The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1910-04-25
Takoma Park Resident
Scathingly Arraigns Com
pany and Its Methods.
ESSAYS COMPLAINT;
SUIT THREATENED
OIL Lamps Made Necessary by
Poor Service While Bills
Jumped, He Says.

A gas bill that Increased at the rate
OF nearly 800 per cent within two
months, though the quality OF gas be-
came so poor within that period thaf
IL was necessary to use oil lamps fer
reading purposes, and a written thresJ
from an attorney Of the gas company
10 bring salt unless the bill were paid
following an attempt at amicable &C
5ustment were portions Of the evidence
exhibited today by w W Cruitt Of Ia
koma Park. Nd. n a stirring arraigli-
ment Of the Washington Gas Light Com
pany-
Charges that the gas became 50 poor
for z time that il went out on three
occasion, and that his children narrow
" escaped asphyxIa-iOn- and that sub
seqUeutly the pressure became so great
that Ups were blown OF the gas lets.
though the quality Of gas became no
better were also made in an interview
By M Cruit
Cites Figures In Bills.
M CrUit lives at Takoma Park, Nd
According TO q statement given out by
him today his gas bill, which had hith-
erto averaged less than S3T5 a month
suddenly SCARED TO SzL02 for two months
an within ten days, while Mr.. Cru5t
was attempting 60 investigate the mat
IeTr jumped 10 S25-S5-
According 10 the statement OF the
chief clerk OF the gas company, MI.
CTUIL alleges no part Of this amount
was in the nature Of a fine for delay in
pay InenL The account OF the incident
which threatens to conclude with a law
SUIT against him IS given By Dir. Crult
as follows
During the month Of January there
vas scarlet fever IN my family. At
the end OF that month I got no gas
bill and upon inquiry found that the
inspector had not entered the house
TO read the meter on account Of the
sign I was told that the bill for two
months would be forwarded at the end
OF February
1T came. The amount was for S2202-
Before that the bills have been from
$3.50 a month TO S5-SJ-in no month did
II exceed s..
Oil Lamps Used
NO extra gas was burned on &C
count OF Illness IN the family. Because
Of the poor quality OF gas furnished We
were compelled 10 use oil lamps, and
IN order 10 get hot water. the kitchen
stove was used almost entirely instead
OF the gas range"
Nj. Cruit's story also shed some in
tsrestiug sidelights on the character OF
gas furnished in Montgomery county.
On three occasions, he declared, when
an attempt was made 10 cook dinner
on the gas range. the plan had TO be
abandoned and a IRE kindIed in the
kitchen range 10 finish the process
These incidents occurred during the
latter months OF last year and caused
so many protests 10 issue from residents
Of Tacoma Park. that a higher pressure
was put on To that TACT M Crult at
tributes the increase in the gas bill as
the pressure he averred, served often
TO blow tips on the Jets though the
we had 10 abandon the use Of gas
in the childrens rooms M Crulr
said. because on two occasions the
gas went out, and the children mar
TovvIv escaped asDhyxiatiOn- Our com
plant and similar ones caused d
higher pressure TO be put on and this
pressure consists largely OF more air
and not o. more gas
Redress Refused
Officials Of the gas company de-
cIared that an investigation had been
made and the meter tested before the
case had been given into the hands OF
an attorney for collection
eft is simply q case OF q man refus-
ing TO pay his bill, and we do not
care to make any statement further
than that" was all the official IN the
treasurer's Office Of the company who
handled the case would say
The second bill. for $3.50, followed
g. request TO have the gas turned of
Since that time Mr.. CrUit declares he
has lost more than S. IN time al his
work in order to reach q settlement
with the gas company. Efforts TO
compromise, he said, met with failure
NY efforts TO trace the matter" he
said, met with the greatest difficulty
I went from clerk 70 clerk, and was
referred 20 half a dozen officials All
the satisfaction I got from any of
them was q curt statement that the
reading Of their agent went, and that
the bin must be paid in full
Mr. CruiI is a mechanic. and IS at
present engaged in working on the
new building being erected for the
ChIdrea-S Hospital