The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-01-29
THElPROyIDENCE NEWS.

from 1916 to 1921, but were not then sue
cessful. In 1872 IN WAS introduced into bos-
ton, aud the following year the hist gas
company was formed IN New YORK city.
In 1877 The Providence Gas Company was
formed, and its nearly % years oil oxis-
tence. Ike the Hight which II controls,
has shuno forth Itspicndeat AMI achieved
q Standing and reputation IN this neld OF
operations thar - second 10 none IN the
country. Its product j. the best possible,
is service prompt and efficient, ana It's
dealings Eonesl ana squaIe. From "A
humble beginning IL has slowly but surely
grown With The gTowth OF the city, lis
capital stock IL e., SOD, COZ and its gas Is
supplied thrpus9out ngnrly everrc strest
and t~horoughiare IN this city, while miles
OF pipe are aid tpreuga ~poreonfoi Grams
ton, Jopnstuil NO. Provite:ice. lNafwlck
ann 4. sProgidence. pI Tine uooalpany has
found 1t pensssas y;to operate " large
Stations 1.-The west station % he foot OF
Globe Sirest and he south station at the
foot OF Public street. Radiating from
these points In eli directions are 23o miles
OF pipes,o OF which nearly 10 miles were ialu
during the present year. The annual
consumption OF gas il about 6DO, OO0,O )0
cubic feet, and employment Is furnished
In ell departments 10 from 200 TO 400 men.
The company generates both coal ana
water gas, the latter plant being operated
in IT'S eXtensiveness since 1890. Some idea
- 49, HANNT VI NAAF $500
public life may be cleaned when II Is
stated that the company's capacity is
1900, 0)0 cubic feet of gas i'm "a hours.
for either coal gas. water gas or n mixture
OF both. Many gas companies charge for
service pipes, setting meters. meter rents,
etc, bat this com pany makes no charge
only when the distance exceeds twenty
feet from the line OF the street. The d.
rectors never declined 10 spend money to
improve the quality of gas or secure bet
ter service. Technically gas is measured
by "candie power" that is TO say, gas -
tested by what Is known as the "~standard
parliamentary candle" which is intended
TO consu me 100 grains of sperm per hour.
The gas is burned at the rate OF five cubic
feet per hour trough q ''standard Argand
bnrner. lie test ia mad on the phoro-
meter, which IL n graduated bar one hum
dIed inches long, with the necessary ap-
paratus TO weigh the quantity OF sperm
consumed, a test meter TO measure the
quantity OF gas consumed. pressure gauges
governor, etc., a candle ut one end the
gas at the other end. Tn lights are meas
ured by the square OF the distances OF each
TO a disc bet ween the two lights at a
point where the light is equal on both
sides; thus we say, the gas is 10, 20 or 2s
candle power as the case may be. A con-
sumner who has too small pipes to convey
the proper quantity of gas TO the burner
will fail 70 get a good light and he jumps
TO the conclusion MT once that the gas IL
poor, when in reality II may be a good
quality. When the consumer has the pro-
per size pipe In his house or building he
will have no cause TO complain OF poor gas
or poor service. The price of gas has been
reduced from $40 per thousand in 1s4S
TO 81. 20 per thousand, the present price.
One of the elements entering INTO the cost
of gas TO the consumer is the cost OF dis
tribution. The first cost Of gas Is not
materially different in different cities ex-
cepting in the cost OF material, labor. etc.
The difference in the cost of distribution
varies largely in different cities. For in
stance, the Boston Gas Company Boston
proper sold during the year 1891, 1,i20,-
S3i, 770 cubic feet through 134 miles OF main
pipe. During the same year the Providence
Gas Company sold 4S7, 279. 400 cubic feet
through 2l7 miles OF pipe, or, TO reduce 1t
TO percentage per mile, tho Boston Co. sold
ever 372 per cent o. gas through each mile
OF main pipe more than the Providsnce
Gas Co.. did.
The present directors are Col. William
Goddard, A. Il. Slater, ex-Gov Royal e..
Taft, Edward Pearce, Jesse Metcalf, George
W. IL. Matteson. Lucien Sharpe, Newton
ID. Arnold, and J. Edward Studley. Hon.
Royal e.. Taft is pres. Col. William God
dard vice pres, and A. b. Slater sec.
ana treas.