Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-03-12
The subcommittee on High Bills Make
a Thorough Investigation.
In Almost All Cases the Citizens Are
Relieved 90 Have Used the Hight.
Reports OF superintendent ana
others-Committee on Poor.

I.
exchanged for that Of his neighoor' MIS-
Spencer Lane which was $sO. IL was
explained that an error had been maze IN
recording the two meters, and Mr. Trek
Ter had only paid for the amount OF gas nus
meter registered. That gentleman stated
that he only wanted to know II Ihe
meter-reader had the right 10 exchange
the bills. Clerk Shelton said that IL was
necessary for the meter-reader 10 coine
back to the Office before making the
change. This, Inspector Wood sald' nc
did.
OTHER COMPLAINTS.
y. Hulcher. OF No. ala west Broad
street. complained that his bills for De-
cenher January. and February last were
$3.50, 1870. and A2O
A. Snyder. Of No. 1908 east Clay street.
handed In a bill Of 50 cents for January
and $3.50 for February.
Fontinesi complained that his bilis
for December and January amounted 70
N1bO while last year they did not amount
TO half as much. 80 .,,-,h
Nardi a. Castelvecchi. of NO. 1S5 north
Seventeenth street. submitted ther ~. V, y,
ment for December. 1884, Which was go 49,
while the bill for the same moh'h 'i''
year amounted to SOD 800, nj. nun
Samuel REGISTER. Of No. llO6 PARK ave
nne presented his bills, which showed
increases during December, January anu
February. .- o,r,oi,ed
In one or two instances II was eNp!alheu
that the consumers had recently usea
gas stoves. and that this, coupled WIN
the severe weather and the fact thal INC
days were darker and the nights shorteI
materially affected the amounts Oh thc
gas bills.
REPORTS on THE SUBJECT
Reports touching this question were
submitted by the Superintendent IN
spector Knowles. and the assistant III
spectors. Superintendent Adams IN ms
report. says he can give no reason why
the bills should be larger except tI,a'
there were many CLOUDY days uuIlle ~ w
months Of January and February ms
cloudy weather caused the consumers 10
light nm much earlier In the evening. ana
10 burn Gas later i'm the morning. Inc
measure from the holders has not Vafleu
for the past three years, therefore the
trouble cannot be assigned TO excessive
nressure. The Superintendent continues by
stating again that that portion OF the
third district west Of Laurel street anu
south Of Broad cannot get the supply OF
Gas needed 10 give them a good service
because the pipes are too small. There
fore. ne argues. nothing can be attributed
I'm that section to excessive pressure. Mr.
Adams concludes by giving 1t as his opln-
ion that the consumers who complain or
large bills evidently burned the gas as
shown by their meters.
COMPLAINTS OF BAD GAS.
Mr.. w. Z. Knowles. Inspector OF Gas.
starts out his report by saying that 70
per cent. Of the complaints about bad gas
have come from consumers who occupy
houses with areas in front With the bit
ter cold weather recently had here II had
been impossible 10 give these residents
GOOD service on account of condensation
and frozen service-pipes. As to large
hills. Mr.. Knowles stated that he had
examined in person majority OF these
complaints. and had found, with few
exceptions. that the meters were In per-
feet order and the states correctly read
as reported by the assistant inspectors.
The greatest number Of complaints OF IN
sufficient supply and large bills have been
made by consumers who reside south or
Broad street north Of Cary, anc west OF
Laurel street 10 Lombardy. Mr.. Knowles
holds that II the city would construct a
holder in the West End and make the
necessary extensions from the large
mains the problem Of bad lights and
large bills would be solved He dealt with
pressure and burners briefly showing the
effects of these upon the light given to
the consumer.
THE METER-READERS
The Inspector's assistants presented n
Joint report. in which they attribute the
complaints of excessive bills to the dull
times, an unusually gay social season. long
nights, dark days, and the recent Sc
verify of the weather. They also reier 10
the fact that great number OF hch-
mond people are now using gas-stoves.
The system of registering the gas ana
reporting of the same is set forth, ana a
snegestion offered by the assistants to
the effect that burners and fixtures be
watched closely and kept In proper con-
dition.
After a great deal Of discussion as to
what course to pursue the subcommittee
adjourned until 6:15 o'clock this evening,
when 1t hopes to formulate lis report
Relief of the Poor.
There was also a meeting at the city
almshouse last night OF the committee
on Relief of the Poor. those present being
Messrs. Mcdowell (chairman)' BroeA'
Blake Donleavy, and Ferriter
Superintendent Carriers monthly report
facts. on January 81, 1895, there were
In The institution 2S2 inmates. There were
received during the month of February
"a white men, 4 white women. white
children. total 80 There were 80 col
ored men. Is colored women, colored
children; total, As. During that same perlou
there were discharged IS white men,
white women, white children; total, q;
Ia colored men, colored women, col
ored children; total %. During the past
month the following number OF inmates
died: one white man, colored men,
colored women: total. TO- On February
2sth there remained in the almshouse 20
inmates, against 252 on the corresponding
day of 1894, showing an increase of %.
Kills were ordered TO be paid as fol-
lows: Maintenance OF the almshouSe,
81, 726. so; outdoor poor, $i,6O9.47. Total w.
SSe.g7. The payroll of the department
was approved.
EYE AND EAR INFIRMARY.
A report as TO the condition OF the Eye,
Ear, and Throat Infirmary was received.
IL stated that the institution was not In
a fourishing condition financially. The
floating debt is about eight hundred dol
lars. During the past year treatment has
been rendered in the institution TO one
person In every eighty residents Of this
city. There were treated during the year
I,l29 persons in all. while 1875 free visits
were paid by the physicians connected
with the institution. and 329 surgical
operations were performed. In As cases OF
which the eyesight had been restored 10
blind persons.
Since the establishment Of the instltu-
ton, In 1879, Is, $50 persons have received
treatment. S4232 free visits were paid.
while 3.762 surgical operations were per-
formed. of which from 400 TO 800 were
undertaken to restore the eyesight to the
blind.
FREE DISPENSARY.
The annual report of the Medical Col
lege OF Virginia as to the work done in
its free dispensary was also received and
filed. The report shows that during the
past year 1871 prescriptions were filled
free Of charge. against 9.629 IN the previ-
GUS year-an increase OF 1859. During the
same period 1885 tickets were issued 10
patients for medical and surgical atten-
ton and drugs, against S9iv In lS94--an in
crease OF 3.g6l. The report cites an in
crease OF nearly 80 per cent. In prescrip-
lions. and an increase OF nearly 30 per
cent. In the number OF patients treated.
During the year 1894 the expenditures
amounted TO N.5S6.SI, 5000 Of which was
contributed by the city, while the sum
OF S65.H Was paid by the institution.
Another annual report was presented
by the managers OF the Friends Home,
showing that on January !. 1894. that
institution had fourteen inmates, while
during the year two additional orphans
were received ana one was discharged
making the number OF inmates on Janu-