The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-02-15

>, NUN DA I MORNING.
TIE REPORT on GAs.-So much has been
said about gas and the Gas Works that we
feel somewhat forced to give extracts from
the report of the Committe on Light lately
submitted to the Council. The report com
mencee:
The special committee to whom was referred
the petition Of George Watt, A. Y. Stokes
and others, complaining of the heavy charges
for gss for the last month, have had the same
under considera tion, and beg leave TO report to
the Council that they have carefully examined
the complaints con tanned in said petition. and
find that large ma iority Of the signers have
complained without cause.
It will be seen by reference to the Inspec-
tors report, herewith submitted, that more
than half the signers to the protest have con-
snmed a much smaller quantity of gas than
was consumed by the same parties for the cor
responding quarters of 1867 and 1868; many Of
them less than half, and averaging 36k per
cent; and yet they complain OF "enormous
and nnerous burdens noD imposed upon us for
gas" Seven more OF the signers do not con-
sumo gas dt all, and one is reported rs dalin-
quent consumer. Tne remaining signers show
an increase of about 46 per cent, but this is
account ted for by the fact that while the bills
are rendered for the month of January only,
they In fact embrace a part of the month of
December, the state of the metres having, in
most cases, been taken as early rs the Goth Of
that month in consequence of the change
from quarterly TO monthly collections
Your committee also find, by examining the
Auditors books, that the bills for the quarter
ending March 1st, 1863 amounted lat So per
thousand feet, the present price, to s1S.sl SO.
while the bills ending January 2nth, 1860, say
for fifty days, amounted 10 $40, ,406 50;s or for
ninety days consumption, ending March lst
n IpN, fNr ffr-1 1or,o tnNr
sumption, to January Goth, 1862 1905. To- ave-
raging ninety cents per day less this year than
last, and embracing the longest nights Ia the
year.
An abstract from the Auditors books is sub
mitted rs part of this report.
We have examined the experts who have for
many years past been employed in the office Of
the Inspector, and believe them to be not only
capable but efficient officers. They have been
required by the Inspector to take the grea test
possible care to avoid mistakes when taking
the state of the metres, and yonr committee
believe that they have performed th cir duties
faithfully and correctly. They have been
more than usually careful during the past few
months, in order to avoid, if possible, the
trouble which has occurred at this season of
the year for several years past. Your COM
mittee is perfectly satisfied that no defect ex-
lists in the metres, and that whenever bills are
increased the gas has been used. Were the
metres defective the consumers would be the
gamers, not the city.
The report concludes with the expressions
of the entire satisfaction felt by the COM
mittee in the management Of the Gas
Works.
Then follows the Inspector report, which
We give.
IssPEcroR's OFFICE, CITY HALL,2
RICHMoSD, February 7, 1863.
II l.. Kent Esq, Chairman Executive CdmmWee
oR LgM:
Dear Sir,-The Inspector of Gas would re-
spectfully address a few remarks 10 the aonor-
able committee appointed by the City Conncil
to examine complaints made in petition to the
Council by sundry citizens in regard TO the
amount charged on the January bill for gas
consumed by them, in which IL is asserted IN
usual charges are made that are onerous ana
unjust. The Inspector has examined the ac-
count on the metre books OF the gentlemen
whose Names are appended 70 the petition, and
he respectfully presents them 10 the commit
tee for its considera ton, requesting its atten-
tion TO few facts in relation TO the petition
Twen ty- four names on the petition indicate an
increased consumption of forty-six per cent,
twenty-nine names on the petition indicate Il
decreased consumption OF thlrty-SlX ana q
half per cent, seven names on the petition OF
persons that do not consume gas, one name on
the petition of delinquent gas consumer:
The calculations made on the statement here
with enclosed are in favor of the consumer,
being taken from corresponding periods OF
1867 and 1855, necessarily including Il aconsump-
tion less than the period for Which the biils
are now made-for inS tance
Jefferson Ward commences November Isl
and ends February lst last quarter OF the
year.
Madison Ward commences December lst and
ends March lst; last quarter of the year.
Monroe Ward commences October ISL ana
ends January lst; last quarter OF the year.
Under the new amendment to the city ordi-
nance collecting gas bills monthly:
Jefferson Ward-state of metres taken Janu'
ary ], 1859 payments made 10th.
Madison Ward-state OF metres taken Janu-
airy !, 1869 payments made 10th.
Monroe Ward-state of metres taken Janu-
airy !, 1862 payments made February lst.
Much of the dissatisfaction existing arises
from misapprehenson OF gas consumers as 10
the length Of time they were paying tor, as
the dates on the bills did not indicate 1t, and
the consumers OF gas did not reflect that their
bills included the longest nights IN the year
To understand this clearly the Inspector VIII
state 10 the committee the number OF days due
by each consumer Of gas through the month OF
January, 1869: Nv
State of metres taken in Jefferson Ward
October II and January 6-e2 days average,
II days.
vember 10 and January lS-6i days; average,
80 days.
State Of metres taken in Monroe Ward De-
cember Is and January 27-i3 days; average,
40 days.
When the length of nights and the large eX-
tra consumption that takes place during the
Christmas holidays is taken into consldera-
ton, the Inspector thinks the general average
falls short of the last quarter or 1867 ana leoo,
and in nearly all cases far below that OF tne
last quarter of 1866 and 1867, when such wide
spread dissatisfaction existed that the City
Council was obliged 10 incur heavy expense 10
the city in sending to one OF the northern ci-
ties for an expert 10 examine into the causes Oh
large bills which was the cause OF complaint
at that time.
The Inspector would respectfully say to the
committee that it would be 4 very dlfhcull
task TO arrive Mt any definite or Teiiapie con
clusiOn in reference TO the variations IN the
amount of gas used by consumers by any test
known that could be relied upon. The only
reasonable conclusion is that more gas is usea
1T one time than 1T another; slight nlgntiy
increased consumption will make the diIer-
ences in the amount of bills rendered. Inc
cause of increase or decrease is not dependent
upon the metres or the quality OF the gas III
the present instance, but upon the use OF one
and the consumption OF the other, showing
clearly that during the same quarter some ue-
crease and others increase in the amount OF
consumption of gas.
The Inspector would say In conclusion that
as the nights shorten the cause OF complaint
will be removed, and will add that he has en-
deaYored to correct all grievances, as far as he
had power to do so, and satisfy all parties that
have complained TO him.
AN UNFORTUNATE DISTURBANCE 1NvoL-
WING THE CHIEF OF PoLICE.-lt is with
much regret that We record an occurrence
at the Old Market Hall on Friday evening
in which the Chief of Police of Richmond
took prominent part. Our high regard
for Major Poe makes it especially painful,
inasmuch as the affair was so insignificant
except for the fact that an officer of the
peace was concerned. We give briefly the