Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1871-12-08
roo MUCH GAS, NOT ENOCon
LIGHT.

NtoHl the eelNulAl NiheiANh"f
The various companies who furnish lllu'
minaling gas 10 the citizens OF New YORK
appear 10 think that 1t is gas that we want,
and not light. We have plenty Of the
former, at any rate we pay for enough, but,
somehow, in cold weather, the light be-
comes "small by degrees and beautifully
less.n If there was an absurdily, II Is pay.
ing for the gas by the cubic loot Instead Of
by the volume oil light II affords. What we
want IS light, and that is the article we
ought TO pay for and the only correct measure
is the photometer, not the gas meltr. In
every other country but this, there Is an in-
specteT appointed whose duty II is TO report
upon the candle power OF the gas furnished
BY the companies; aud, il il 10 found 10 be
below the prescribed standard, the delln-
quent company is compelled 10 pay heavy
fine. In London the gas Inspector IS
thoroughly competent man. appointed by
the Government, and beyond the reach OF
the companies. He takes hold OF the work
iearlessly, and the consequence Is that In
that city the candle power Of the gas is very
much higher than with US. Some OF the
London companies take pride In keeping
their gas up 10 fifteen candles, which Ia tue
maximum required Of them. 1t Is possible
10 make gas OF twen.y.one candle power
but we could not consume II IN an ordinary
burner or under under the usual pressure; II
the gas Is the more readily il will pass
through any aperture; hence gas OF very
low specific gravity will rapidly iun up
high score on tie meter without atiOrdlng
any compensation in The amount OF light.
II gas is 10 be sold by the cubic foot, then
the company may pump 10 quantity oil
atmospheric air, or let II consist OF nifty per
cent hydrogen, or make II oil low grade on
purpose. AS long as they contract to furnish
gas and not light they are at liberty 10 specu.
late as much US they please the lapse Is
largely our own Tor not agreeing with them
to give US light and not gas.
Now that there is every prospect OF a re-
form IN many things, we propose that this
question be also submitted for discussion.
All we want is 10 have gas OF hxed and
known candle power, to have an inspector
appointed TO control The manufacture, and
heavy penalties attached for any breach OF
the law; precisely as II Is In London, where
tue whole business has long since been re-
duced to q system, and frauds have rarely
been detected. There are certain circum-
e,anees ut der whish Il. e.-ip4hiea ought
TO have tome indulgence shown them, fol
example: sudden changes 10 tue temperature
cannot be anticipated, aud they effect the
Illuminating power Of gas in very marked
ratio.
Il has been fund llAt the amount Of ligh
emitted al SO FahT., is 25 per cent less that
ut 65 Fahr., aud at above serc, il is 70 pei
cent less than al G5 Fahr. On the othe
hand increased heat is not accompanied By
corresponding amount Ol light, since thu
Temperature OF boiling water causes an In
crease of per cent over the standard, ant
that of $40 deg. only l8 per cent, The loss o
illuminating power Is due 10 the eondsnsa'
lion Of hydrocarbons, which are gaseous al
OrdiuaIy Temperatures, but becomes solid II
the colo. When the companies anticipate I
cold tnep, they manufacture richer ga
which will bear the condensauoa withOu
too great loss in Illuminating power.
The gas companies always have compe
tent chemists, either directly In their emplo.
orretained for consu ltation and they knoV
how to furnish light with gas, instead oi ga
without light, as soon as II Is made their In
fersst 10 do 30. AS the law now stand
there would appear 10 be no remedy but /
nuivlly submit, or take il out in grumbline
in the meantime, II would be well ~ reyiv
ihe excellent bill drawn up last winter unde
the auspices oi the Board oi Health, and pu
II on lis passage as sOon as the LeglslatuI
cOnes together. II that bill did not contai
n proyisiO for the inspection OF gas meters
Al would be well lO have II inserted, as th
companies furnish their own meters, an
ths consumer cannot know that they Civ
correct tally until lie is so assured by III
authorized inspector. II Is common oil
seryaton at the present time, that person
who RE compelled TO work al night 500
complain OF weak eyes and detective visiOl
Many students are disabled and obliged /
abandon their studies, while others hay
substituted kerosene oil for gas There il q
doubt that poor gas has much influence
this increasing inhrmity, and this TACT atforC
another Argument in favor OF q change, AZ
cOfding 10 the AmsricdH Gas Light JoUrn,
more tDan one hundred million eubic ieet
gas are made every month in the city
New York. AS the quality Of coal used
rnapllesty very poor, The yield does NJ
probably exceed six or seven thousand cub
feet: but even this Interior coal involves Il
disiillation Of 1900 tons q month, or oy
200. 900 tons year, il Is probable tbs
under proper legislation, Lhe companies W
be compelled 10 manufacture gas practical
=nrh one quarter more than they no
.'....-,aasasumsTs, and, as the annu
amount paid 10 all o. ssqe gus companies I
New York cannot vary vel ,.s ,soli y
million dollars il follows that ISS>soniIlun ill i.
is at least one thousand dollars shUsNlu :, !,
transaction. II seems hardly credible u
these figures can be correct, aud yet th
are based on the best information that
can obtain. They are so large that, eV
with discount oi fifty per cent, they sh'
how imperative is the necessity Tor reio
in a matter in which the whole populati
il interested. We repeat what we said
tbe outset, that We bRye too much gas a
not enough light