Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-01-06

An interesting chapter on an interesting SUBJ
ject
ATHLETIC SPORTS.
What is going on among bicyclists-
| athletics.
| GAS CONSUMERS COMPLAIN.
What is Said at the Gas ONCE About the
Quality of Gas.
| THE UNITED STATES INSPECTOR, MR.. FORD
ALSO DISCUSSES THE GAS SUPPLY FROM HIS
srASpPoISr-HE TELLS WHY, IN HIS OPINION,
THERE ARE CoMPLAINTs-AN INDIGNANT
CITIZEN ALSO HAS HIS SAY.
The average gas consumer is never quite
satisfied with the service rendered by the
| Washington Gas Company, the columns
Of The STAR will show he has q good deal
to say relative to the quality of the gas as
well as the price. Recently, however, the
complaints have increased in number and
from one standpoint, in violence of tone, show
ing Enthusiastically good deal of strong feeling.
The attention of Mr.. Bailey, the secretary of
| the gas company, was called this morning to
this condition of affairs. He said that
he was not aware that there are any more COM
plants than usual at this time. At the begin
ming of every month when the gas bills were
due the volume of complaints increased and in
his opinion they had their origin i'll the desire
of people to get some reduction in the
amount of their bills. He knew OF
no reason for complaints at this time,
AS the company was supplying good
quality of gas. In regard to the establishme mt
Of three laboratories, as proposed in the bill
introduced in Congress, he said that was q
proposition OF Mr.. Ford, the United States III
spector Of gas In this city. He saw no neces-
sity for more of these stations, as the quality of
gas prod uced at the two works of the company
Mas exactly the same.
TALK WITH INSPECTOR FORD.
Subsequently visit was paid TO the Office OF
Mr.. Ford. He told The STAR man that from
the records of his Office he thought that the gas
company was furnishing superior quality of
gas just now than the case some time
ago. He knew that there had been a
good deal Of complaint about the gas fur
nished in the northwestern portion Of the
city. He had no means of testing the gas
in that locality. as the only apparatus available
for this purpose was III the Post building i'll
the central part OF the town. He had rec
| commended the location of laboratory near the
company's works in the western part of the
city, one in the eastern section and one in
Georgetown.
There was no law for the one in use in George
town. and the Passage of this bill would give
the authority. The present laboratory there
would be continued. blr. Ford said that the
gas company in this city had recently COM
pleted putting in an improved process for making
water gas. which. ne thought, had resulted in n
better article. in his opinion the difficulty
which was the cause OF the complaints some
time ago arose from the combination in the
pipes stopping them up and preventing the free
o IL, q n U oft no
company that perhaps the proportion OF the
mixture OF coal gas with water gas too
great and that the supply might be enriched by
using more of the water gas The proportion
observed by the company was two-thirds coal
gas and one-third water gas. The gas made
from bituminous coal. sail Mr.. Ford, is apt to
be poor. rs the coal is worked down pretty fine
to get all out of it possible.
COAL AND WATER GAS.
The gas made from combination of the
gases liberated from water and petroleum is a
heavier gas than coal gas, and by mixing them
together gas o. most any candle power could
be produced. The process OF making this
water gas formerly in use by the company has
been improved upon by the process just adopted.
BY the old method the degree OF heat needed
to release the gases from water varied. but by
the present process continuous heat WAS Sc
cure.. Mr.. Ford If Of the opinion that the
water gas is the coming gas, and while it is n
cheaper product than that from coal yet in its
present use in combination with coal gas it is
claimed for it that it makes better. richer gas.
Mr.. Ford thought that tDe trouble in this
city about the gas supply was probably due
| to the stoppage in the pipes owing to the
condensation of the gas In Georgetown he
thought that the gas supply would be better il
there was a greater pressure. The works
/ there he said were old and the demand had
greatly increased in the past few years. He
understood that the Georgetown company had
| in contemplation the introduction of the manu-
facture of water gas to be used in connection
with the coal gas. AT present that company's
entire product was made from coal.
AN IyDIGNAyr CITIZEN.
While this article was being written citizen
came into The STAR Office and expressed him
self with a great deal of earnestness as to the
importance TO the citizens Of Washington of the
gas question. He said that he appreciated
| the efforts put forth by The STAR from
| time to time for the improvement OF the quality
| of the gas. The gas. he said, ought no. only
| to be better, but il ought to DO furnished at u
lower rate. He said that it has been shown
| time and time again that gas could be made
and sold Mt profit for IS cents per
hundred feet. At any rate the people Of this
| town ought to get their gas for at least ore
dollar He said that the gas company was
wrestling from the citizens of this District
annual tribute of not less than $100, 900.
| IL q warship Of a foreign power should
steam up the Potomac and such sum
| be levied upon the city there would be. he
! thought, war. Blu. as long as the tax was ex-
acted by combination of our fellow citizens it
was tolerated with patience that seemed to be
| highly ezasperating to the worthy citizen who
was discussing the question.