
this bill under protest after they
threatened to bring suit against us.
VERIFIED BY BILLS
The story of the extortion is veri-
fed by the receipted bills A Schar-
lin one of the members of the firm,
said that there was no possible way
by which he could account for the
amazing extortion of the gas company
other than desire on its part to
get even when the firm ordered the
service discontinued
we have lighted our store almost
entirely with electricity" said Scharlin,
and the amount of gas we used was
insignificant. Our gas bills were al
ways small. We have a term contract
with the San Francisco gas and electric
company for our electric lights but
received our gas from them just as any
other consumer.
Rival companies have come into this
district, but owing to my term contract
I have had to continue with the San
Francisco gas and electric company for
electric light service at higher figure
than l could have obtained it from one
of the other companies. My gas bill
from January II to February IL was
$40. Although it was small, learned
that 1 could get cheaper rate from
one of the other concerns.
II did not give the matter special
thought until l received bill from the
San Francisco gas and electric COM
pany for $11.S5 for the Is days from
February II to February 26.
ROBBER THREATENED SUIT
''Of course 1 refused to pay the bill
and told the company that it was out
rageous. They threatened to bring
suit. We felt that as long as we were
changing to the other company there
was no use in making a fight, so we
paid the bill under protest
II do not know why they should