The New York herald., 1869-03-04

test the gas simply BY the eye; such test would
not be to the best interests OF the consumers mol
would 1t be TO the interests of the company; 1t
generally understood that there Is very great
liability to difference in the quality Of gas from the
same kind Of coal; the coal may at times contain
more sulphur than at others. and would therefore
need greater publication; my judgment is that
hydrate OF lime Is the best purifier for the purpose
or securing the best quality OF gas pure gas should
be free from any marked dtsagreeable Od0r; should
not have any sulphureous, garliclike or skunk
like. or creOs0tIc Od0r, as some gas has; IL
should not produce a choking sensation on those In
the room using 1t; should not burn green; 1t should
not contain so much carbon as to create carbonic
acid gas, which is very poisonous; gas may be SO
much purified as to decrease the Illuminating power
there was time when twelve candle gas well
purified, was considered good; thirteen to sixteen Ia
the usual standard In London and In New York; In
Boston and New Haven they serve out eighteen
candle gas but ne 60 to great IN
tanned, and always reliable and extracts the inju
r0us material from gas much better and much more
reliably than 0xyde Of iron; there Is statement
published, as made by chemist In this city, which
states that there has been as much as f0rty-five
grains of sulphur r. IN thousand caoc feet OF the
The witness then went into lengthy statement OF
the methods or purifying gas and the action Of Par
statement was very interesting, buG was scarcely
connected with the investigation proper.
Resuming the direct testimony the witness stated
that he had never examined photOmetrlcally the
power OF the gas furnished by the New York Gasght
Company, but by the eye he should Judge that
by the other large companies; that he has been
party to several examinations OF the quantity OF
gas procured from coal: The Boghead camel coal,
the coal generally used here about 5000 5000 feet
Can be secured from ton; his impression was that
the cy was a. about as well lighted d. as any large city
lamps In use would make great difference In the
lighting OF the streets.
Charles F. Chandler. who made an investigation
sanitary measure, but had not made particular ex.
amlnations as to their Illuminating power. The
witness testified that the gas which he
had used from the various companies was OF
q superior quality; the eye, however, was 80 easily
reliance could be placed on such q statement. The
further testimony OF this witness mainly identi
cal with that Of the preceding witness.
J. M. Long, superintendent Of the Harlem Gaslight
Company-His company has 1900 consumers; there
are not many complaints made; the company
the United States internal revenue tax itself; the
candles power; his company uses the dry meters
generally about the bills; when complaints
are made the company sends out different
Q case where the collector or inspector has esti-
mated the amount OF gas consumed, instead Of ex-
aiming the index; the meters very frequently get
out OF order, but they as often count against the
company as In its iay0r; n consumer complains
that tine meter Is unsatisfactory the company Will
r. r. n Newcome, q stockholder In the New York
Gaslight Company, testlfedI own ten shares OF the
stock; the latest dividend declared was 1fty per
cent; In one year there was an issue OF scrip; In
ls45 bought eight shares, and when the stock was
watered received the two extra shares: the SEMI
annual dividend paid regularly Is I'VE per cent? In 1858
drew two payments OF twenty per cent each time;
Il was not advertised, but l received private note
enclosing check for the amount Of the dividend;
any % sales Of the stock in some years: know only
one other stockholder and he Is now In Europe; 1
have never attended any meetings for the election
flffiA hn mt hat a wffof fnpFW
cent Is called, but think 1t might be called an
extra dvidend paid ia per share for the Stock t
the stock; the dividend has varied from nine to ty
per cent per annum; In twentyfour years, from the
increased stock have gained two additional shares,
and on these the dividend Ia also paid. OF course;
! think, but am not certain. that the dividend In
1867 was the same as last year-nfty per cent; tine
par value Is nfty dollars per share; Il Is very little
can satisfy the mind OF man, but still I'm satshed
John Bamore, engineer OF the Harlem 0aslight
Company testined-I have been employed there
about ten years; have been about fourteen years
the business; the Illuminating power OF the gas fur
nished by our company Is from eighteen 10 twenty
candies; the photometrica tests are made every few
days; do not keep record, but simply make the
test TO satisfy mysel since we have had the pho0me
ter-some two years-our gas has not run below the
standard OF eighteen candle power: the test IL made
witn Harris photometer with hve feet argand
burner: the examinations are made carefully and
conscientonsy we frequently fnd the results quite
different there was one time when, with Nova Scotia
coal. the gas as low sixteen candles and only
that time; dry me Is used as puriier; the highest
pressure OF gas from our works Ia four and s-half
iDcnes the examinations OF the pressure Of gas at DIFF
ferent parts OF the district not made very fire.
quenty: they are sometimes made In consequence OF
complaints by consumers and partly to satisfy our
selves.
The witness was examined at some length by Mr..
Bergen a. 10 the purifying and other processes con-
nected with the making oil gas and 10 the style and
use OF meters. No new points were elected except
that the witness had never known more than two
meters 90 register against me consumer that no had
on. which registered incorrectly would not register
at ALL that ne had found hundreds OF meters TO regis
ter against the company.
In response to the chairman the witness stated
that sixteen candle gas would he fair, but nothing
extra; that ne tthe wtnessl had found hundred or
80 meters with the Inspectors seal on which did not
register correctly.
At this stage OF the proceedings recess OF an hour
Joshua Kidd, gas engineer. OF London called and
being sworn, testified folows:I have been In the
gas making business for some twenty years; per-
fectiy familiar with the business IN all Its brancnes
the power In London N from twelve 10 eighteen can
dies; there IL an oiec In every parish ia which testa
are made; each parish has certain number o.
make the tests each lamp Is supposed burn q
feet per year, aud The cost " E5 sterling
per year. ] ,hink the lower part OF New
York Is the most mIserabIy nlhted place
ever saw; can tell 70 almost within nalf q foot
the burning capscy OF the burner, aud think the
burners used in the lamps IN tue lower part Of the
city do not burn more than foot or a foot and q
mai, an hour; IN my opinion gas OF better quality
=
price OF coal makes but little difference IN the price
OF gas; In England, where coal Is one pound pei
ton gas s as cheap as where IT costs not more than
one quarter OF p0und good gas should he eighteen
candle power; We find that gas In travelling through
the pipes loses about one Inch In mile.
The witness stated that the purpose OF his comine
70 the country was TO Introduce new process o
lighting; that he could increase the qualify OF the
gas BY using the refuse OF hydro-carDon matter o
dead oil OF tar. BY which he claims The light can b<
increased 900 per cent.
In London they have two sases-cannei and com
mon gas. The camel gas IL eighteen candle powe
and the other twelve. 1ne common gas In Londor
costs little less than dollar per Thousand; tn,
camel gas Is about 81 80 per thousand. I had
charge OF the lighting of London for about thre'
years. and had every opportunity for comparing tn
quantity OF gas consumed as registered oI
each lamp and BY test meters. The cause OF tn
mseraby lighted condition Of the lower pert Of th
city Ia the want OF pressure; made photonetrica
examination at Iny once IN Maiden lane anc foun,
the gas there about twelve candles sometimes lowe
and seldom higher this dead oil VI tar can he se
cured from the refuse VI petroleum. aud burne