Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-24
w. F. COOPER,
JORDAN STOKES,
EnWARn III EAST
NASHVILLE, March 20, 1866.

INSPECTION OF GAs.-The following ar
ticle from the Cincinnati Gazette will prove
interesting to our city readers. As suggest
ed by that paper, we cannot see why the re-
form contemplated could not be as well APP
piled by the City Council as by the Legisla-
ture of the State:
A bill has been introduced into the Gen
eral Assembly, by Mr.. Dangler, of Cuyaho-
ga, entitled, "A bill for the inspection Of gas
meters the protection Of gas consumers, and
the protection and regulation Of gaslight
companies" 1t provides that the Governor
shall appoint an inspector of meters and gas,
whose Office shall be at Columbus, whose
duties are TO examine and prove and seal
"any and alp meters, whose salary, So, 900,
to be levied on the gas companies, and who
may appoint deputies in any county, whose
fees for inspecting meters shall be twenty
five cents for each meter delivering a cubic
foot in four revolutions; thirty cents for each
meter delivering a cubic foot in any less
number of revolutions; and for those deliv-
ering more than one foot, as before, the adj
ditional sum of twenty cents for every addi-
tional foot.
Each gas company Of S100,00 capital, and
every maker and vender of meters, is requir-
ed TO set up gas-holder, to be tested and
sealed containing five or more cubic feet by
which meters shall be tested at the average
pressure; other companies shall provide a
test-meter, approved and sealed by the In
spector, and the Inspector shall not seal as
correct any meter which varies more than 2
per cent. from the standard measure. Me-
tiers shall be tested at request of consumer
or gas company, and If found correctsthe
party requiring it shall pay the fees andcost
Of removing the meter 10 be tested; if incor-
rect the company shall pay. The section as
to inspection of quality is as follows:
SEC. TO- Illuminating gas shall not be
merchantable in this State which has a min
imum value of less than twelve candles: that
is, a burner consuming five cubic feet per
hour shall give light as measured by the
photometric apparatus in ordinary use, of
not less than twelve standard sperm can
dies each consuming one hundred and TWEEN
" grains per hour; every gas is to be tested
with the burner and under the pressure best
adapted TO il, and the result shall be calcu-
lated at a temperature Of sixty degrees fab
rcnheit. Whenever requested by the mayor
and aldermen of any city, or the trustees Of
any sown, the inspector shall report to them
whether the gas supplied in their respective
city or town is Of legal standard, and also,
whether it is sufficiently well purified from
sulphureted hydrogen, ammonia and carbon
ic acid.
The remaining provisions of the bill are
TO empower the agents of gas companies to
enter premises TO examine meters, pipes and
all fixtures, and to protect the companies
from frauds and injuries.
The necessity for T. standard of measure
ment of gas is obvious, and we suppose is
desirable to manufacturer as well as con-
sumner; and the propriety Of having it pro-
vided by law. is as least as obvious in the
case of gas as in any other weight measures
and inspections whose standard is provided
by law. And quality strength-illumina-
ting powers, is an essential part of the meas
urement of gas, as alcoholic strength is in
whisky, weight in the bushel of wheat, or
quality in the barrel of -four.
it is more necessary and proper that the
measurement of gas should be regulated by
law, for the conditions Of its supply are diff
ferent from those Of any other article The
purchaser can know nothing of the measure
ment, and there can be no competition to
influence IT, The meter is a mystery to the
consumer, and the quality an indefinite
thing.
Men would not submit to buy any other
commodity on Snch terms-to leave weight,
measure and quality wholly to the seller,
with no means of proving they have got
what they paid for. General suspicion and
complaint is inseparable from such condi-
tons, which ;t is for the interest of honest
companies 10 remove by the establishment
of an impartial standard to which they can
appeal.
We have no expectation Of cheapening the
price Of gas by a system of accurate and
known measurement. Our company have
the thing in their own hands, and can charge
what they please. What We want of this
standard inspection is that the consumer may
know that he has had the measurement he is
charged for, and that the company may
prove that they have furnished the measure
they collect for.
Il has been our opinion that the enact
ment of legal standard of measurement,
and authority in the City Councils toappoint
the inspectors, would be sufficient in this
as in other inspections. We do not see the
necessity for the State officer; yet we are
open to conviction, il good reason can be
shown.