Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-14
THE GAS RATES.
Provisions of the Law Regarding
Prices and Purity.

The arrival of midwinter always brings
with it marked degree of domestic in
terest in the subject of gas rates. The
short days and the long nights give the gas
company opportunity to square the balance
on the years output of illuminant, and the
increase in the monthly bills closely con-
centrates attention upon the legislation
which was enacted a few months ago COM
polling the local company to lower their
prices. This law, which was approved June
&, 1896. was enacted after long and bitter
controversy, in which the citizens repeated
ly proved by statistics that the gas could be
produced and sold at dollar thousand
cubic feet with ample profit for the COM
pany. 1t may be interesting to those who
are now concerned about the size of their
bills to note briefly the nature of this legis-
latiOn.
The statute provides that after July l.,
1896. little less than a month after the
passage of the act, the rate charged to pri-
Vate consumers should not exceed 81. 10
thousand cubic feet in the city of Wash
ingtOn. until July 1, 1901 after which date
the rate should be reduced to 81 a thou
sand. Meanwhile, from July 1, 1896. the
company should furnish gas to the govern
ment and the District at the dollar rate
The Georgetown company-the Georgetown
branch of the main c0mpany-was required
10 reduce its rates to Sl.3j and S12J re-
Spectively. according to the date named
In each case the company was authorized
to charge a penalty of Il cents thousand
feet if consumer neglected to pay the bill
as rendered.
But it is not alone as regards the rate
which the company is authorized to charge
for the gas that concerns the people now
The quality of the illuminant. which is
steadily a matter of complaint on the part
of the consumer, was regulated by the
statute in the following terms: THAT from
and after the 3Dh day Of June, 1896, the IL
Eliminating power of the gas furnished by
any gaslight company, person or persons
in the District of Columbia shall be equal
10 twenty-five candles of the Bunsen photo
meter, using the Bray slit union burner
numbered seven, consuming five cubic feet
of gas per hour; and such gas shall not
contain more than twenty grains of sulphur
in any form in 100 cubic feet, nor more
than five grains of ammonia in any form in
100 cubic feet, and shall be free of the i'm
purity known as 'sulphureted HYDROGEN
said impuTity to be determined by passing
the gas through a glass vessel containing
strips Of bibulOus paper moistened with a
solution of the acetate of lead and if any
disCOloratiOn is found to have taken place
this is to be held conclusive as to the pres
ence Of sulphureted hydrogen in the gas
Then follows provision for the punish
ment of offenses against the purity clause
of the law. and additional sections provide
for the inspection of meters and regulate
the issue of stocks and bonds by the COM
pany.
In this connection the following extract
from the New York Herald concerning the
various reductions in the gas rates which
nave been made in that city may be of local
interest:
There have been during the last fifteen
years I'VE reductions in the price of gas
In New York, while a law now on the
statute books provides for three further
reductions Following is the price consum-
ers have been paying since 1888, with the
future.