The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1869-07-27
Information for GAS Consumers.

weighed, and become satisfied that he
has not been cheated. But what redress
can be obtain OF Che Gas Company for
charging him more this quarter than
they did tho last one, when he knows
that bis consumption was less? None
at all, and for The good reason that the
producers Of the gas can read their me.
ters while the consumer cannot. There
is no reason why the latter should con .
tinue under this disadvantage, and for
the benefit Of a large class Of grumblers
we propose 10 borrow a little light nom
the AmgicdW Gas Light Journal, 10 en-
able them TO read the gas meter. Thus:
The meters, (both wet and dry), In
ordinary use, will be found 10 have
three Indexes, the hand on the nrat, or
right hand lndex, moves to the right aB
the hgnres read, and each ludex begins
at a cipher 10Y ut the top, and reads, / 10
= TO y, and 500 the cipher again, which
is 10. When the hand on the right In
dex has moved 10 !, itindlcates that 100
cubic Ieet OF gas have been used or
passed the meteTi when Il points TO 6,
It means 500 feet, and after completing
the circuit at 10y tls 1000 feet. Each Of
the indexes are ten-fold multipliers OF
the one preceding. Single figures are
used for want Of rom, but the multi.
pller is generally placed above the In.
dex; thus the right hand is 'one thou.
sand the next 10 the left, or middle In
dex, is ten thousand and the last, or
left hand index, is 'one hundred thou
sand Therefore, on the flrst, or right
hand index, l on the dial stands for
100; In the middle index / stands for
l,OOO; and on the left hand index
stands for 10000, and 80 on In this
ratio with the succeeding figures 70.
spectlvely.
To read the meter, begin with the left
index and write down the figure last
passed by the pointer; then write down
the figures last passed on the second In.
dex, and proceed In like manner with
the third, or right hand index. Now
add two Ciphers (00), and 1t will give
the amount OF gas registered In cubic
feet. Suppose the first index was 2,
the second index s, and the third index
O, making 25G. now add two clphers,
and you will have 25,6OO, being the
amount Of gas used at that time,
AT the end Of the menlh, Tor at any
other tlme) read the meter again, and
the figures will read-say 26,60O after
adding the ciphers; now deduCtthe first
sum from the last, and you will have
the difference, 900, which indicates the
number OF feet used since the hrBt read.
ing.
A few minutes practice at reading
meters, generally called taking the
meter will make any one quite famIl.
lar with the matter, and will give the
gas consumer a wonderful degree Of
satisfaction, and often bring about a |
much better feeling toward the gas |
company who supply the gas. The
same authority from which we have
quoted, also instrucls us how to detect
escaping gas; and, as the consumer
thinks, when his bill Is pres
sented, that 'there is screw loose
somewhere perhaps little instruction
upon that point, also, may not be un-
profitable: 4 y s. 81
TO detect the locality OF a leak Is
often Il difficult matter. The first thing
lS to zee that no burners have been left |
turned on by accident; the next thing
Ii TO try the joints Of the gas fittings.
The sense OF smell Will frequently be
sufficient by bringing the face near the
joint; a lighted taper or match
held near the jolut Is more certain
plan. II gas il escaping. It will take
fire at the leak or u loo. little to burn
II will momentarily catch and
In little pu1S.n7 Sometimes
the gas escapes from the Joints or i'm
perfect piping between the ceiling and |
floor, or behind the walls'or casInEs.I II
beneath the floor, the sense Or smeil
will generally detect the BeclIOn OF The
floor under whichothel leak 10, as 1t es.
capes, owing TO It's lsvltyl upwards,
through the crevices Of the Il Sor, and |
penetratCs the. carpet II there be one. II |
bracket or side burners are used, and |
the escaping gas is behind the walls or |
castings, the crevices in the castings, or |
the opening where the pipe enters
the foom, will let the escaping gas
enter the room sufficiently ut these |
points toindlcat0 somewhat nearly tue |
location Of the leak. ...4t'f7I'
"In such cases, the proper way is |
never to apply u light TO the et9VIces or
castings, but TO turn Off the gas al the
meter and send for a gas litter. other
wise an explosion may occur inuOlving |
serious Consequences. In ordinary
leaks OF gas fixtures and pipes, whether
Ut the joints or At the attachment OF the
burner, tho fitting or burner should be
unscrewed and white lead or common
bar soap rubbed In the threads, and |
then scrswal, bone again, This can
often. be done without any. aid from
gas>tlLter." ,<arH