The evening times., 1899-07-27
IN BEHALF OF GAS Users
The District Inspector Recommends
Better Rebate Rates.
Statistics on Faulty Meters Contain
ed i'm His Annual Report 10 the
parisons of fhe Local Compa-
mics aad Those OF other Cities.

The operations OF the Office of the Dis
the fiscal year ended June 80 last are fully
detailed in report submitted TO Ins DIS
trict Commissioners this afternoon by s.
Calvert Ford, who is in charge Of the Office.
The statement is lengthy, and in addition
10 giving statistics regarding the quality
of gas furnished by the local Illuminating
companies. and the probable expenses of the
Office during the next fiscal year, makes
number of Recommendations.
Reference is made TO the complaints
which consumers frequently make regard
ing the small reductions which the local
gas companies allow when the Inspector
OF Gas and Meters learns and reports that
their meters are registering too fast.
Inspector Ford informs the Commission
ers that il is the custom Of local companies
TO allow reduction on current bills only
and according TO the percentage of error
found by the inspector. He asserts that
in Baltimore and New York o much more
liberal allowance is made by the gas COM
panies and states that he has been in
formed by the General Superintendent OF
Lamps and Inspector Of Meters in Baiti-
more that when meters are removed in
that city on complaints made by consum-
ers of gas and found 10 register too fast,
the consumer has the right TO demand that
the gas company make a reduction from
the bills OF the preceding four months 10
the amount of the percentage that his me-
ter is registering against him. He was
also informed by the Secretary Of the Con-
tod # NerC
where meters register too fast il has been
the custom of las company 10 allow the
consumer rebate for the full amount in
dicated by the test certificate of the meter
inspector for one-nalf of the time that the
meter was in use, provided the consumers
account covered the period in question.
In view of the vast differences brought
out through these comparisons, Inspector
Ford recommends that the Washington and
Georgetown Gaslight Companies be re-
quested to make more liberal allowance
than is at present allowed for fast-regis-
tering meters. This Recommendation is OF
vital interest to gas consumers within the
District and is one OF the features OF the
entire report.
Some interesting statements are made in
the report relative TO the quality of gas
furnished in Washington and Georgetown.
The average value OF FIVE cubic feet OF
equal 10 1856 candles, while the average of
the gas manufactured by the Georgetown
Company Is recorded as 27.0S candies. In
spector Ford says this showing is excellent
and cannot be surpassed by any gas CON-
pany in the country, with. the single ex-
ception Of two or three in New York, which
manufacture oil gas.
Eight hundred and nineIy-foIr photomet-
ric inspections were made in Washington
in Eaprg1rpu--g fE~i1V ne
The local inspection is asserted 10 b. the
most thorough in the country. Last year,
by way of comparison, II IS stated that only
dfty-two inspections were made IN the en-
tire city OF Boston, or only one each week.
while inspections are made here daily at
four different laboratories.
During the year the Office proved and in
spected 3,9SS gas meters. Those found 10
register fast numbered l69, with an aver
age error of 4.72 per cent and ga regis
tered slow, with an average error OF 1l35
per cent The number OF meters removed
from service on complaint was LBS Pour
hundred and twenty-four were com 2lailed
Of by consumers who believed that they
registered incorrectly.
The fees received for inspection Of me-
tiers and turned over to the Collector OF
Taxes amounted to 81, $40. The mean aver
age Illuminating power determined at la
boratories equaled 26.3e standard candles;
the maximum average equaled 80. Is stand
ard candles and the minimum eqaaled
22.S1 candles.
The Illuminating power of local gas was
at no time found TO be lower than twen-
ty-fve candles. The impurity known as
sulphurated hydrogen was found on fifty
one occasions. This is a decrease over
1888, but Inspector Ford maintains that
the impuTity should be entirely eliminated
from gas. The average Illuminating pow
er Of gas furnished by the Georgetown
Gaslight Company was 2-100 of one candle
power less than that of the preceding year.
The report recommends in conclusion
that the salary Of the assistant inspector
be increased from Sl,cG0 to 81 200 per an
mum; that the hours during which the Of
fee OF inspector is kept open, namely from
a. m. until D. m, be reduced to con-
form with the hours in force in other Dis
trict departments: that another assistant
inspector be appointed with compensation
OF S120 per annum- and that the salary of
messenger be increased from $3.50 to $500
per annum.
Appended to the report is the following
estimate of appropriations required for
the support of the Office during the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1901: Sa airy o, the
Inspector, $1,000; salary of the Assistant
Inspector. 81 GEO; estimated increase in
salary of latter. $500; salary OF the mes
senger, $3.50; estimated increase in salary
OF messenger, S12e; estimate of salary for
additional assistant, s72O, making a total