Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-01-09
MUST EcOEOMHB IN GAS.
The Allegheny Heating Company Issues q
Circular 10 Emphasize the Needs Of the
sIfuation-An Interview Upon Gas sup.

The Allegheny Heating Company Issues q
Circular 10 Emphasize the Needs Of fhe
sItuatIou-An Interview Upon Gas sHp.
ply. ~
The Allegheny Heating Company has Just
issued circular to their patrons on the neces-
sity of economizing in the use of natural gas.
The circular contains much valuable informa-
ton for those using the gas by meter, and is as
| follows. 1t il dated December 80
That natural gas, as a domestic fuel, is one OF
the greatest Injuries OF the age is admitted by all
who use it. Hitherto its supply has been so
abundant the cost 50 low, and the method OF sell
ing 1t such as to encourage the utmost extrava-
gance and waste in It's use. IL Is now being real
lied that to secure continued supply OF this w.
liable fuel, proper care and economy in its use is
necessity More intelligence must be brought to
bear the appliances for using the gas and utiI-
izinR to the utmost the heat produced by its com.
bustion. Appliances can now be procured that
viii utilize from go to 80 per cent OF the heat pro-
duced instead Of only 10 to IS per cent utilized BY
the majority of appliances now In use. In the
sense OF being costly. natural gas az present can
hardly be called q luxury; but the enormous ex-
pense entaied on the companies TO maintain the
supply. large percentage Of which is wasteds
must Of necessity result In increased rates to the
consumer.
In order to check IS much as possible the waste
OF our precious fuel and to encourage the consum-
er In adopting economical appliances and exer-
eistng some care in its use the companies are will
ing to go to the very great expense Of providing
meier for every consumer. That this policy Is to
the interest ofthe consumer moments rejection
will show. twill tend TO conserve the supply OF
gas. By reducing the waste 1t reduces the cost OF
producing and maintaining the supply, and viii
thus tend to keep down the price to the consumer.
1t places every consumer on an equaltty-eaeh
pays only for what Is used. The careful and eco
n0mlcal get their reward In small Dills. Inc
wasteful and extravagant haveno escape from the
consequences Of their carelessness. When burn
ing gas by meter the consumer makes his own
bill. When burning by contract the gas company
makes the bill, which, Of necessity, Is not ealcu-
but on the basis OF the greatest extravaganee.
The first quarter since the general introduc-
ton of meters was ended on the lst ult. For
purpose OF ascertaining IL there was any in
crease IN the bills OF consumers over the same
quarter Of 1855. DISPATCH reporter called at
the offices of the Philadelphia Company yes
terday. At the cashiers office there was a long
string OF persons coming IN all day to pay their
olils One OF the executive officers, when
asked II any OF the consumers objected to the
size OF their bills, said
1T is interesting to stand in the cashiers
otlice and listen to the complaints Of persons
who think the meters have increased their
bills. These are only handful when we con-
s1der the large number OF meters in use. There
are probably 5000 Consumers taking our gas
VINO are using meters This is about one-third
OF the whole number. We have explained to
the people who are burning by meter that il
they economzed in the use Of their gas their
bills would be much less than they were for the
same period.
1T is impossible at the present time to furnish
hgures showing the advantage in favor OF the
consumer who burns by meter. When we hrst
agitated the idea of putting in the meters there
was big howl from those who had tried 1t. It
was an indisputable fact that the bills were
higher after the meters were put in. The reason
for this Is as plain as the nose on ones face:
When the meters were placed In the houses OF
1oF cd 20
In the same manner that they did while burn
ing by contract. They never thought OF econo-
MIXING in the use of the fuel. When the gas
was turned On full force in every fireplace, the
bills, as a natural consequence, were higher
than they had been before.
I'VE have found in every case where the bills
were higher by the use of meters, that the con-
sumers did not have their burning appliances
in proper shape and were wasting the
gas Suppose you take q common
Illuminating gas burner. It has tip on it that
will enable not more than i've or ten feet Of
gas to be burned per hour. Take the tip of
and you will have a flame of gas foot high.
Without the tip you get50 times the samegas but
very little better light. This principle applies
to the use of fuel gas as we'll If you use pipe
punched full Of holes for burner you get a lot
OF gas. If you put proper burner in the FIRE
place you get almost as much heat with one fif-
tieth the amount of gas. When consumers use
the meter and burn the gas the same as they
would Illuminating gas they will find their bills
to be much less. They also have much more
comfortable mouse ana DeCLer reSuiCs are OD-
tanned In every way. The house is more COM
Portable and there is less danger of taking ones
death of cold.
"The present price of the gas-lO cents per
1000 feet-l think is an equitable charge. This
is not unreasonable in any way, and If proper
economy is used there will be no complaints
about exorbitant rates. / know one young
man who informed me this morning that he
had saved S24 the last year by the use Of the
meter. He did not have every fire on blazing
full tilt, and as a result he finds by the new
scheme he is saving money. We are after the
people who waste the gas. They have either got
to economic or pay for their extravaganza"