The New York herald., 1869-03-03

Gaslight Company, was called aid sworn. From his
direct testimony 1t appears that the company, OF
which he is president, has never mads returns
to any State, city or county corporations; that
1t has special charter but s incorporated under
the general law Of l8As; that the company started
with capital OF $26O0O0 divided into fifty dollar
shares that the property OF the company increased
until now 1t Ii worth about $1,OO0. 900; that the
value Of the shares at the last quotation was 96h
each; that the illuminating power Of the gas fur
nished by his company is equal to that OF nineteen
candles when tested by burner through which i've
cubic feet per hour is consumed; that test OF the
power is made every two or three days. Continuing
the testimony, the witness said-Under the law by
which we are chartered it does not say what we are
charge LOO feet Of gas; does not state that
are to manufacture any standard quality Of gas; cold
weather has the effect Of making the gas cOndense
more and II is consequently Of poorer quality II
Is very difficult to account for the various complaints
In the supply Of gas; various reasons may operate
against It, the meter Is just like clock; II there s
itself at the end OF the next month; do have COM
plants from parties who say that they close at re-
gular hour, and that some months, nevertheless,
their supply is onethird more; II the meter Is bad
test 1t; then they he pe0pe) request further
examination OF send 1t to the State Inspector;
are aware that he is liable to mistakes; that tester
found out that some burners consumed twenty per
cent more Of gas IN year than others; this oc-
constant supply Of gas closed up the apertures; the
returns made to the secretary, and ne makes out
h rey but nv me
l think we could not manufacture gas at less than
what we do at present and have reasonable pront;
it lst January when we had an opportunity; our gas
meters are made by the American Meter
1s wsre es aaa a
before the war; our company have no interest in
the meters; we test them before we send them to
oude hn lnan Nf fhn EtAf vol IN
tests them; that genteman'5 name Is Mr.. Davidson;
we invariably find those meters correct; we Occas-
stifr and that Is for the benefit Of the consumer;
coal Is down lower now than 1t was before the war;
we supply the city with gas; we have contract
charge twenty-eight dollars for these street
lamps, now we charge twenty-three dollars
we test 1t before going out to consumers; that is
such test as is made BY gas consu ners everywhere
can't exactly state whether air goes into the gas
a cause; the result would be that the gas being
lighter than the air, would 60 out first and when the
u Examined % by By NJ BersenThe strength 81 Of our gas
as measured by our phot0meter Is equal to the light
OF nineteen candles; 1t would make no difference
impurities excepted, Is absorbed Dy the different pro-
cesses II has TO undergo; am not however, too SCI
sons On s ts aeaS me
1s OF January used to charge four dollars 00
we had been charging that since 1868; there was no
damped in the purifying process; never tried the
oxide Of iron; the increase OF pressure on the gas
sumer were ignorant and left his gas blowing and
wasting all the time. When there Is pressure enough
to give person q proper light an additional pres
sure w0uld not be altogether serviceable; we make
out monthly the number OF feet at thirtyhve cents
per hundred feet or SO so per thousand and two
Inc the meters do generally collect the bils the
inspector colecte the Index and makes his report
and from his report the collector makes out his ols
vUho fhn flf IA
orally the sufferer; 1t costs the company from 81 so
to So per thousand cubic feet for making the gas;
months gas bin In advance so as to be secure
against fraud or abscOnding consumers.
MT xaa sSs neat q me Ga
InoDy, as regards the working OF the company and
the price OF coal and gas was mainly corroborative
on o capital OF $2,5o0,00O and that semlannual
dividends have been declared, sometimes as hgn as
ten and twelve pr cenr 5ae mas las sCs
lated after paying on the declared dividends; the
stock OF the company in 500 shares and can sell
lars and half per 1000 feet before the the price
two dol and half the increas s owing to the
advance In the price Of materials and abor the city s
charged, 10 the district which Is supplied from the
works OF his company that is between Seventy eighth
and F0rty-second streets, for the street lamps $50
for each lamp, aud $500 per annum for each lamp
lighter the company could not consistently charge
less than at present; the average pressure az which
the gas Is distributed throughout the district
IL about two inches; the inspectors sometimes have
actually guessed at the amount consumed without
examining the meter, but the consumption Is pretty
Samuel p. Parham assistant engineer and super
Of the Metropolitan Gaslight Company, ex.
e y MAJ ge nv
In different parts Of the United States; that he is
familiar with all the mnuta OF gas making; does not
at present make the pnotometrcal tests although he
had done 50 IN some years past. The witness then
described the use of the photometer. He said,
that before gauging BY the candle light the candles
wpiUhed and then allowed burn fifteen
minutes and then weighed again, so as TO determine
the amount Of spermaceti actually consumed; In
the street mains, and then Is brought back TO where
the photometer Ii located; the calculation Is so
same conclusion: the test Is made every day and
careful record kept No apparent difference Is found
In the quality OF the gas made from the
smoky ss gas gas Il lime % il the he" best puriier. The
sulphuret or hydrogen In combustion, II not
SILVER and would AFFECT the health OF parties using
it, with this sulphuret In the gas there would be
greater volume; the average Illuminating power Of
enteen candles to the ve foot burner from bitumln
ous coal the average Is about thirteen candles pow
Brecknridge coal about twenty -nve: the use OF
camel coal entirely would upset the economy as
coke could not be secured from II to make the nres
be secured from ton Of coal; from a
ton OF Borhead camel thirty-six candles pow
feet; bitumnous coal runs down to 5000 bubic feet
and sometimes less; the test in the works at which
he Is engaged is made from Ave foot fourteen hole
argand burner with seven inch chimney. and Is
at sixteen candles power.
At this stage OF the proceedings DR.. Doremus was
introduced and was directed by the committee TO
make, In connection with Drs. wurz and Chanler,
an analysis OF the gas furnished by the dinerent
companies to the consumers In this city.
John II. Adams, president OF the New York Gas
light Company, was next examined by the chair
man; he testified that the district supplied by his
company was from Grand street to the Battery; his
company charges 50 50 per thousand feet: have
charged that since gold went up TO 2S0 before the
suspension OF specie payments 10 was 81 60 per
thousand feet; at that time coal ranged from "a so
per ton TO 81 now It Is IS and 80 per ton In the yard
his company Ia using coal brought from the Balti
more ana Oho Railroad region at 90 80 per ton; the
company has not made returns to any State or
county 0cer since II was organized; exists under
the old session laws and received It's charter when
the gas was made from oil and the price was $40 per
thousand feet the original capital was S6OOO00 but
Il had been Increased to $3,O00,0O0.
The Chairman askcd-wnat dividends. II any, has
your company decareds
witness stated that he did not think he had
right 70 answer that question, and could not see
Wnat rtQht the committee hal a an auch n 0uea-