New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-27
TIE MANHATTAN GAS COMPANY.


The SPECIAL Committee Of the Board Of Councamea
appointed to investigate the Affairs Of the Manhattan
Gss Company met on Wednesday Afternoon and re-
sumed the eIauinai IN.
Mr. RoonE President OF the Company VA recalled
ard sta,ee that the svas ge amount Of Camel and
Newcssue Coal 70 America, used In 1854 and the lvt
quarter Of 1855, WA 81 6 lOths % + The proper.
tit OF CsnDel Goa! was cha1ged IRON 10 10 Al
gust 1853
DR.. w GrBB. Of the Free Academy, was svorn %
the part OF the oonsumers and hrst examined BY Mr.
Bties as TO The relative power o. comoastioie sa"1
On being desired TO coudne bis remarks 10 gs manu-
fso,ured from coal be rated that VARIOUS kode Of co
,sIoed vuyiDg quantities. Of gM, and tia. Of varying
dominating power; the q1anuty IN cubic feet bore 10
resiou or ratio 10 the quantity OF hgtt there Wa no
euAraDy except the chafac OF Ga3 Directors Tor
boz or AID honesty that toe public should rec.ve any
given Or reQur. d amount OF lght during speclh, I'd
tine; ssptcfed quantity Of gA Dsy be bArtAned Tor
ard delivered but the diminishing power VI that g1
s power Of Is sprm candles up to 30; 30 th,t 600
cubic feet Of coal gas II hind may posess twice az
much Illuminating power a. the sane qdanuty OF
sno er In to further q1estiGns tho Pro esof
said be bad not paid special attention 10 meters he
thought bosever that there bu. little reliance 20
be placed pon them unless the honJr and honesty OF
the fsbricarOfs could b. verHed Cntsubeoly meters
might be made 10 register at any rate correct or nsof
recfl a. tie man ufac,urers pie oed.
MI BoIEs said he vs prepared 10 prove thst the
company could cheat the public Toe pubic hal no
protect except in the honor and integrity OF Ga
Cor paries. All questions TO meters were legti-
mate and Why it that the opQosiog counsel Tss 80
UNIV lin z 10 allow any sIiuslon ~ meters
Mr.. WILLARD said that the simoe question was,
could meter lie constructed falsely 1t cJud 40 one
dieputtd that II Gas not the outy OF the 'nmittee
TO trump up sp sUn and they hsd nothing 70 say
unless uee a specific and well proved offeose,
ether The construction Of meters or In some other way
If Mr.. Boies prepared with cry SPECIFIC charge let
him introduce II at once, and substanti .te IT. What
bearing hac thee questions about metel If Intended
10 introduce rome charge let counsel frankly svow Il.
Nj. BoiEs remarked that in E6gIand IL had been
found that The only efcien proecaon which the puohc
cou have was the app inunent OF an Inspector OF
Gas in FL gland the pe0pe feel that they need pro.
teoton-- better dependence than the honor and
honesty Of Gas CompaLies Such an officer be aoagn.
inslsc into the pubic usd that the meter CANNOT le.
Now ia we'll known that It aud may lie, and the
f,L ehosd may be recorded on one s'de Immediately.
The Company had got al act for their protscan the
public had Con panies cheat by the Wholesale
aud ffend law. They have exclusive privileges, no
coDp.ti hike the Croton Wafer affair, add the
strictst investigation ought be instituted ~ to whether
the public were honestly dealt with under tast mo-
nePcly ,,a..;. 1,.,o..o, IS
Gs, or Of Meters, the Company hsd no objection.
lbe Constitution o. the State had abolished all officers
Of inspection. So long the sovereign people had
oei ded that there shot Id be office Of inspeeeo
although it would BE- very advantageous, It must be
rems mbsred that the Manbstt Gss Company did not
meke the law. Where wss the MAJ that could say bis
MT ter W IS false !
mr.. BoIIs remarked that Mr. willard could not be
gLorant thai there Dad been plenty OF mpsnts about
nefera Al inspectors aIs not sb olshed by the Con
sttution-thsIe is the State Prison Inspector Tbs
question before the COMMITTEE was b dew 30 some
pan whereby the rights of the public could be secured
10 THIN. He did not believe the Constitution stood in
the way.
The CHAIRMAN stated tia. their obi ct Wa simply
to inquire why the consumption gre aer sinos the
reduction in price. He saw no objection as 70 Mr..
Boloes nvesiis aton and question as u meters.
Q 10 uitpess). Nay not meter be made 80 a. 10
record incorrectly A. He believed it might but could
not sps az correctly from experiment
Q. How DO you think the pubic could be secured in
Their dealiI gs with gss companies A. think there
n. BIT be an Inspector of Meters-snd secoodly that
beIe rhould be an INJECTOR If the "a Annty of gss
sumtd That offer ought 70 make posto metric dc.
nODstrsiioDs Of it, iu Iihsng po YER and sbo che nj
cal Analysis Of its C. Dsttueni element at varying p,
ode. Tie gao ought 10 come up TO certaia fair AMI
agreed standard II it fell below the stand ard there
ought to be corresponding penalty or de0uction in
price Of the gas.
Cro,s examined by Mr. Willsrd-Have recohec-
ton of the peculiH les of the la~ in England this
subject Bis mpressia q was that the pace Of gas is
much lower in Epglsnd than in America The pressure
OF in this city has ess pec nc gravity bsiDg forced
through The ppes; there IL fares up the ner
can Undoubtedly lessen the pressure by The stopcock
al The meter thinks IL possible to deliver gas at
uniform pressure over the whole city, by the correct
aJu.tmeDt Of Tegul tori, aud thar wo I'D cIns1tute
hoit ftl.abIe DeaDs uSAn UNDERTAKING 10 govern Tue
pressure t-the works; the gas, though cheaper in
LDdOn, poorer thsh ours; Undoubtedly Gas pro-
du,s here a. Q higher cost thsn IN London
Mr. W iLLARD thought that he then could show the
ot cor that bis meter correct. He asked witness
be sitne D could not make examination and test
hir or d Meier az la lis power OF Measurement Dc.
Nitness thought thai he could bat did not see any
rsion shy he should do so, as II vas nothDg TO him.
Mr. Downs recalled, and stated "a II he Could
nsDuiac.are meters which soad reg ster f.isey; he
did lot coy meien might register 900 cubic let ynen
Only ~ ieet ss.d through them bat taat be could
msI u. ,nfue one which woud proc uce thi. resalt.
Mr. JobS FERsAs, Gas economist" was next ex-
smiDeo lie saii be procured directly from Mr.
Downs, WhJ man tacturts Deers for toe COMPANY
when was sid 10 be correct, but the hsnds vent
10 sey round, slowing probsbiy lesksge-the dun;
this vas var sDied but worked exactly right;
be ~ not believe the pressure a. the works oOad be
l'ghlatd' TIE confuEler should have nsfu s7oos how
10 regulate the meter, aid igresi deal Of the diouy
lay L. he fact thai consumer did not kno hog to
tufp gas With eco nomy; The meter before alluded TO
Is purchased from Mr.. Downs not Of bis oEn
manufacture; vtaess tho lsht that the csuse of the
conplsipis among customers The increase Of CO.
sure and that the less the the more regular
would be the hsttsi The b.ls would be grea. After
sCme further testimony from this ~iness who Of, led
bimsef Grd-send 20 Insurance Companies, sr words
TO that feet, The Comrne seoaIned Til next Moo
day al o'clock p. m.
DEPARTMENT OF REPAIRS AND SUPPLIES