The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-12-18

How TO PRKvEET MIsTAKEs IN GA
BnLs.-Many persons complain Of thsir
gas bills, dispute the sccuracy Of th.
count by the employees of the Company
ofthe amount consumed, as indicated By
the gas meters. AS these men are not
infalhble, they are just as likely to make
mistakes as other people, and tits against
such errors that people who have . re-
gard for economy should guard them
selves. This they can do only by know
ing how TO read the gas meter rightly,
and as it is very simple matter to un-
derstand it, and keep record which
will be cheek upon any cArelessness Of
the Gas COmpany's employees, it should
be generally understood. The following
explanation viii enable any one 10 read
his own gas meter:
At the top Of the meter il placed .
small tin case, three our four inches long,
which opens by means Of little door in
front, and dsclOses . plate, with three
small dials, about an inch in diameter,
which are furnished with one pointer
apiece, moved By cogWheeis and pinions
on the inside, which, in turn are made to
reVolve by large wheel propelled by
the passage of the gas. The circle on the
dial is divided into ten spaces, number
ed around the edges with figures like the
dial of clock. The dial on Il Q txtrtme
right indicates by means of its pointer
the burning of loo feet of gas the dial
on the left the burning of 10000 feet
For instance, the three pointers stand at
cypher. The pointer on the right hand
dial having moved from cypher to figure
one, indicates, that 100 feet have been
consumed. lit move to the two, 200
feet, and so on, until the pointer has
gone around the circle, and again reach
ed the cypher, when LOCO feet have
teen consumed.
When this point has been reached the
eye will be directed to the next dial,
when it viii be found that the pointer
has msved 10 the figure one, indicating
that 1000 feet have been consumed. The
pointer on the first dial continues on,
and still marking the amount passing.
Suppose that at the end of the firstmonth
the pointer on the first dial stands a.
eight, that of the second between one
and two, ii is easy to understand that
1900 have been consumed. When the
pointer on the second dial reaches two,
that on the first is again at cypher, in
dicaiing hat 1000 feet have b6en CO Eun-
ed. Thus ii goes on until the pointer
on the second dial has made the circuit
which indicates that 10000 feet have
been consumed, when the pointer on the
third dial will stand at one. This, in
turn, with an entire revolution, indicates
that 100000 feet have ben consumed.
Taking the three dials in connection,
the exact amount of cubic feet may thus
be ascertsined, commencing anew every
time 100000 feet have been run through
the meter and been consumed.
Now, 10 ascertain the exact amount OF
gas which will be consumed during the
coming month of December, inspect the
dials Of the meter on the first Of the
hOAtu Nno pO2hScE W tuo 4ots uahu VI
al perhaps stands between the figures
and z, indicating 10000 feet. The pOin-
Ter on the middle dial stands between
and 6, indicating 5000 feet, and the pOin-
ter on the right hand dial stands between
Z and 8, indicating 700 feet. You then
have q total Of 60, 700 feet of gas preVi-
Ously consumed. Set the figures down,
and at the end of the month again inspect |
the dial. The right hand dial stands
perhaps nearly as before, and sIill indi-
Gates 10000 feet. The middle one has
moved on, and stands between z and 8, |
indicating 1000. The right hand one
has made a number of revolutions, and |
stands between 1 and 2, indicating 100 |
feet. We then have total of 60, $50 feet. |
Subtract from this the number set down |
at the beginning of the month, and you
have 14O0 feet of gas consumed. Multi |
ply this by the price per cubic foot, and
you have your gas bill for the month.