The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1876-02-25
INSPECTIONS OF GAS METERS.

It is not too much to say that not one man i,
. thousand, possibly not one in five thousand
knows anything about gas meters. The head
Of every household has sort of holly horror
q superstitious dread almost Of his gas meter,
which he looks upon Is an incomprehensible
puzzle, IN Internal machine, to be avoided as
much as possible and never to be interfered
with, except when the lights suddenly go on.
and attention to the awkward and intricate
contrivanee is imperatively demanded.
To see . poor bedeviled pater-familias on An
occasion Of this kind, surrounded by Gro wd
of ioquacioqs youngsters all OF whom are
sublimely ignorant of what q meter il, and
yet each suggesting remedy, is to see man
for whom the preacher the following Sabbath
should be called upon to specially remember
in his prayers
The first cry 10 that the mechanical fend
wants water and plenty Of il, and forthwith
it is deluged, when it is soon discovered that
too much water is ss bad as Goo little, and
then some has to be drawn of, and all this by
the light Of farthiag candle which servant
has had to run to the. grocer's to buy. No
man ever attempted to master, in all lis won.
derful details, o gas meter. without being
sorry for it; and We are fast coming 70 the
opinion that, as Lord John Russell said Of
the Schleswig- Holstein question, there never
were but two persons who really understood
il, and one of those is dead and the other has
forgotten all about it.
For these reasons We are in favor of the
bill creating q board of inspectors for gas
meters, and We are sincerely in hopes that
the measure will become law. The expense
Of gas is becoming so great, not only in New
Orleans but in ell the cities of this country,
that not only have gas meters become objects
Of peculiar interest, but every device whereby
gas may be economical or dispensed with
altogether is being resorted to. In some
cities the high price Of gas has actually driven
consumers to use coal and other oils, and We
suspect it will not be very long before some
substitute for this expensive article of light
will be given to the world by science.
Does it not seem that the story told by tie
cheerful and serviceable letter carrier, MagilI,
IN behalf of Gen. Babcock is "thin to the |
last degree of attenuation? That estimable
md amiable pelson declares that one day
Joyce met him near certain street letter. |
oox, and requested him to take therefrom two |
etters and return them to him (Joyce), !
which little favor was rendered without hest |
alton by MagilL When he asked Joyce for
eceipt, that astute and far-seeing person as
ured him that this little formality was not at
Ii necessary; that the letters were only
: blinds" -sdperhous and superogatory epis-
les, as it we're, which explanation was duly
ccepted by Magill, who seemed " to dip into
be future far as human eye could see," or at
EAST as far as the indictment and trial of Bah
ock. The preseience of that remarkable
evenne agent Joyce in foreseeing the effect
, the remote future Of that apparently super
uous phrase "only blind" and the care
18th which the prudent and acute postman
aarded it in his memory until the proper
me to produce it, are truly admirable. If
rant doesn't reward that eminent postman
i.h first-c'ass post Office, or an invitation
Long Branch next summer. he will prove
lat Presidents as well as republics are un- {
ratefuL
Tho man vho alvava draws a line Some. |