The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1883-01-10
Gas Meter Testing.

Fo the Editor of the Indianapolis Journal:
tits a remarkable fact in the history OF this
country that little or no attention is paid to
the testing of gas meters for consumers. In
England it is the duty of a thorough gas
engineer to have the consumers meter tested
before it is placed on the consumers premises.
The gas companies are obliged to put regula-
tors on their meters, ana are not allowed to
force on a pressure which Is not necessary,
as they all do in our country causing the
consumer to pay from 20 to so per cent mora
because he is ignorant of the proper method
of controlling the pressure. Having made the
subject of gas and gas meters a study, l am
prepared to state that it is high time that
gas-consumers should have some one to guard
their interests. The office of city inspector
is political Office, and, in my opinion, of
little or no Importance. This | have proven
beyond a doubt by finding in two weeks, in
city where there is Jan inspector, thirty-six
fast meters registering from to IS per cent,
fast An inspectors duty should be to test,
upon the premises of the consumers their
meter once a year, and one-half of the eX-
pense should be borne by the gas COM
pany and one-half by the consumer,
Should the meter be found to register "a
greater amount than it actually measured
according to the test-metsr, the consumers
should be entitled to rebate of the percen-
tage which the meter registered fast for at
least three months back on bills paid. Each
meter, before being placed on the premises
of the consumer, should be tested by the
inspector appointed by the Governor, and
the State seal should be placed on the meter,
and certificate of the test made should be
given to the gas company, and a charge of
not less than one dollar per meter should be
allowed to said State Inspector, to be coll
lected from the gas company having the meter
tested. 1t should be the duty of said State
Inspector to give his certificate when build
ing is piped that said work has been done
properly, and that no leaks are in the build
ing, providing no leaks are found. This
would prevent vast amount of carelessnesS.
The charges should be borne equally by the
owner and the plumber. The Office would
be self-supporting, and would save thou
sands of dollars per year which are now
wasted through ignorance. As it is at pres
ent, the consumer is in the hands of the
company, whose interest does not lie in in
structng the consumers how to guard against
the great pressure which is placed upon
them.
All the blame does not rest with gas CON-
panies. Inferior makes of meters are sold
which very often register only one-haf of
the gas which passes through them, and the
cause lies in the fact that poor material is
used in the construction of the meter. Asa
rule, the meters now in use, namely, dry
meters" are liable to become slow or fast at
any time, so that the Office of State in
spector would not only benefit consumers
but also gas companies 1t is positive fact,
and cannot be disputed, that. just so long as
consumers bills remain high enough,
no attention will be paid to the
correctness of the. meter, but, as soon
as they go below their average
new and correct meter will be placed in for
the consumer. Being the only man in the
United States who has made the matter OF
testing meters for consumers business, and
after giving it my personal attention for sew
eral months / am prepared to say it is real
necessity, and should be demanded by tho
people, that a State inspector should be ahs
pointed, one who would do practical work.
GEORGE Ii. GREGORY.