The San Francisco call., 1909-03-12

he cry or stop Their has been
sounded against the gas company. The
call has been caught up and echoed
from one end OF the city to the other.
Ostensibly collecting under a 81 rate,
the corporation has padded its bills
until the consumers have demanded
that the piracy cease. In q few days
an Official investigation viii be under
p taken on behalf OF the board Of super
visors by a special committee. headed
by DR.. A A d'Ancona. Evidence is
already reaching the Office of the board
OF supervisors. Il is either story of
a failure Of the service, an eXtortion-
ate overcharge or the imposition OF
some special fee. The company, it ap-
pears. is gathering a great surplus
TO make up for its FIRE losses.
The protest from the public has been
so general. the overcharges so fla
grant. that il indicates premeditated
design rather than coincidence. Doubt
has been cast upon the financial state
ments Of the company. Scandal has
marked its course in the past Rob
berry is the order of the day The
people now demand that these prac-
tfces shall cease.
PROTESTS RECEIVED
Complaints continue TO reach the
Offices Of the board of supervisors
Yesterdays mail brought a protest
from 7. ". Neusta dter.-Who had been
charged s2o.2O for gas furnished a
home occupied by two people. Neu-
stadter's letter to the board follows:
Il beg TO call YOUR attention to the
excessive charges made by the San
Francisco gas and electric company.
Ny bill from December - 10 January
20 amounted 10 5000 for gas alone.
AS my home is a very small one and
occupied by two people can not see
how this quantity Of gas was con
sumed in so short a time. Rather
than have any controversy with the
gas company 7 paid my bill under pro-
test. and trust you will see your way
clear 70 regulate matters Of this sort.
as the unfortunate consumer seems to
have no redress under existing condi-
ti0ns~
In Lake street and Sixth avenue. in
the Richmond district, bills have been
paid under protest by consumers. In
Steiner street. between Sutter and
made by the company. according to the
gas users.
BILL NEARLY DOUBLED
IT'S horrible" said Mrs. L. Z. Fish,
458 Lake street, yesterday afternoon
WREN she was asked about her gas
bill- She said the same thing about
the quality.
Mrs. Fish was only one OF two score
gas users who said harsh things about
the San Francisco gas and electric
corporation, but she felt justified in
saying what she did, because her gas
bill a month ago was $3.50 and for
March, although she had used no more
gas she paid Sz-50 under protest, and
in February there were only 2S DAYS.
What's the use Of complaining she
remarked, when the company pays
no attention and does not treat a con
sumer courteously. The quality OF gas
has been poor for many months. but
there is nothing TO do about it,
UsES MATCHES IN VAIN
In January. this year. Mrs. Alexan-
der Rosetu, 315 Lake street. used con-
siderable gas, according to her state
ment She supplemented this state
ment with the assertion that she used
gas when the real stuff flowed through
the pipes, but for the greater part of
the month she used 50 cents worth OF
matches attempting TO light air.
IN February Mrs. Rosetti used the
gas stove very little-for ironing pur
poses only-yet her gas bill amounted
10 lust as much as she paid for the
service during the previous month. She
complained, but neither the quality nor
the price Of the commodity has been
improved.
Pipes FULL OF BREEzES
Mrs. A. J. Zobel, wife Of physician.
3f5 Lake street, was compelled To
leave supper and breakfast dishes un-
washed on many occasions because the
gas. for which she paid S5 cents per
1000 cubic feet would not burn. The
usual noise came from the burners
when she turned on the gas" but she
let loose several thousand cubic feet
Of Richmond air, which had been con-
taminated in the pipes by an occasional
meeting with a little gas. For these
regular breezes she paid just as much
as though the gas" had heated water
and cooked the family's meals Her
husband wrote several letters to the
gas company without getting any sat
isfaction.
We register a kick most decidedly
said Mrs James Marshal. 127 Sixth ave
nue., Richmond district I'VE rely al
most entirely upon our wood range
for meals. Although we use wood and
coal constantly our gas bill grows
every month" ,
ECONOMY PROVES FRUITIEss
There are five members in the fam
ily Of William N. de Wolf, real estate
-aan, 155 Sixth avenue. and although
49, use 4 small quantity Of gas, the
'AA- RAI@l&-ANA bt Tie company was
Sl1.50 for February. In the previous
month they used the same quantity
and were charged SO.
Rev. A. Eal1in, lis Sixth avenue. at
tempted 10 economic in the use Of gas
last month, but his bin was just as
large as the previous month. He paid
dearly for gas, which Mrs. Eakin de-
clared was unsatisfactory and use
less"
Better gas was served before the
rate was increased said Mrs. c. F.
FIittgard, 100 Sixth avenue. Now we
can not use the gas at supper time, al
though we pay more for the stuff than
before ] don't know what people viii
do II they raise the rates again
NAPOR REFUSES TO BURN
DR. Edward Gedge. dentist, 14f Sixth
Rvenue. Richmond district attanantad