New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-05-16

pany commended, IL could not afford 10
do at the rental prices it is now charg"
ing.
As a further reason for a rehearing
the gas company said:
THE average cost to the respondent
(the Consolidated Gas Company of in
stalling ranges is more than the amount
Of one years rental; and II the order
herein is continued in force the re-
spondent (the gas company will be
obliged either to increase its rentals
for gas ranges, and thus throw heavy
and perhaps prohibitive burden upon a
very large number of its consumers
who cannot afford TO pay high rentals
and TO whom the rental system has
been almost a necessity, or discontinue
altogether the rental Of gas appliances,
to the inconvenience and hardship OF
thousands Of gas consumers"
1t was also pointed out BY the gas
company that the order issued by the
Public Service Commission was dis
criminatory in that 1t favored owners
of large apartment houses, who can
well afford to purchase gas ranges out
right, to the detriment and dlsadyan-
tage of a large number of small con-
sumers, who cannot afford 70 purchase
The attitude OF the gas company IN
its application for a rehearing lends
force to the suggestion that was made
several months ago that the gas com
panies operating in Manhattan and The
Bronx were contemplating the discon-
tinuance of the rental system.
In speaking OF the stand taken by
the Consolidated Gas Company, Robert
f.. Livingston, representative OF the gas
companies in Manhattan and The
Bronx, said yesterday: 1T was the
Consolidated Gas Company which in
augurated, just twenty years ago, the
system of renting gas ranges and other
o. appliances. No other company IN
the world rents gas ranges or gas APP
plances of any kind. At various times
representatives OF gas companies oper-
ating in other cities have taken up the
question of renting gas appliances and
have investigated the system In vogue
in New York City, but because OF the
consequent loss and the large amount
of capital required none OF those COM
panies that has looked into the matter
has adopted the rental plan. Even in
our neighboring borough, Brooklyn, gas
consumers are compelled 10 purchase
gas ranges and other gas using appli-
ances.
There are not less than 100000 gas
appliances distributed in these two bor-
oughs on the rental basis at the pres
ent time. OF these 100000 appliances
at least 10000 represent so-called
cookers. or small gas ranges, for which
the companies charge 81 a year, or
3 l-3 cents a month, IN the Borough OF
Manhattan.
THE gas companies have about 49,
900. 600 Invested in gas ranges and ap-
planes distributed throughout the
borOughs of Manhattan and The Bronx
on the rental system. The books OF
the Consolidated Gas Company will
5 how that each range and appliance
a loss of 50 year, and
we're il not for the fact that the gas
companies depended upon the sale of
gas, the carrying Of any such burden
as a rental system would be an utter
impossibility."
Mr. Livingston further said that it
cost the Consolidated Gas Company
during the year 1914 100000 to regu-
late, repair and adjust gas ranges and
other appliances. He also said that
during the year 5000 gas appliances
had been lost or had strayed or been
stolen. lie further said the actual cost
Of installing a range exceeds S2-yary-
ing from $3.50 10 S2.s5.
The gas company pointed out before
the Public Service Commission that
leases of apartments and houses were
formerly made for year from May !;
that was before there were such ready
facilities for spending the summer
months in the country. and before such
a large portion of the population left
the city during the summer. II leases
had continued 10 be made from May
TO May, many tenants, after the FIRST
year. would have gone into the coun-
try and, in the autumn. would have
rented a house or apartment for the
winter months only. II was 10 prevent
this inevitable loss that the landlords
very properly insisted upon making the
leases run for year from the first
Of October. The same principle pre-
,isely. the gas companies contend, that
mas resulted in the universal leasing
of residential property from the first
Of October led the gas companies 20
make leases from the nrst OF April, the
season of demand IN the former case
being for the winter months. and in
The latter case for the summer months.