Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-01-10
GAS

i
Something About the Light-The COsi
of BurniDg-The Public al the Mercy
al the COmpany-Gas Inspectors,
Meters, etc.
As the political gas Of the times has been
exhausted for the present, we propose few
remarks upon burning gas as used nightly
by our citizens. There is probably nothing
in general use 20 little understood as the
gas that lights our parlors, hotels, Offices
and places Of business, and no monopoly
is more greedily secured than the privilege
of supplying gas to corporations and resi-
dents. Large amounts are demanded and
paid by our citizens without inquiry as to
the cost or correctness Of charges. We
have heard frequent remarks upon the
subject, and have instituted investigation
from our exchanges and other sources in
regard to gas meters, gas inspectors, etc,
in other cities. We find that gas can be
made Of either a good or inferior quality
the worse the quality the more the con-
sumption, and consequently the better pay
TO the companies. 1t has been suggested
that gas bills are made out more BY the
number Of burners than by any principle
of actual measurement by feet. There may
be something in this suggestion The price
charged for gas is very high, not TO say
exorbitani, compared with the cost of
manufacture. The public are at the mercy
Of the gas companies, and have really 40 4
means Of knowing the amount of gas used
or diminishing the bills reported by the
companies, except by turning off their
burners altogether.
In Europe, and particularly in England,
there are public officers, called "Gas
Inspectors" who can be called in BY any
consumer TO test, by an easy scientific pro-
cess, whether the gas possesses a certain
Illuminating power, usually fixed, by
special contract under legislative statute.
to supply 1000 cubic feet Of gas which will
last as long and burn as brightly as twenty
sperm candles Of six to the pound. If the
Inspector finds that the gas is below this
Illuminating power he officially certifes |
the same, and on this certificate being pro-
duced before Magistrate, blythe consumer,
a fine Of 500 and costs is levied upon the |
delinquent gas company, without any power |
Of appeal from paying it within twenty
four hours. Surely, the consumer ought to /
have a similar protection here.
Our supply of coal is indefinitely large,
and the selling price, cost of carriage, etc, |
is no greater than in Europe, yet the cost /
of our gas ia much greater. In the city of /
Philadelphia gas is SO per thousand feet /
in Cincinnati the price is about the same. |
In ha 2
1000 feet, in the city Of London, TO sixty |
FIVE cents in other cities. In this country 1
there are no gas inspectors, as in Europe, |
TO test the accuracy of the meters. That
there should be is being sgitated as matter
of public interest. In this city we are
paying $4 so per thousand feet Of gas, the /
measurement being admitted and complied /
with as presented by the company. In
Ohio they have passed law for the inspec>
ton of gas meters. Under this legislative
provision a general inspection of meters
took place at Columbus, in the latter part
Of December, with the following result:
Under the law providing for the inspec-
ton of gas matters, 1894 meters were tested
up 10 the 18th of November last 2O92
were examined by Prof T. G.. Wormley,
State Inspector, and 28l9 by Victor Zeis,
his deputy, for the city of Cincinnati. OIL
2072 examined there, 1857 were new and |
SIS old, the latter including all meters that
had been set, some of which had been in
use for fifteen years; 597 of the new meters
examined we're registered in favor of the
consumer, 400 in favor of the company,
lS9 we're found exact, and two irregular.
Of the old meters, 280 registered in favor
of the consumer, 470 in favor of the com.
pany, fifty-four were exact, and eleven ir-
regular.
One thousand, eight hundred and thirty
four of the meters were admitted (1250
new and 564 old, and 233 rejected Il new
and 23I old). OF the SIS old meters, 487
ware dry and 328 wet The dry meters
admitted were 292; rejected, 1885, Wet
admitted, 800; rejected sc. There were
500 Of the meters admitted that registered
in favor Of the consumer, 792 in favor of
the company, and 243 were exact in regis
tration. OF those rejected, 68 registered
in favor Of the consumer, 167 in favor of
the company, and Is were irregular.
The mean per centage of the 800 admit
ted which registered in favor of the con-
sumner was nine and Lightweight thou
sandths, whilst that of the 7S2 which regis
tered in favor of the company was one and
one hundred and four thousandths. The
mean per centage Of the sixty-eight meters
that registered in favor Of the consumer
and were rejected, was seven and six hun
bred and sixty-two thousands, whilst that
of the l57, which registered in favor of
the company, was six and four hundred
and thirty-six thOusandths
There were rejected 1875 of the 4S7 old
dry meters examined, while only sc of the
1913 old wet ones met with the same fate.
Now the results Of this meter inspection
is suggestive TO the interests of our people /
here. Four dollars and fifty cents per
thousand feet for gas here, against three
dollars in Cincinnati and Philadelphia, is |
worthy itself of consideration and action |
on the part of consumers. While the con-
ditiOn OF the meters, the quality of the /
gas used and the method of ascertaining |
with accuracy the amount consumed, im- |
peratively demand attention. No man |
would be senseless enough TO let his grocer |
or baker present TO him monthly bills and |
demand payment at his own option, with |
ont knowledge of the articles and their |
value purchased. Why should the Gas |
Company be made an exception to other ]
branches Of business The subject is well |
worthy of general, commercial and scien- |
tifc investigation, and we are inclined to |
the opinion that IL will be given.
PUT IN JAN FOR STEALING.-Gus But
Ter, negro man, was brought from Giles
county Yesterday and LODGED in isiI for /