Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1886-12-18
WEST WASHINGTON GAS.
Ine Senate Investigation COnnmittee
T0Em ON the Lights,

~~oesAAS
appointed TO investigate the Georgetown Gas COM
pany, met in the Senate District committee room
at noon to-day, and proceeded with the inquiry.
PRESIDENT Leitch, OF the gas company, submitted
ist OF the stockholders and the total expenses for
ene plant. The list showed that there are 5,76O
snares OF stock owned by 123 persons Ofthe shares
S,Ssl are owned in West Washington, 631 in WASH
ington' 1,152 in Philadelphia, 1901 In
wilmington, Del, 63 in Leesbury and
Langley, Va, in New York, 33 in Brooklyn,
~ IN Morehead, Minn and Al in st. Louis Some
OF u, sne shares are owned by shareholders OF the
washington company. President McIlhenny OF
and S BaTo 81 o owns os s
snaIeS. the tOtalexpense account OF the company
TOT all purposes up to the present is $l67, 07953.
THE ENRIcHER AND THE INSPECTOR.
In reply to questions, Mr.. Leitch said that the
lawrequires the gasinspectortom make hisinspection
from o 10 IL o'clock in the evening" but he for his
own convenience, has changed the hour to 10 a. m,
and ne makes his inspection at the latter hour
superintendent Cathell testified that the en-
the design OF making it richer for the Inspector
me gas Is enriched with camel coal, and that
coal Is put IN between the hours Of and am. in
oruer 10 Keep the gas up to the standard and not
ton.
Senator Harris wanted to know II the exhaust
fan, mentioned Wednesday, could be used to force
air into the gas and thus dilute it. Mr. Cathell re-
pied that unfortunately it could but he declared
that atmospheric air forced into the works would
mlngle with the gas and deprecfate its quality but
denied that 1t Is permitted to do so in his works.
THE DIVIDENDS.
Mr.. Leitch submitted also books of the company
showing the dividends paid: From 1855 to 1862
the semi-annual dividends paid were Az per cent.
From 1863 to 1876 the semi-annual dividends were
about . LA per cent, and from 1876 to 1885 the
generally being five per cent.
ln response TO question by Senator ingalls,,
Mr. Cathell said that the weld of gas from the
coal had been constant, ana not varying. Mr.. In
gals then wanted to know why the il.umi-
mating power OF the gas should vary so
when made by a man who had been using the
same coal, with unvarying results for thirty years
Mr. Cathen replied that the trouble came from
using different kindsof coal, and it had occurred
from getting different kinds Of coal mixed in the
sheds. This mixture had resulted from difficulty
IN getting the coal wanted Mr.. Leitch added that
the results obtained from The same coal out of the
same mine vary great deal.
MI. Cathell said that when the gas in the
holder Is impoverished It can be enriched by burn
ing more camel coal. The two would mix but he
could not say how long 1t is required for the two
to thoroughly mingle.
THE GAS INSPECTOR TEsTIFIEs.
sc. Ford inspector Of gas and meters here for
twelve years past, was sworn. He said the intent
OF the law was to have central Office. where the
gas or both Washington and Georgetown would be
Inspected, but that proved impracticable because
the pipes could not cross Rock creek As a way
out OF the dilemma an Office for inspection was
established in West Washington, and there the
inspection is made between the hours OF 5 and
II ?: M .. while in washington the Inspection is
test for purity is applied every day, while in
georgetown 1t Is applied every other day. He has
not time to make the daily test in West Washing
ton. Generally he found the gas OF both Washing
ton and West Washington to DE up to the standard
required by the law, AS rule, 1t came up TO the
standard. He said that If the company is making
gas at the time OF the inspection It makes no diff
ference whether the inspection takes place in the
morning or evening. 1t would be possible for
nnf tsall " nj. fO,
ton, knowing the hour at which the inspection Is
regularly made
At Senator Ingalls, request Mr.. Ford explained
the process OF making coal gas and that Of making
WatergaS. He said the Washington company uses
water gas to enrich their coal gas. He admitted
that he was preludiced against water gas and did
not approve its use. He said 1t gums up the burn
erS aud has an offensive Odor.
