New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-02-14
INVESTJG ALTON INTO THE AFFAIRS OF THE
MANHATTAN GAS COMPANY.

The Special Committee of the Board OF COunc linen
appointed to inquire INTO tne sisirs OF te Manaa an
Gas Company, met IN the Coua:ll Cha noer yesterday
of erooD pursuant to ao jou ninen aud resumed toe
Investigation.
Mr.. Roome President of the Company, was recalled
ard testified as foDows The amount Of coal used 10
the last quarter Of 1855 $50 tune of Canue, OF
which lts tuns was Albert Camel, and O.S Eogrsh
C,pnel We used L. S9 TINS Of csk0g coal; OF snIch
.697 we're Newcaste, aud 10 l26 American. Dnr'ny
the last OF quarter OF 1876 We used ~ tuis Caone
OF which 3O2 were Albert g. S Eugish; and IL, 1U
Newcastle. No American va. used In O,toosr,
1859 end SO the ptol lions # coal used were the
same-2J per cent Camel in each case In Noven
b.r -, sno 80, the proportions sere slso the same
SO per cent of Camel In Dec, 1870, 81 per ceut OF
Capnel On the I'D of Dec. 1856. We raised from
TO Camel which proportion has been used from ~
tiue Ill, November. The greatest pressure n the last
quarter OF - y icbes. On the IN Oct, 1000,
the pressure was increased o3 inches at the w)rse 10
the last quarter of 1856 there not grea or aver
age press ure than in that OF 30. The stiffness ste1
the OF pressure IN various psfts OF - c"y Ia
May. 1850, and Feb. 1871, when the pr ssu1e was
Hammond street, and at Sprtng street,
We could not have diminished the pressd'e
at the works without giving an inadequate
supply Of gas in some portion OF the gas di'tric ihe
pret sure was not varied I, opel customers to burn
Gore gas than they required had consumed IN lSJ3
The effect Of lowering the pressure nov would be MT
TO furnish Gas enough. At most points there would oe
a complaint Of an insufficient supply. Inc I'll 81
cause an increase Tue win. IS iads iha the Company
not only got greater number Ot GUST ners Out hat
those could afford generally burn i more law IL
~. Customers bave derived b-Dedt trom me red C.
ton bs iuse the Company furnish b<fer "A IMAM De-
fore and the pressure their burners Is no greater
than it vas. 4 great many have MT oniy snn'-r
hills but burn less gas than before the redncu'n wit
ne.s believed that the great cause 1T mpa'nt ao+.
Fl, m an eror that cusouies take the December bi
muply il by three and suppose that the result gives
the amount consumed during rhr quarter Sucn IL not
the csc Since this investigation commenced macy
Who would Lot have thougnt OF coup Sn"s
have imagined they bad been overcharged There
never was Gas Company that ne ever had
beard of where 10 600 bills were made every III nth To
as n,apy c TONERS that not troubled 9Th great
many complaints. In this instance conOltnng par
ties by comparing their bills for the last qaarers N
1855 and 1885, had become Satisfied Since the rednc
ton the increased manufacture bad be- ~ per cent;
and by the comparison ct Increased manuiac'
u,e with increased receipts there Is shown ID per cent
profit 10 the consumer.
Complaints always most numerous at this Il ne OF
year. A. The nights grow longer the com,lains IN
crease. Hence very few complaints RON opng 70
Fall. BY comparing the increased quantity ct gas
manufactured sipce tho reduction with the ncre ised
receipts the result shows 10 per cent prot ~ the con-
fumer To increase the pressure from al inch 10
inch would increase the velocity of the dschsge %
cent ii increased from inch 10 inches, .oont Il
per cent; and from inc hes 10 inches 81 per cent
The REDUCTION Ill the price OF gas on the lst Ut ,ber
ls.6 pr,dnced snch an increased demand betwr the
inch OF pressure the wo ks. The per aye of Id
crease but the actual increase Greater Def re
the reduction than after it. Have DO record Of the
pressure in various parts OF the city for the last three
months in 1856, that the witness koows Of la speak
tie per ceptsge Of increased increase Ia hs Com
parry refer nee is mad exclusively TO the registered gs
which IL cold by the METERS and nor 10 the stree,
lamIs. Witness housh t mat there was bdttIe Leak
aye in house pipes The compes uge VI gas IN Tue
I,ip.s i not "a matter Of much m Inenr
A lengthy debate took place netween Mr WILLARD
counsel f. the Company, aud Mr. BOIEs coon-e for
the Committee, 10 the prop ley Of inqIeGg
whether The Com )aDy have been 10 the habit ut charS-
ipg - per month iOr the use Of re met r., Al
though The Legislature, in the acr of 1873 p'ov1es
that gas should be flrni,hed 1t - 30 hosaod feat.
Mr.. Boi.s tbs ught The question was one OF gret in
portapce and pot 81 small the opposing coausal
repre- seuted They had found out that there we're
5000 con uners and the charge Of - cents mon'h
for the use OF meter TO each su.ouGted To no sn sd
item.
Perdirg the discussion, the Committee adjourned
till We0L esday next, at p. III.