Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-27
INSPECTING CITY GAS
Mr.. Ford's Report of the Work of Last
Year.
Meters That Registered Too Little or
Too Much-a Change That
is Needed.

The annual report of Mr.. S. Calvert Ford,
inspector OF gas and meters, covering the
operations of his office for the year ended
June 30. 1899, was submitted TO the Dis
trict Commissioners today
The illuminating power of the gas sup
piled by the Washington Gas Light Com
pany during the past fiscal year was 64-ioO
of one candle higher than that supplied
during the previous year. The mean aver
age Illuminating power determined at the
three laboratories was found to equal 20 30
standard candles. the maximum power be-
ing equal to 301G standard candles. while
the minimum was - 81 candles. The illu-
minatinG power OF the gas supplied by the
company was not found less than - stand
ard candles on any occasion during the
year. On fifty-one occasions during the
year the impurity known as su' phurclrd
hydrogen was found in the gas supplied by
this company.
This showing. says Mr.. Ford. exhibits 4
decrease in the number OF occasions as
compared with the record for III preceding
year, but still this impuri;y. h states.
should be entirely eliminated from the gas
supplied to consumers ana every oXpcdielt
should b. resorted 10 TO overcome and dis
sipate this annoying compound.
The average Illuminating power Of the
gas supplied by the Georgetown Gas Lignt
Company during the year was 2-lUn Of one
candle less than the average for the pre-
cedlng year. The mean average power IT
the gas supplied by the Georgetown COM
pany was found equal 10 2T.6S standard can
dies. On seven occasions Il was found to
be less than twenty-five candles. on two If
the occasions being slightly less than TWEEN
ty-four the presence Of su.phUrcted hy-
drogen was found on three occasions.
The Illuminating gas supplied by the two
companies thinks MIR. Ford. was Of fine
quality, and the showing made by tha com
pauies. lie believes. cannot be eXcelled by
any other gas company in tho United
States unless possibly bg one or two OF
the New York city companies which use
oil gas. In very few cities OF the country
Is the inspection Of Sas and meters as thor
oughly attended TO, says Mr.. Ford, OF as
often made as in the District Here in
sy.ections are made. he states. every work
ing day, while in Boston during the year
1888 bat nfty-twO Were made During the
past year his Office inspected ana proved
39S4 gas meters in the District. or these
lS9 registered fast, the average error being
/ - per cent; 52i registered slow, with an
average error of 1l35 per cent; 3"24 regis
tered within the limits allowed and 242 did
Tot register the gas flowing through them.
On complaint of the two companies and con-
sumers 1.19S of these meters We're removed
from service. OF the 90 complained of by
consumers. who believed the meters regis
tered incorrectly. 1863 registered fast, with
an average error of $50 per cent Is regis
tered slow, with an average error Of i67
per cent, and 81 registered within the
limits allowed. OF the 714 meters complain
ed of by the companies 10 registered fast,
with an average error of 9.1I per cent; !nl
registered SLOW, WIN an average error Dl
1874 per cent; u registered within the lin
its, and 242 did not register the gas flow
ing through them. The Washington COM
pany tested 764 of the complained of
meters.
The reason so many meters were found
to register slow, says Mr. Ford, and not
registering at all was due To the fact that
meters of this class were removed from
service by the company under the belief
that they Were registering slow, and be
fore being brought TO the inspectors Office
were tested in the company's shop 10 as
certain their condition. Under this condl-
ton, says Mr.. Ford. il is not likely that
he would find often meters OF this descrip-
ton registering fast or registering within
the limits allowed by law. The sum OF
81 ,6l6 was received by the office Tor the
inspection Of meters during the past year
and paid to the collector of taxes.
Consumers of gas, says Mr.. Ford, FIRE
made on their gas bills by the gas compa-
MES of this District when the inspector OF
gas and meters finds their meters register
ing fast. 1t is the custom OF the gas cCin-
panies in this District TO allow reduction
only on the current bill, and that accord
ing TO the percentage or error found by the
inspector.
In other cities, Baltimore and New York.
a much more liberal allowance is made by
the gas companies when the inspector finds
consumers meters running fast
THE general superintendent of lamps and
inspector Of meters in Baltimore informs
me that when meters are removed on COM
register too fast, the consumer has the
right to demand from the gas company a
reduction from the past four months bills
the percentage that his meter is registering
against him. The secretary of the Console
dated Gas Company of New York says when
meters are registering too fast it is the GUS
tom of this company 10 allow the gas con-
SumerS rebate for the full amount, in
dfcated by the test certificate of the meter
inspector, for one-half Of the time that the
meter was in use, provided the consumers
account covered the period named In view
of the great difference in favor OF the gas
consumers in Baltimore and New York, as
compared with the gas consumers in the
District of Columbia, in cases as stated
above, / would recommend that the Wash
ington and Georgetown gas light compa-
MES be requested TO make more liberal al
lowance than is at present made in cases
where the consumers meters are found by
the inspector to be registering fast"
Mr.. Ford recommends that the salary OF
the assistant inspector be increased from
$1,000 TO $1,000 per annum; that addi-
uonal inspector be employed at ST20 per an
mum, the work of the office having largely
increased and the work being at times con-
siderably behind, and that the salary of the
messenger be increased from $3.50 to $500
per annum. Mr.. Ford also recommends
that the hours of the office, from am. to
) pm, be reduced to conform to the
hours in force in other departments of the
District government.
The charge made today in the Police
Court against James C. Wynn of Blag-
den's alley was breaking china pitcher