Taking the last months inspections as q guide
Mr.. Ford said the Washington company had fur
nfshed better gas than the GEORGETOWN company:
that the Washington gas is now much purer than
1t was last winter.
"Idon't believe the gasis so thoroughly inspected
anywhere In United States as 1t is here" said the
inspector, land there is no place where the
standard Is better maintained" This opinion he
applied TO both Washington and West Washing
ton.
Mr.. Ford said that the exhauster complained of
as In use In West Washington is used By all CON-
panlea, but II the works are not aiT-tight that
machine will draw air In and depreciate the gas
He SAID tnat air might come out OF q burner when
first turned on instead of gas; that would show
defect somewhere
REDUCTION IN RATES BUT NOT IN BILLS.
Senator ingalls, said it had been complained that
the reductions In the price OF gas had not in Wash
tngton been followed by reduction OF bills: that
he had In his possession {and he produced them}
the bills OF citizen for long period; that this
man had burned the same number OF burners for
the same number of hours, and yet after the last
reduction to sl.25 per 1000 that consumers bills
per month. Mr.. Ford admitted that he had heard
OF many such complaints here in Washington, and
he attributed it to increased pressure. He said,
for example, six-foOt burner with an inch pres
sure would consume 90 per cent more gas with
double that pressure applied. His pressure reg
lister showed that for year past in Washington
the pressure had been increased two or three
tenths OF an inch-equal to 10 or 20 per cent in
crease; but it was in the hands Of the consumer to
burner Or by substituting smaller burners There
is no way by which meter can register unless the
gas passes through 1t.
Mr.. Ford heard more complaint, in proportion to
number OF consumers, from West Washington con-
sumers last month than from those in Washington.
Mr.. Leitch asked Mr.. Ford If 1T was possible for
below standard
Mr.. Ford replied that as that question is in
VOWED in suit ordered by the Commissioners
not to express an opinion. He was excused.
WHAT AN OLD EAPLoYE SAYS.
Mr.. Daniel Mclaughlin, resident Of West
washington, who had been employed by the
Georgetown company for thirty years, was sworn
washington gas, he said, is very poor, and had
was no excuse, he said, for the gas being
right there, and could be put in for
burning by wheelbarrows. He said that
II every man in the District said it was good it
would not be true He said he was discharged
from the company employ In 1888 because of sick
ness; that there was''neither money nor whisky in
It," He added that the enricher ought to be used
at night, not in the day time He had not the re-
hottest idea Of the cost OF making gas but the gas
ought to be made pure without the use OF air
pumps and such like. s'NObOdy would ever get
foot OF good gas while those air pumps are there
he said. ne knew that the "alr pump" in West
Washington had done harm; it had stopped up
the mains, but that did not affect the consumer
In brief, Mr.. Mclaughlin insisted that nothing but
pure coal gas, without 'afr pumps" should be al
lowed to be made. He said every man and woman
in West washington knows the gas Is bad: that
company needs another holder; 1t has not room
enough and the result is that the gas made ear
lest In the day Is consumed first and gives DOOR
light; then later in the night the freSher and bet
ter gas comes and the light is better.
CHECKS ON STREET LAMPS.
Mr.. Mclaughlin maintained that the removal OF
the ''air-pump" would restore the quality OF the
gas to that OF pure coal gas. He worked for
twenty mine years for the company and he pro-
duced a check which he said is put on the street
lamps He showed how the check could be turned
and thus diminish the consumption of the gas.
making six-foot burner consume only
four feet OF gas. Witness himself put
those patent burners with checks attached on
nearly all the street lamps of the District Wit
ness under orders went round and fixed down"