The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-09-22
CITY INTELLIGENCE.
INSPECTOR OF GAS AND GAS METERS.


eral weeks since from the police committee Of the Board
Of Aldermen, taken mp Monday evening last in
that board and led to quite animated discussion II
viii be reeolected that this bill provides for
date compulsory inspection of all the gas meters
use and that they shall be reinspcced in years
hereaferthe expense Of inspection TO be paid by the
Gas Company IL also contained provision for an in
spection Of the quality of the gas but this struck
out, motion by Mr. Huntington because there was no
clearly expressed authority In the city charter to enforce
such Inspection He contened that nasmuch as the
corporation authorized 10 regulate the weights and
measures used in the city the gas were included
in that designation. Mr.. Riggs made some extended
remarks ON this bill, being particularly interested
president OF the Gas Company in this city. He had
objection to bill which would enable any citizen
who might be dissatisfied with his gas meter to have
the same tested by officer of the corpora
ton but he could not the propriety Of enforcing
a compulsory inspection Of all the meters, about
which complaint made. IL would consume a
great deal of time and involve the company in unneces
sary expense The BILL he remarked originally made
it penal offence for the Gas Company to use any meter
which had not been inspected and sealed after the first
of October, and amended after the first of No
yember and If that should become law he gave no
tce that he should shut the gas in every house where
the inspection had not taken place that tmeo no
body would have right to complain if he should find
his house In darness There were about three thousand
meters in use in the city and it would be utterly mpos
sibe for any to test quarter of them as they
ought to be tested df the bill to accomplish any
thing in that time. Mr.. Huntington said he was viii
ling to extend the time to the LIST of January Mr.
Riggs said that even that would not give time enough to
test all the meters And then, he asked where the
necessity for this These meters all made by Code
Hopper Co., of Philadelphia, firm of widely-csab
lished reputation; and every meter made by them was
thoroughly tested before it left their establishment The
Gas Company anxious to give satisfaction to their
customers and they would checrfully test any meter
which might be deemed incorrect and invited the public
| to visit their works and see the tests made.
Mr., Huntington remarked that tho scaling of weights
and measures used by grocers and market men was com
pusory, and he could why different poll
cy should be pursued in respect to the used for
selling gas. He also alluded to the statement made by
man in Brooklyn, New York. that gas companies would
not purchase meters unless they made to register
gas than really passed through them and referred
to meters used in this city, under the administration
of former president of the Gas Company which regis
tered twenty per cent. gas than was consumed
Mr.. Browa, the secretary of the Gas Company was
glad to have opportunity to reply to these charges
1 AS to the Brooklyn charge, the who made it had
been shown to be vile calunnatbr, and had lost the
respect of all honorable 1t true that an ar
angement had been made between the former president
of the Gas Company here and manufacturer of meters
to have false movements put in, that they could pre-
tend to reduce the price of tho gas and still receive the
from their customers but this fraud was never
sanctioned by the company. When it was discovered
the false meters destroyed for there were only about
halfa dozen of them and the manufacturer had lost
caste and had been ruined in consequence Of attempting
such fraud upon the community.
Mr. Dove doubted whether the corporation had any
authority to pass law which authorized an inspector to
enter his premises and take away his gas meter to in
spect it, As long he satisfied that was enough
And, besides, there provision in the bill compelling
the inspector to return the meters immediately He
might keep them week. or six weeks, or six months
and all that time the people would be Obliged to go rop
ing about their houses with tallow candies ~
| Mr.. Donoho offered an amendment in the form of
provso that nothing in this act shall be construed as an
plying to any gas meter in unless the gas con-
sumner using such meter, the Gas Company may desire
its inspection This adopted on a call of the yeas
and nays but it destroyed Of the main features of
the original BILL it proposed to allow the subject
to go over for week for further examination This
proposition was not agreed to- and after some further
discussion the bill indefinitely postponed We
hope the matter may not be suffered to rest here II
strikes us that arrangement satisfactory to all parties
would be to allow those desiring it to have their meters
inspected and tested and for the Others it being
business transaction between the Gas Company and the
consumer if both parties satisfied the public have
right to interfere. There is this difference between
gas meters and other The gas meter is for
single individual who alone affected by its correctness
incorrecness but grocers and butchers weights and
measures for the public the public interest requires
protection against fraud, and hence the law requiring
them to be inspected and sealed When legislators UNI
derake to take cognzance of private contracts see
that nobody is cheated they frequently exceed their unc
lions and powers, and often attempt impossibitcs.
THE TIIgATRE.-"The Irish Boy and Yankee Gall
gave another of their unique entertainments last eve
ming to archaeological audience. The comic Irish
drama of Bryan o Lynn received with shouts of
laughter and the Protean farce entitled tMischevous
Annie would have moved the disabilities of a stole
We understand that the engagement of Mr.. and Mrs
Florence Is limited to the present week and those who
troubled by the blues will find visit to the theatre
II Tonight will be given the amusing piece
Born to Good Luck, and Mrs, Florence will also an
pear the Young Actress with numerous songs and
dances and sudden transformations
COLUMBIA CoLLBoE.-Rev. Dr. Binney has resigned the
presidency of this institution, with the intention of re-
suming his abors instructor among the Karens Bur-
NAH This announcement will be received with regret
by the friends Of the college everywhere and especially
by the people Of Washington whose regard and conf
dence DIR b. has won in an eminent degree. We learn
that interruption of the academic exercises will in
CON If Will a,