Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1873-03-05

pauitnI AAtt tut wy to w uufhNrrHf ~
the belaied wnndererl founder IN "a
mud aud water irSt: let growls an
AnathemAs 20 up without number, but
NEVER TRUST THAR swiyDIISG MACHINE
Are they right or wrong2 Wrong, a
] shall show. Every gas meter is testel
BY actual measurement OF gas or al
passed through Il, which test il so sinpl
! may be pardoned Tor explaining il
We have a small gas holder, or big lin
can. inverted turned bottom up in an
other big can; the last one being full o
water. The inverted can, Is made I,
work up and down between guide bars
on one Of which is a graduated seal,
showing how many cubic feet Of air oi
gas is 10 il when an indicator attached
to the holder points 10 that figure. W.
lower il down until It swims on the wa
ter and the indicator points 10 zero; ther
we admit gas through n pipe and il Il
forced up until the pointershow that W.
have ten feet, more or less, in it, then
We shut OF the supply and attach a me.
ter 10 pass the gas out through. You
will observe attached 10 every meter q
small hand, above the regular system oil
hands, q revolution Of which marks five
or more feet, owing 10 the size Of the
meter. This small hand is closely
watched, and If ii marks the same
amount as you have discharged from
your holder manifestly the meter is cor
rect. II a discrepancy exists shorten or
lengthen the stroke of certain arms until
il is correct. Though you cannot see
gas or feel It, you certainly can exercise
both senses in regard 10 a vessel con.
tanning il. If | tell you that a certain
tin vessel is full Of gas, and make you
know it by letting you smell it, and let
you measure that tin vessel and calcu-
late It's cubic content, is there any doubt
but that it contains certain quantity
And now, when | open communication
between that tin vessel and a machine
contrived to measure this gas, and you
find that when the tin vessel is empty
when you can no longer smell gas or
feel il escaping-that the clockwork or
hands used to indicate the quantity
passed through, show that the same
number of feet or inches or yards have
passed as you previously calculated the
vessel TO contain, then is it not reasona-
able to say that the machine is correct2
Every gas meter passes this ordeal, and
you may test them as often as yol like,
and they will be found correct until they
get old, and the parts have become stiff
from the presence of coal tar and con-
densation, and then they begin to regis
ter against tbe company, =, w-v,r 49,,
This Instrument, which is SO much
abused is just as correct as any other
measure in the town, and can be proved
just as easy as any other. The city in
spector Of weights and measures can
DO no more accurate in his test of
hall. lf.bushel measures and platform scales
than is the gas company of its meters.
Ifthe reader is interested in the sub
iect, and is averse to dark streets in
rainy weather, be will be satisfied, at all
events, that 7a'iia .
GAS METERS CAN BE MADE ooRREoT,8ll
and can be tested from time TO time, by
the simple process described. Such
being the case, should not gas for the
public lamps be taken. by the city when
ever required, and measured and paid
for in accordance with the. quantity
burned III ns o1i ID 4eita Ye1
Some years since Mr.. Hughes, the
most eminent gas engineer in England,
gave testimony before committee of
the House Of Commons engaged in an
of the gas question, in
which testimony he asserted that 1t
yould be to the interest Of the parishes
10 annul the system of lighting for
given time and 90 by the meter, even if
they had to set meter at every post
and ne gave abundant and excellent rea-
sons for his advice. H q aeis
/ would advise that the city set a
meter at every tenth post, and the COM
pany the same number; that half the
meters be from approved makers in
America and half from London--say
rom the shop Of Glover, the inventor of
he dry meter, that the City Engineer
and gas company each keep record Of
he statements OF all the meters; that
,nce a month the company and engi-
neer proceed together and record the
statements, and therefrem deduce the
average burning OF the public lamps,
which being multiplied by the total
number Of lamps, would give the amount
for the month. A certificate
IF this fact would place the matter in
business shape, beyond a caYll or a.
ioubt. The eity would be properly
lighted, and the company paid for the
,as furnished, The .patrolmen could be
instructed to report all lights burning
limly. so that all could be kept up to
he average, and the company would see
O it that the test posts were always in
roper trim.
THE CLEANING OF THE LAMPS,
IS we'll as glazing and repairing, should
,e in the hands Of the Gas Company
party having an interest in
iaving the Job well done. At present
he lights cost four dollars each per
month, aud am satifed from actual
rperinesst that fully one half the light
5 lost because the lamps are never
leaned. The glasses are so befogged
" accumulations Of dust that the light
annot penetrate, and IS, 50 70 speak
hut up in an earthen box. If the con
racting parties elect be governed by
tupid prejudice, when the next contract
! made we shall have this same abom
nab'e system perpetuated. On the con-
rary, ii they choose to be goverend by
he lights Of reason and science VIC will
ave light when we want il, and pay
nly for what we get. | have pointed out
he road to be travelled, and it remains
- ~, o;t,, anthor;tiAs m pursua IL