COLLECTING GAS ACCOUNTS.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXIX, Issue 8275, 31 October 1906, Page 3

COLLECTING GAS ACCOUNTS.

DANGEROUS WORK IN "HELL S KITCHEJS." It is easy to understand that; collecting accounts is act always pleasant, but it is surprising to be told that there are places where it is absolutely dangerous. A gas in- ' speotor, in telliug his experiences to a New York journalist, gives mi account of tho risks man ruu in "Hell's Kitchen," as a particularly evil quarter of New York is called. In this looalifcy slot-meters prevail, for those are found to suit the poor best. The tenants are constantly changing, and tho locked drawer iu which the 25-oeut pieces are supposed to be until they are takuu away by the inspector, are ofleu with buttons and BITS OP OLD .METALS, or broken open and the money taken. The collectors sent to this district are carefully selected. They make it a iulo never to turn their " backs on the enemy, but to retire from the premises baokwurris, for ' fear of the wand-bag. Cut it not ut> frequently happens tbut a ilunlt attaok sends the collector sprawling senseless into some daik alloy «sy, where he cau be ROBBED AT LEISURE of bis money, whioh sometimes amounts to 200 or 300 dollais, More of these robberies would occur if the men did not bo armed. This particular official nearly met his end in a particularly bad, neighbourhood at the hands of a huxo woman. Wbilti Jje was standing on a chnir to get at the metflr, nhe jerked the chair sun he came down, to have SEVERAL HEAVi' BLOWS on his face. Rut for his revolver be would nover have got out alive. The gas inspector has two other great troubles—the woman who is certain that the meter is wrong, and tho man wbo steals gas. f lhe former type is probably universal. She id not necessarily poor; in fact, she may be very well off, and keeps a number of servants. But she has "gasitis," she is euro the rapacious company is robbing her and no hiuta that the servants may hnve beeu entertainng friends has any effect on her. The inspeo tor and an expert have ta go all over the house, from cellar io attic EXAMINING THE FITTINGS, and then make a careful calculation f<-om her estimates of the amount of ga3 burnt. Oflen this is greater than the bill. The dinpute ia perhaps finally settled by a reference to tho husband, who, as a sensible b siness man, pays up without demur. Doaling with the gas stealer requires much ingenuity. A man who conducted a private hospital was SUSPECTED OF STEALING GAS, but"no one could gain entrance to the house. At length a-> inspeotor, waiting till he saw the doctor go out, slipped into thd cellar Ky a small window and found a good gaa connection, but no meter. He broke a water-pipe, and with the assistance of the man next door, had the satisfaction of going down to the cellar a little later disguised as a plumber, vith two assistants, one a real plumber aud the other a detective.