Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1882-09-07
Gas Lighting I'm Washington.

ANNUAL REPORT OF THE INSPECTOR OF GAS.
Mr.. Calvert Ford. the inspector OF gas for the
District OF Columbia, has submitted his annual re.
port to the Secretary OF the Interior lie says:
The gas manufactured and supplied by the
Washington company is not entirely product
from COAL They use naptha as an enricher. This
hydro-carbon is converted into fixed gas and then
united with the gas obtained from coal This CON-
Onaiion OF the gases from coal ami naptha yields
an Illuminating gas of high specific gravity. On
some occasions complaints were made OF its giving
on smoke This nuisance, however, Will arise from
several causes, such a scant Inadequate sup
ply, imperfect or unsuitable burners and deiic-
lent pressure.
The gas supplied by the Georgetown company is
manufactured entirely from coal with camel coal,
ten to fifteen per cent being used as an enrlcher
me Illuminating power OF the gas supplied by
year was 1857 candies. The highest power during
the year was 1883 candles and the lowest 1449
candles.
On eighteen occasions during the past year the
gas supplied by the Washington company was or
less Illuminating power than sixteen candles.
lIhe dates are set forth in the reportl
The average illuminating power or the George
town company was 1854 candles The highest
2C.16 candles and the lowest ID S6 candles.
On twenty-eght occasions during the year the
gas OF the Georgetown company was less than
sixteen candles. [The dates are enumerated.l
Fourteen hundred and twenty meters were in
spected and proved. With the exception OF 2 me-
tiers inspected and proved 10y the Alexandria COM
ns M ~ ohS aSone IunlDer was inspected and proved
gas. The result showed that 33 registered fast
against the consumers, an average error OF 356
per cent; III slow against the companies; average
error 2l per cent; 1916 within the limits allowed
by law, viz. per cent either way; 81 cid not regis
Ter the gas flowing through them, and was locked,
SO no inspection could be made. 22O inspected
and proved on complaint, SIS by consumers OF gas;
II registered fast-average error 416 per cent; 13
slow, average error 1886 per cent; 25 within the
limits allowed by law. les were complained OF by
The gas companies; registered fast and 81 slow;
- within the limits allowed by law.
The inspector recommends that the act Of Con-
grcsS regulating gas works be modified as TO
require when for any purpose whatever the heads
or meters that have been inspected, proved and
sealed, are removed by the gas companies, meters
OF this description should be classed as repaired
meters and brought to this Office for re-nspection
before again being placed in service. The seal of
the inspector is the evidence that the meter has
oeen properly tested and proven, as required by
law To admit the right OF the companies to re-
move the head OF a sealed meter and rectify
whatever Is wrong and return the meter to SER
vice without re-tnSpection and sealing would be
to render the law practically imperative by max
Ing uncertain IL not impossible the protection Sc
cured through inspection and sealing by the ofice
created for that purpose.