The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-01-21

OUR GAS BILLS WHAT THE tA5
TRUSTEES HAVE TO SAY ABOUT THIN.
There having been many complaints
made in regard to gas bills, reporter for
this paper yesterday interviewed Mr..
Mortimer Pollock, one Of the Gas Trus-
tees, upon the all-important question.
Mr.. Pollock very kindly gave our report
err His views upon the subject, which We
think will be Of interest to all gas con-
sumers.
Mr.. Pollock Is Of the opinion that
there is q mistaken impression among
the people generally in regard to the du-
ties and responsibilities OF the Gas Trus-
tees. The trustees have no interest what
ever in the receipts or profits Of the work
OF furnishing gas to the citizens, each Of
them being under q bond OF $1,000 10
protect the city from any losses she may
sustain. The trustees have the privilege
Of selecting n clerk, but should any dis
crepancies occur in his accounts they are
held directly responsible for the same.
THE METERS.
Nothing is SO mysterious to the gas
consumer as the meter, and yet, as 4 mat.
ter Of fact, the meter Is quite as accurate
as any other measure in use. 1t does
sometimes err, but its errors are almost
always in favor Of the consumer and
against the companies. It cannot meas
ure gas that does not pass through it, but
may permit gas to pass through without
registering the quantity.
Wet meters are liable to stop from
freezing, from too much or too little
water, sand from sending moisture into
the pipes. The dry meter is not liable to
any OF these objections, but being more
complicated and more delicate, il is more
liable TO wear and to get out Of order.
The inaccuracies which result from wear
or corrosipn are generally in favor OF the
consumer, as gas leaks from one space to
another and escapes being measured.
Tho accuracy OF the meters is very
often questioned by the consumers. The
resemblance Of the dials lead them TO
infer that, like clocks, the meters may
run fast or slow. But'the case is not par
allel; the meter Is an engine in which the
gas is the motive power, and unless the
gas passes through the meter, 1t cannot
move. On its dials are faithfully record
ed the number Of It's revolutions in cubic
feet. All waste and leakage is recorded
Us well rs the useful consumption.
The dry meters are used here, and the
consumer can easily see how impossible
it is for them TO register more gas than
passes through them. But ii anything
gets wrong with the machinery OF the me-
ter, or the diaphragm gets worn out or
cracked, Of course the gas passes through
it without registering; then the consum!
ers get the benefit OF the gas without pay
ing for it. From the nature OF things, the
injury which the meter suffers in use must
generally be against the city. II a valve
leaks or rust hole occurs in the meas.
uringdrum, or a crack in the leather, gas
get through without being recorded.
Sometimes the valves OF n dry meter be-
come fixed in such 2 position as to let the
gas through without moving. The me-
ters are tested by State inspectors by pass
ing certain number Of cubicfeet through
each, and noting whether it is properly
recorded on the diaIs. In New York and
Massachusetts meter is stamped correct
when ii varies less than 2 per cent in
Ohio the tolerance is 3 per cent. Prof.
Wormley, State Inspector for Ohio, in
testing 1891 new meters found only Is
that varied over onc.half Of per cent.
Mr.. Simpson, State Inspector in Massa-
chusctts, in one year tested l ,316 me-
tiers; only 14S failed to come within the re-
quirements OF the law. Very few Of these
varied 5per cent; G2 averaged SAT per
cent against the companies, and So averag-
ed As per cent short.
The machinery Of meter is not work.
ed like clock. 1t measures like liquid
measure, and cannot go until full and
ready to go. No matter what the pres
sure may be, there cannot be any less or
any more gas-the amount is just the
same. The moment the gas is shut off
thn ,pnrl- nf thn meter censps