New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-03-04
PUBLIC MEE7TVOS.
THE GAS INVESTIGATION.

The Special Committee of the Board OF Counc.,msd
appointed to examine into the sfrs of the Minhs.tAn
Gas Company met again yesterday afternoons 10 tho
Common Council Chamber Chy Hall, and resumed the
investigation.
william II. ELLIOT, sworn-Is 8 chemist; hss
paid attention 20 the measurement OF gas; Il can oo
made 10 have different degrees of iumin stng power,
warning from five to forty candles meters can be made
70 show TIE external appearance and snh register
differently the Qusy OF the gss depends on the quail
,v of the Goals ana the proportion used the amount OF
pas cor sumed does not indicate the Illuminating power
wi ch has been received has been Professor OF Chem
isry in the College of Pharmacy aud Columbia Coge
OF this city and also IN the South CSroins Coueges
has made the Illuminating power OF gas specially;
some yesIs $50 be instituted experiments and rcoui-
mended method of Illuminating by gas gas can
not be kept in all temperatures gas containing hve
per cent Of hydro-carbO vapors made IN cold
Gather will deposit considerable portion OF them In
p, ssng through cold mains, and the consumer VIII re-
ceve quality OF gas Inferior TO that which he would
obtain If the temperature higher; Atmospheric
causes affect gas than anything else; in January
last the gas in the city was doubtless affected by the
cold weather during the extreme cold weather the
quality of gas would be somewhat indicated by tho
burning of IT. csndle power mesns that gas
burning al the rate of five feet hour produces an
illumination equs to that yielded by seventeen sperm
candles; gas OF that power good; the Parliamentary
standard is twelve wax candles gas of that grsde wH
considered very superior better than usually fur
uishtd LONDON gas has fallen below this standard;
gas of power as low five candles has been supplied
London; the average of II IL nine and hsf can
dles he did not particularly notice the q,alIy OF the
pas made by the Manhattan Company, IRON October
10 December last, but thinks u improved since
that time; the gas Of that Company compares
fay orally with that made by other companies here and
in London, lie HIS acted a. the chemical atvser OF
the Manhattan Gas Company for twesty years In con-
June on with Dr. rorrey; 1t not IN he power OF any
consumer TO detect inaccuracies in the working OF h1
meter meter might be made 10 register amion cabl0
feet of gas where not had passed through IL; has
never setn meter that designed To cheat the COM
busion OF gas tends to depos, rus IN the burners The
cleansing out of which hiss the effect TO enlarge the
aperturee Ii the diameter OF sn aperture was enlarged
oneten,h the consumption of gas would be twenty-five
per cent than formerly and fifty per cent II en-
lsrged fifth, In consequence OF the increased ares
and the diminished friction there IL no place whero
more gas IL wasted than 10 New York gas companies
cannot deliver gas 20 consumers in different pisces 1t
4 uniform pressure, the consumer receives his gas
measured under pressure, and gets perhaps ona
hundred and one cubic feet where he would
otherwise have got hundred the prohb
of the Company could not be increased by working
under gre pressure fhan necessary 10 furnish
he required supply; the leakage grester In proper
tion TO the increased pressure; the standard OF proc
established by Parliament WAS four shilngs sixpeuco
per 600 cubic feet; does not know OF any G@ Com
plny working under increased pressure n increase
their profits it would be Improbable and immoral;
lesksge in all large cities ls very great iroE service
pipes peIbaps great 30 per Cent; the greaser the
pressure the greater the leak olehant gas has te
TO do with Illuminating power in comparison with hydro
carbon yapQr increase OF tw0-and-a bali 10 thro0
inches at the works would not produce sensible pres.
sure al Union square but il would at elevated point
r. OGDEN DOREaus sworn-ls Professor OF Chem
stry in the College of Pharmacy bis pursuits have led
him 10 inquire into the nature Of illuminating gas 70
certain extent there great difference In tho quality
of illuminating gas; much depends on the material
used and the mode of manufacture; should Judge thaS
a cubic foot OF one gas may be made to produce
greater illumination than cubic foot of another gBs
the effect OF unususl pressure beyond proper point "
10 diminish the Illuminating power and TO increase The
consumption Of gW q meter may be made 10 seccfo
fsleely both ways not aware OF any security thas
h public may have except IN the honor and integrity
of tie Company the reception Of particular amount
of gas does not imply the ;epion OF given amount
of light there should be 9 standard by Law Up 70
which the light should be brought 40 official xsmi-
nation should be had into the process Of gasmakng,
the proper construction OF meter, the moaec Oh gss-
burning the kinds OF coal used, &c, with view 70
tch the public how to obtain the greatest amount Of
Eight with the least waste OF gas the subject 10 attract
ing much attention in London and European cities;
meters should be placed where the temperatures pretty
uniform it il not in the power OF the consumer 70 reg
uate the meter 60 thst il will record correcty knows
Of no place where the consumer can have MS mesef
tested cave at the Office Of the Company or OF the man.
uacturer il weight is added by the impurities OF Tho
gas 10 the float the meter, more water VIII DO 70
duired to raise the float, and the record OF tho aad
would probably be against the consumer
The CHAIRMAN here returned thanks 10 tho profes-
sona ger temen fer their attendance and the meeting
adjourned SINE due.
The Committee will report at an early day