New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-01-03

,or,rsc, IN ,he same terms rs that recently made
with the Manhattan Company and TO expire A.
For the reasons which your Committee have
set forth in their report, they believe II 70 DC tue
interest Of the city TO grant IT, -
By the new contract, every street lh tuo o"oi
rsrt of the CITY will soon be lighted with gas and
AZ cheaper rate and better than with OIL
The price OF oil 10 steadily advancing win the
increased consumption, and therefore 1t IS the
opinion Of the Commissioner OF streets anu
Lamps. and others acquainted with the article
that these lamps will soon cost over hlteen collars
per lamp year to light them
Public lamps lighted with oil, even az cheap
rate give but little protection 10 our inhabtapts'
and NAV be considered almost a waste OF puohc
money Their sickly and feeble light tend more
10 render darkness visible than to illuminate the
street in which they may be placed.
A well lighted city renders the operaIio,s VI
the robber and the burglar less frequent anu the
public lamps thereof serve as etiectual protection
to its inhabitants as any other means which maybe
adopted therefor.
Beside. your Committee deem It TO be less ex'
pensve to light the public lamps with gas tnan
with oil. For in the plRcngof them IN the streets
three gas lamps will serve the place OF tour OIL
ones, and give much more light. ..,oo
oil lamps cost say each ~
gas lamps cost cay each - W
500
making difference Of seven dollars IN favor oil
gas lamps out OF four oil ones.
1t is important too, that the public docks and
piers should be lighted with gas, in order to afford
protection to those who may be connected or
have occasion to visit the various shipping at our
wbarves in the night. 1t will also render the
police about these localities more aid in detecting
the thief and the marauder than any other means
This can be carried out if the contract be renew
ed with this company within few months
Your Committee therefore recommend that such
contract be renewed on the terms made with the
Manhattan Gas Light Company, ana Wnlcn are
hereto annexed
There is, however another matter connected
with this subject of which complaints are some
times made by gas consumers, that is, In relation
70 the meters.
Your Committee have paid careful attention to
this matter they have vlsitedt the mandatory OF
the maker of these articles, and from an examlna
ton thereof, as well as from test made by him,
they are satisfied that, although from causes be-
yond the control of the company they may some
times register wrong yet they generally will be
correct in the measurement of gas that passes
through them.
The water may from some cause become too
much exhausted from the meter, or there may be
q greater quantity than necessary nit but which
ever way it may be, il is so arranged that the
water WILL in either case, register bat small per
centage, from to . per cent In favor or against
the company.
In the examination previously alluded to be-
fore q Parliamentary Committee, Mr. Hswkesley
engineer to the Nottingham Gas Company, says:
at was almost impossible that any wrong could
accrue to the consumer from defective meter, I'M
less from some original error in the manufacture,
which could be readily deteoted Any fault
would be far more likely 10 tend the other way.
telling against the company. In properly con-
structed meter no fault could tell against the con-
sumer to a larger extent than three and half
per cent, whilst there were many accidents that
would IKE the meter tell against the company
TO a much larger extent-so much as fifty per
cent"
The following extract from q work recently
published in England, in regard to gas, will also
explain the operations Of the meter and show
the confidence that can be placed in it BY the con-
sumer
Think for a moment Of the work the meter does and
what is the value of the material It measures comparing
IT, bulk for bulk. with other commodities. Take beer as
example and cOgnac brandy as another; LOCO cuOc
feet Of the former costing upwards Of 400 and the same
quantity of tie latter about 4s0O0 Neither of these
tcles measured TO the dealer consumer with anything
ike the accuracy of gas and yet The later costs IN some
places, only fs or slN silugs pr 1000 cubic feet
The meter is not absolutely perfect that Is NOT 10 he
expected Of machine. II may be as perfect as care aud
skill make IT, and If certain specified conditions could
be complied Wild, would feRsn so--ubJect OF course,
the and tear Of materials But the meter Is Often
subjected 10 rough treatment Fixed n some OF The most
ont OftfewaJ places, where II exposed 10 extremes OF
Temperature and every variety Of weather where IL Is
no wonder mat rs use should be attended Dyoccaslons 10
convenences For these the meter not to be blamed
SHELTERED situation, and an uniformly low temperature are
moot favorable to the proper performance Of us dnes
ard e. eilhe from ignorance or 97er c9nsef 1e's com
room, The water III meter evaporees The machue ui'
der such circumstances requires occasional adjustment
or il viii err IN its messurment and al last cone 10 stand
Sill But The error Is always against NE gas company and
in favor OF the consumer The accidental defects OF 1s
meter and which chiefly the result of negligence, do
not operate inurousy against the buyer who has there
fore no cause OF complaint
Sometimes too, complaints may be made in re-
gard to the difference of the bill for one period
over another. This may frequently occur, and
still through no fault or fraud OF the company. A
period of weather which requires the lighting of
the lamps at an earlier hour may, and often does
occur which will increase the consumption, aud
consequently render the bill larger for one month
over another.
In connection with this subject, the Committee
have deemed it proper TO recommend the appoint
ment by the Common Council of a competent per-
son, who shall be designated Superintendent or
Inspector of Gas Meters, and whose duty it shall
be TO examine and inspect each gas meter that is
put up by either Of the companies; also, that
when any complaint is made by consumer to
him in respect to one Of these meters, he shall
call and inspect the same and ascertain the cause,
il any there be- which shall be remeded by the
company.
They believe that the appointment of this officer
would give confidence to those who use gas either
in their stores or dwellings, and render the COM
panies less liable to complaint or censure in re-
spect to their meters.
The following resolutions are submitted for
adoption for the purpose Of carrying out the views
Of your Committee:
Rcoirsd Thai Contract upon The basis 1.-THE terms
annexed II the New.York Gas Light Company assent TO
the same, be entered into between tho Mayor Aldermen
and Commonalty OF the city OF NewYork and the said
NewYork Gas Light Company; said contract TO expire
the 5h day Of May 1853 the date Of the expiration Of the
preIent contract With the Manhattan Gas Light Company
and that he Counsel 10 the Corporation be and he Is here
by directed 70 prepare such contract in accordance with
such for the execution OF the proper parties thereto
JOSEPH BRITTON.
SAML. DELAMATER, Git,
JAMES L. WOOD, So oPee.aI
PATRICK KELLY, NVIll'''oS'
JED. MILLER,
/. The old contract shall be cancelled, and
new contract entered into, to continue eighteen
years from the 5th ofMay, 1850 Under the new