Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1857-04-17

Gas AND GAsoMETERs.-Gas is now used in almost
eyery city in the Union, and while the stock OF the
companies which manufacture il Tor the consumption
is always above par" constant complaints are
made about The quality and the measurement of the
gas furnished SO outrageous have been the extor
lions practced in some places that the matter has
been oficial, invested, and report OF the special
committee of the New York board of councilmen re-
la,ive TO the Manhattan Gaslight Company, together
with the testimony taken therein, has lately been
pubIishe! From this report and testimony make
a few extracts for The benefit of all whom it may
concern. The investigation was set on foot owing
to the alleeed fact that although the company had
reduces the price of gas to 81 so per thousand, the
bills of consumers were nevertheless increased
Among other things that the Commute reported were
the following
That the company owned and furnished the
metres used that metres liable to get out of Or
DER that they be made 10 register falsely, either
in favor of the Ompany or OF the consumer and that
the consumer has it in his power to regulate the
flow of gas, and effect great saving in lis use, by
attending to the state of water in the metre, by the
use of regulators and nv attending to the stop cock
in the service pipe ard by changing the burners
from time 10 time.
Mr. Roome the resident of the company was
subjected 10 a long examination From his testimony
we learn that the pressure of the gas IS often in
creased and that increase o. pressure drives
gas through the burners than be economically
consumed. The remedy fol this is 10 turn the stop
cock at the service pipe or at The burners burner
which under the pres>u of inch will consume =
feet of gas, under pressure of an inch and hall
will consume six feet of gas and the ght will in
both cases be the same He says: have known
burner consuming gas at three feet hour, after
two years use to consume seven teet of gas in an
hour The increase is slow and mpercepilble, but
sure The orifce grows larger all the time. Mr..
Roome said if the stop cock al the service pipe was
attended to, it would effect very great saving to
the consumers of The gas, and remedy most OF the
complaints against The company
"Mr. Down. manufacturer of metres, said there
was only one way by which the metre could be made
to register in favor of the company, and that was by
tipping it on the left side but there four ways,
which be did not describe, by which the Consumer
can cheat the company in the use of the metre Mr..
Down also said he could make metre which appar-
emily records thousand feet when only one hun
dred feet passes throuy it, and yet it presents the
same external appearance.
Prof Gibbs said the only guarantee of the cor
Iectness of the metres the honesty and honor of
the manufacturers and company that put them up.
" Mr.. John Firmin, speaking of the gas burnt al
the New York University said that all the gas used
in that building went through large metre; that
then it went through small metres into different
rooms, and that he as surprised 10 that one
third more was measured by the little metres than
passed through the large one and, in addition some
of the gas passing through the large metre con-
sumed in the halls, and did not pass through the
small metres, and those metres the ordinary
in The employ of the company.
Prof. Ellet said, in regard 10 the phrase gas of
sevt nteen candle power, that gas burning at the
rate of five feet hour gives light equal to thai
of seventeen spermacet candles, each candle burning
| at The rate of one hundred and twenty grains per
hour Prof. Eet also said that the leakage is very
great from the service pipes firmly believe some
where between fifteen and twenty five per cent, and
Ii is said in some to be much more The
greater the pressure upon the gas the greater is the
disposition to leak
J The evidence also reveals the fact that scarcely
house holder in the city who burns gas understands
how regulate his metre to detect any defects in
it's working or construction. 1t would seem to be q
very small matter TO acquire the necessary lnforma
lion, but we advise all gas consumers who object &c
the charges in their bills, doubt the correctness OF
the metres furnished by the company, to satisfy
themselves by PERSONAL inspection, and not depend
entirely upon the gas metre Inspector if such Office
be appointed.
" Another fact to be borne in mind by the consumer
is, that he regulate for himself the pressure
his burner, and thus be independent of any increased
pressure at the works Of the company. On this point
we quote The ev idence of the president:
"' On every service pipe, which is wrought iron
pipe that conveys gas into the house, there is placed
within the building, and under the control of the
sumner, cock, which he can open and close at pleas
ure and by which he can regulate the flow of gas
he may require. If this was generally attended to, il
would effect very great saving to the consumer OF
gas, and remedy most Of the complaints against the
company.
"Ths fact is probably known to all gas consum,
ers, but We doubt if many avail themselves OF it, L.
and carelessness the part of the
will account for large portion of the increased
mount of the bills, all of which cnures to the benefit
of the company, without affoIdng the inner any
additional advantages. The evidence shows thai
most of the complaints against The company have
come from wealthy persons, or those who, in all pro
liability, pay least attention 10 their domestic affairs
and comparatively few from those who exercise pru
dence and frugaliy.''
None of the papers that scoId the Wilmington
Journal for its first of April story announcing the de
teat of Walker, on the authority of arrival in tht
Cape Fear river, were hoaxed by it-not they !
Well, the Wilmington wag didn'l catch with hi
chat but don't think it necessary to join in lee
turing him and, though we disapprove of hoaxes
we cannot help saying that the Journal is clever
paper. 1t is useful for ship and reports of TIM
tar and turrenline market. Besides, We'll bet bar
rel of peanuts the editor is gentleman. Who Cal
blame him for being tired of the Nicaragua contra
dctions ?-Boston Post.
I The losses by fire duing the past month are quit
heavy, the number Of fires in the United States, al
stated by the Charleston Courier, during that period
having been thirty three, and the total loss 1888.
QUO The most destructive were fellows "A
Chicago. stores $35O,OOO Mobile, cotton, 1924, 900
New Britain, Ct, factory, $125000 Hartford, st
I nd pynoouth nd oh Tbo foI